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Crossbreeding in dairy cattle with exotic breeds continues to be an appealing practice to the dairy farmers of Bangladesh. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the impact of crossbreeding on both the physical attributes and milk quality traits of crossbred cattle in Bangladesh. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of crossbreeding Bangladeshi local cattle with the exotic Holstein breed on their body characteristics and milk quality. To achieve the goal, data pertaining to body traits and milk samples were gathered from a total of 981 cows from 19 dairy farms located in the northwestern region of Bangladesh. A trained evaluator measured body condition score (BCS), udder score, locomotion score, and body conformation traits. Milk yield information was acquired from official records, while milk composition details were determined through milk analysis. Notably, crossbred cows (Holstein × Local cattle) exhibited greater values for wither height (141 vs. 135, cm), body length (157 vs. 153, cm), heart girth (211 vs. 204, cm), BCS (3.69 vs. 3.27), and udder score (3.29 vs. 2.08) than their Bangladeshi local counterparts. Furthermore, crossbred cows produced 42.4% and 35.3% more milk (10.89 vs. 7.65, kg/d) and fat-corrected milk (10.35 vs. 7.54, kg/d) than Bangladeshi local cattle. However, milk from crossbred cows displayed lower fat and protein content, although their somatic cell score (SCS) and energy-corrected milk remained similar. Additionally, milk from crossbred cows exhibited a longer coagulation time when compared to that of Bangladeshi local cattle. In conclusion, crossbred cows (Holstein × Local cattle) had improved body characteristics with greater milk yield than Bangladeshi local cattle; however, lower fat and protein contents in milk with longer coagulation time were noted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foreign-owned firms' attractiveness as an employer is crucial for recruiting and retaining talented local job seekers since the new generation is concerned about the social image of their organization. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is one of the practical tools to connect host country society and create social acceptability. Socially acceptable businesses are comparatively attractive to work with. Drawing on signaling theory to support the study findings, we used cross-sectional surveys with 182 local employees of export-oriented Chinese enterprises in Bangladesh export processing zone (EPZ) areas. We applied structural equation modeling (SEM) to assess the study hypotheses. In addition, Preacher and Hayes mediation analyses were used to evaluate the mediating effect of employer attractiveness on the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and job pursuit intention. The findings demonstrated a strong association between the research variables and indicate that CSR positively influences employer attractiveness and job pursuit intention. The results show that employer attractiveness partially mediates the impact of CSR on job pursuit intention. This research provides HR managers with practical insights for boosting employer attractiveness, which may play a crucial role in recruiting a competent local workforce. Future implications for HRD professionals and avenues for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the wastewater treatment process and assess the industrial wastewater quality before and after being treated by effluent treatment plants (ETPs) of steel-galvanizing industries located in Mirsharai, Sitakunda, Karnaphuli, and Kalurghat industrial areas of Chattogram, Bangladesh. Wastewater samples were collected from six steel-galvanizing industries during the dry season and monsoon season. The water quality was evaluated based on five physiсochemical parameters, namely pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), biological oxygen demand (BOD5), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total dissolved solids (TDS), as well as the concentration of heavy metals including Fe, Cu, Cr, Ni, and Cd. The measured data were compared with the national and international standards established for ensuring water safety. It was observed that steel plants generate complex wastewater rich in highly dissolved solids and heavy metal ions. Although pH, BOD5, and COD values were within acceptable ranges in these industries, high TDS values were observed. The Fe concentration of discharged stream areas ranged from 0.992 to 16.89 mg/L, exceeding the guideline limits. Additionally, the Cr concentration in both the inlet and outlet exhibited high concentrations, surpassing the standard limits, particularly those set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). Thus, steel-galvanizing industries are likely contributing to water pollution through the discharge of wastewater, particularly in terms of Fe and Cr. The efficiency of ETPs varied for different metals. Furthermore, this study highlighted the importance of the effective design of ETPs to mitigate potential pollution and promote sustainable practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are becoming increasingly common, leading to a global health crisis. The effects of abusing antibiotics not only increase pathogenic resistance but also cause various diseases and syndromes. Gut microbiota contains many beneficial roles for health, while antibiotics kill both pathogens and gut microbiota which is considered one of the major side effects of antibiotics. In fact, new antibiotic compounds are needed in this urgent scenario; phytoremediation is the oldest but most effective method, and research on the antibacterial properties of several types of medicinal plants has already been conducted. Tea and agarwood plants are well known for their economic contribution in both beverage and cosmetic production, as well as for their medicinal value. In this study, tea and agarwood leaf extracts were analyzed for their antimicrobial activity against both pathogenic and beneficial bacteria. Fresh tea (Camellia sinensis) leaves were collected in three varieties, namely, BT-6 from Sylhet, BT-7 from Moulvibazar, and BT-8 from Habiganj; also, green tea (nonfermented tea), black tea (fully fermented tea), and agarwood (Aquilaria malaccensis) were collected from Sylhet region of Bangladesh. Unlike commercial antibiotics, which have side effects on probiotics (beneficiary bacteria), leaf extract activities were analyzed to check if they had positive effects on probiotics that can be found in the gastrointestinal tract as well as dairy products. Potential beneficiary bacteria, Lysinibacillus macroides strain SRU-001 (NCBI accession no. MW665108), and pathogenic bacteria, Aeromonas caviae strain YPLS-62 (NCBI accession no. MW666783), were isolated from the small intestine of poultry and curd, respectively. Tea and agarwood leaves (5 g powder/80 mL methanol) with solvents were kept for seven days at room temperature, and extracts were applied for antimicrobial assays by the disc diffusion assay against the isolated bacteria. 50 µL of each leaf extract was examined against 50 µL of each bacterial culture, where gentamicin was a control. After 24 hours of incubation, tea and agarwood leaf extracts showed an 11–15 mm zone of inhibition against pathogenic A. caviae, while only BT-8 showed 7 mm (disc diameter 6 mm) against probiotic L. macroides. However, compared to leaf extracts, gentamicin showed a 27 mm zone of inhibition against both L. macroides strain SRU-001 and A. caviae strain YPLS-62 bacteria. This research clearly indicates that gentamicin kills both pathogenic and beneficiary bacteria, while leaf extracts from tea and agarwood plants contain antimicrobial activity against only pathogenic A. caviae but no effects on probiotic L. macroides. This outcome indicates not only the potential therapeutic values of tea and agarwood leaves as antibiotics over commercial antibiotics but also the chance of having pathogens in curd and potential beneficial bacteria from the poultry small intestine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The studied area is the single largest fishery in Bangladesh. The present work was conducted at two points of the Padma River (Sureshwar and Tarabunia) from July 2019 to June 2021 to monitor the efficiency of the 5th Hilsa sanctuary. Proportion of spent rate, length frequency, larvae and Jatka abundance, CPUE of larvae, the length-weight relationship of Jatka, plankton composition, and physico-chemical parameters of water were assessed and found adequate in the Hilsa sanctuary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Immediate care of newborns is essential to scale back the mortality rate. This study tries to search out several aspects of newborn care practices of newborn birth from BDHS 2017-18 data. Methods: Initially, bivariate analysis is employed to look at the differentials' initial newborn care practices by several selected background variables. The study used a simple and multinomial logistic regression model to identify the important determinants of initial care practices. Besides determinates of the factor, the study also compares the results with the cross-sectional survey data of 2014 and 2011. Results: The percentage of employing a clean delivery kit during delivery and skin-to-skin contact are 22.8 and 13.7 respectively in Bangladesh in 2017 which is lower than the previous report in 2014. The odds of clean delivery kits and skin-to-skin are higher for educated mothers (OR = 3.30 and OR = 1.74) and in the case of delayed bathing the odds of the Rangpur division (OR = 1.90) are more likely higher compared to the reference category. Besides, the odds of a mother's age above 25 and birth order 3+ are less likely to reference the category for newborn care practices. Conclusion: Factors identified in early newborn care practices will not only help policy makers undertake a series of interventions for improved newborn health but also ensure good -quality health services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study showed that the chemical agents (FML, SCN, and urea) used in food processing produced mild concentrations and exposure time-dependent toxicity in A. cepa. The chemical agents exhibited time-dependent protective effects up to 72 h inspection of 24 h, and depletion of %RG was observed at 72 h inspection of 48 h. Our study suggests that adequate precautions and minimization of doses are needed in the case of industrial and local usage of these chemicals, as the chemicals produced concentration-dependent toxicity in this eukaryotic test system. Frequent use of various food processing chemical agents sometimes causes damage to our bodies by inducing cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and mutagenesis. In Bangladesh, among various chemical agents, formalin, saccharin, and urea are vastly used for processing foodstuffs by industry and local people. This study is focused to assess the toxic effects of formalin, saccharin, and urea on the popularly used eukaryotic test model, Allium cepa L. The assay was carried out by exposing different concentrations of test samples to A. cepa at 24, 48, and 72 h, where distilled water and CuSO4·5H2O (0.6 µg/mL) were utilized as the vehicle and positive control, respectively. The root length of the onions was measured in mm, and the results propose that all the chemical agents demonstrated toxicity in onions in a concentration- and exposure-time-dependent manner. The highest root length was examined at the lower concentrations, and with the increase in the concentration of the test sample and exposure time, the RG (root growth) was inhibited due to the deposition of chemicals and hampering of cell division in the root meristematic region of A. cepa. All the chemical agents also revealed a concentration- and time-dependent adaptive effect up to 72 h inspection of 24 h and a depletion of % root growth at 72 h inspection of 48 h. Our study suggests that sufficient precautions should be confirmed during its industrial and traditional usage as a toxicological response to the chemical agents observed in the A. cepa assay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bangladesh is a pharmemerging country due to its large population. The pharmaceutical industry is one of the priority industries for revenue earning of the government of Bangladesh, and the industry contributes 1.0% of the gross domestic product of the country. The industry value was TK 265.95 billion in MAT 2Q, 2022. The IMS provides pharma industry value based on estimation, but it may differ from the true industry value. The study presents the pharma industry size in Bangladesh and evaluates the difference between the IMS and the true market value of the industry by an appropriate statistical test. The study collects 12 quarters, QTR 3Q, 2019 to QTR 2Q, 2022, sales data of ACI, one of the leading manufacturers, from both IMS and the company. The study finds, on average, quarterly, there is a 23.8% sales difference between the true sales value and IMS sales value in Bangladesh. The study chooses the Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon U (MWWU) test to evaluate the difference between the IMS sales value and the true sales value of a company. The difference between the IMS sales value and the true sales value is statistically significant as the P of the MWWU test is 0.0001743 < 0.01. The limitation of this study is drawing a sales gap issue based on the analysis of a company. For a more meaningful conclusion, further study is required involving others manufacturers. However, This study might be helpful for different national and international bodies such as industry practitioners, researchers, and other stakeholders interested in entering the pharma industry of Bangladesh for business, research, or other purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing urban growth at an unprecedented rate entails adverse implications for societal, economic, and environmental sustainability. In the cities of Bangladesh, the land covers are experiencing rapid construction-associated land expansion, population growth, and socioeconomic development. Comprehensive assessment and understanding of the prospects for rapid land use/land cover (LULC) changes are essential for managing land surface resources and ensuring sustainable development. Therefore, this study aims to assess the historical land use/land cover (LULC) changes and simulate future potential intra-urban LULC growth patterns of Jashore City up to 2050. We used (i) Landsat images to analyze LULC change using maximum likelihood supervised image classification method; (ii) Markov-CA model to illustrate the LULC transition matrix during 2000–2020, (iii) Multilayer Perception Neural Network Markov Chain (MPNNMC) Model to simulate future LULC patterns. The result shows that built-up area expanded quickly, while cropland and water areas have had a large loss of coverage. The LULC change analysis derived from prior LULC was utilized for future simulations, where natural and anthropogenic factors were chosen as the driving variables in the MPNNMC model. The future LULC modeling shows that compared to 2020, the urban area is expected to increase by 23.64%, whereas cropland, vegetation, unused land, and water areas are expected to reduce by 1.16%, 5.47%, 9.55%, and 7.73% respectively, by 2050. The change analysis shows that urban areas will increase the fastest during 2020–2030. The findings demonstrate that the rapid and unplanned urbanization and the rise of the population due to migration resulted in the fastest LULC transformation. The study findings contribute to the long-term ecological development of Jashore City and potentially enhance environmental decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organisations are on alert and trying to be more adaptable to unforeseen challenges due to experiences of COVID-19. These contingent circumstances brought pressure on employees and the bottom line of the business as well. Considering the changing scenario, this study intends to identify the opportunities and problems faced by the human resource management department in Bangladeshi enterprises during COVID-19 and endorse these learnings to post-COVID era. The HR administrators and managers of 30 Bangladeshi firms were taken as a sample of this study. A descriptive research approach was used. The sample was chosen using a simple random sampling method. A common questionnaire was created to gather information and examine the opportunities and problems faced by the human resource management division during the COVID-19 pandemic. A five-point Likert scale with a range of 1 to 5 has been used in the design of the questions. Simple descriptive statistical data analysis techniques, Microsoft Excel, and SPSS were used to build and present the data. It was found during the study that the COVID-19 pandemic has an impact on employees of the human resource department as well as functions of the human resource department for example, acquisition, development, motivation, and maintenance. It exposed new huge challenges and showed some opportunities to an organisation that can be endorsed in post-COVID era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food safety is currently a serious concern due to the health risks associated with food intake, particularly due to heavy metal contamination. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the heavy metals concentration in water and fishes collected from Hakaluki haor, Bangladesh. Three important fish species, Labeo rohita, Cirrhinus cirrhosis, and Labeo calbasu, together with water samples, were analyzed for heavy metals (Pb, Cr, and Cd), respectively. Considering four seasons, namely the monsoon, post-monsoon, winter, and pre-monsoon, a total of 72 fish samples were collected from three fishing stations from June 2017 to May 2018. The results showed that the total mean concentration of metals in water (mg L−1) was found to be in the order of Pb (0.125 ± 0.058) > Cr (0.026 ± 0.012) > Cd (0.001 ± 0.0002) within the maximum permissible limits set by the EU and WHO, except for Pb concentrations. Similarly, the total mean concentrations of Pb in fish (µg g−1) were found in order of L. rohita (0.388 ± 0.291) > Cirrhinus cirrhosus (0.334 ± 0.236) > L. calbasu (0.251 ± 0.117) greater than the maximum permissible limits (0.3 µg g−1) set by FIQC, except for L. calbasu. However, the mean concentrations of Cr and Cd in fish were found to be below the maximum permissible limits of FAO and FIQC, respectively. The quantity of heavy metal contamination in this haor indicates that the situation is worrying for the region's biota and residents. However, to protect public health and reduce environmental risk, the appropriate authorities should oversee and monitor it with strong hands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The density and guard cell length of stomata regulate the physiological processes in plants. Yet, the variation of stomatal characteristics among different functional groups of trees is not been well understood. Particularly, a comprehensive understanding of stomatal behaviour in Bangladeshi moist forest trees is lacking. The study investigated how abaxial stomatal density (SD) and guard cell length (GCL) vary among tree functional types and leaf phenological groups in a moist tropical forest of Bangladesh. Cluster dendrogram revealed three groups of species based on SD and GCL. The independent sample t-test showed that there was a significant difference in SD between evergreen and deciduous tree species (t = 4.18, P < 0.001) but no significant difference in GCL between the two phenological groups. ANOVA revealed no significant difference in SD among the light demanding, intermediate shade tolerant and shade tolerant species (F = 0.76, P = 0.47). However, GCL significantly differed among the three functional groups (F = 3.3, P < 0.05). Maximum theoretical stomatal conductance (gmax) varied between evergreen and deciduous species but did not vary with species shade tolerance. In general, there was a significant trade-off between SD and GCL. However, the inverse relationship was stronger in deciduous and shade tolerant species than in evergreen and shade intolerant species. Leaf dry matter content was positively related with SD and negatively related with GCL. Specific leaf area and leaf thickness were not related to the stomatal traits. Our analyses suggest that leaf phenology and species shade tolerance need to be considered while estimating gas exchange through the stomata in tropical moist forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In Bangladesh, 9.1% of people are disabled, but production and distribution of assistive products (AP) have not been sufficient up to now. Ensuring APs are in the market, and suggesting appropriate APs to the users, are two crucial points in Bangladesh, but there are no data about available APs and the awareness of rehabilitation professionals (RP). To improve this situation, this research was carried out to reveal the number of available APs and the awareness of RPs about APs. METHOD: Data from two important disability-oriented organizations in Bangladesh were collected, including RPs from those organizations. RESULTS: The result revealed that 23 out of 50 kinds of APs from the assistive products list (APL) of WHO were available in Bangladesh. In terms of awareness, an average of 24 APs from the APL were known by the RPs. Only 6% of RPs knew all the 23 APs available in Bangladesh. A total of 47% of RPs got information on APs from the internet, but 92% of them didn't know any database of APs. CONCLUSION: The study indicated that APs are insufficient, and the awareness of RPs about APs is inadequate in Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grewia nervosa (Lour.) Panigrahi, a medicinal herb native to the steep forested region of Bangladesh, is utilized as a treatment for a variety of diseases or conditions, including dysmenorrhea, paratyphoid, bone fractures, jaundice, kidney stones, dyspepsia, heat stroke, cold, fever, diarrhea, hepatitis B, ingestion, and anthelmintic medication. This research aims to investigate the phyto-pharmacological qualities of this herb. The herb was extracted using absolute ethanol followed by fractionation with n-hexane and chloroform. Following an initial investigation of phytochemicals, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and membrane stabilization activities were assessed using the DPPH, egg albumin model, disc diffusion method, and erythrocyte hemolysis model, respectively. A preliminary phytochemical report suggests that G. nervosa contains reducing sugars, gums, amides, alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids, steroids, tannins, flavonoids, and saponins. In a concentration-dependent approach, its fractional extracts displayed promising antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and membrane-stabilizing activity. It was seen that all fractions had a statistically significant capacity to prevent RBCs from hemolyzing, which suggests a potent membrane stabilizing function in-vitro. Taken together, G. nervosa possesses important secondary metabolites and exhibits in-vitro antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and membrane stabilizing capacities. This endorses the conventional usage of G. nervosa , although additional study is needed on this potentially beneficial plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study attempted to assess the changes in shoreline and erosion-accretion of newly formed island at the mouth of the Meghna river estuary in Bangladesh using multi temporal satellite images and GIS techniques. The current study used NDWI an MNDWI to delineate land and water boundary to extract the shoreline and also used some overlay analysis to measure the erosion-accretion. DSAS extension is used for analyzing the shifting of the shoreline. The results (1990-2015) show that the island has 1192 hectares of land accreted during this time period, and about 1 km of its shoreline lost during this time period as it has broken in few places. Most accretion found in the northwestern part and erosion in southeastern and southwestern part. The study area was divided into four different segments and about 115 transects were constructed, of which about 74 shows the seaward movement and 44 shows landward movement. Seaward movement and rate of shoreline shifting is higher in the northwestern part where net shoreline movement (NSM) is +1897 meters and end point rate (EPR) is +73 m/year. Landward movement and the rate of shoreline shifting are higher in southeastern and southwestern part of which net shoreline movement (NSM) is about -2680 meters and end point rate (EPR) is about -129 m/year. The highest landward movement is found as -2680 meters and highest seaward movement as +1897 meters. Accretion process is dominant while erosion process discontinued the shoreline in some places. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Data on risk factors of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are still inadequate Bangladesh. More data, especially from rural population because 70 percent of Bangladeshi people leave in rural area, are necessary to plan intervention and monitor progress of NCD control. The aim of the study was to determine distribution and prevalence of risk factors of NCDs in a rural adult population of Bangladesh. Method: A cross-sectional study targeting one adult (15 years or older) from each of 1088 households of a village was carried out in 2008. Among them 1011 participated. Information on age and education of the respondents and risk factors such as tobacco, fruit and vegetable intake, habit of added salt while taking the meal, blood pressure and waist circumference were obtained using standardized protocol. Results: Mean age of the subjects was 42.4 years. Age adjusted prevalence of tobacco consumption was 59.5% (smoking 31.0% and smokeless tobacco use 36.3%). More than nine in ten (92.8%) of the respondents consumed less than 5 serving of fruit and/or vegetables per day. Nine in ten (88.5%) used extra salt during meal. Prevalence of hypertension and central obesity was found 19.7% and 18.8% respectively. Conclusion: NCD risk factors are widely prevalent even in this rural population having a traditional agricultural lifestyle. Interventions those are appropriate to this kind of community are needed to be developed in Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Binadhan-14 (Oryza sativa L.) is a late transplanting rice variety with high yield potential, developed for boro season by BINA in 2013. Effects of different transplanting dates to yield of Binadhan-14 were assessed at three locations in Bangladesh during boro season in 2014-15. BRRI dhan 28 was used as a check variety. At each location, one month old seedlings were transplanted at five different dates with 15-day intervals between February 1 and April 1, 2015. A randomized complete block design with three replications was used to lay out plots in the experiment. Transplanting dates significantly influenced grain yield and yield contributing parameters, such as plant height, panicles per hill, panicle length and filled grains per panicle, except for 1000-grain weight. The highest grain yields were obtained when the rice was transplanted on February 1 and 15, 2015. The highest yield of Binadhan-14 was obtained at Rangpur (6.75 t/ha), followed by Mymensingh (6.25 t/ha) and Magura (5.90 t/ha). Results of this study suggest that February 1 to 15 would be the best time to transplant Binadhan-14 as a late transplanting boro variety under the climatic conditions in Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ice cream is a popular dairy product in the world. Its chemical and microbial quality has always been remarkably important to consumer. The aims of this study were to investigate chemical and microbiological quality of ice cream from four companies (Igloo, Kwality, Polar and Baby) sold in Sylhet city, Bangladesh. Total solids (TS), Fat, Protein, Ash, and Acidity content, total viable count and coliform counts were measured Standard procedure. There were highly significant differences (P<0.001) within the chemical parameters of ice cream from different companies. Ice cream from Kwality Company contained 3.48% protein, 36.30% total solids, 13.00% fat, 1.05% ash and 0.22% acidity which were higher than other companies. Total viable bacteria were in the range of 1942cfu/gm to 3692cfu/gm. Coliform counts of the ice cream samples from Igloo, Kwality, Polar and Baby were 16.00, 12.42, 36.17 and 47.17cfu/g respectively. Ice cream from Kwality Company was superior to other companies on the basis of chemical and microbial parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the policy interventions addressing the emerging population ageing issues in the population and development context in Bangladesh. It is suggested that population dynamics should be taken positively and appropriate policies should be initiated and implemented. Significantly, the issues should be integrated into the mainstream development system for a sustainable population and development context of Bangladesh.

Migratory birds are carriers of multidrug resistant pathogenic Escherichia coli. However, their roles in the dissemination of these resistant pathogens are still being neglected in Bangladesh. The present study was therefore carried out to detect multidrug resistant E. coli. In addition, these isolates were also screened for the presence of avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC)-associated virulence genes. A total of 66 fecal matter samples of migratory birds were screened. E. coli were isolated and identified by culturing and biochemical tests followed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). APEC-associated virulence genes were detected by PCR. Disk diffusion assays were employed to investigate antibiogram profiles. Bivariate analysis was performed to assess correlations in resistance patterns between antimicrobials and to assess associations between virulence genes of E. coli. Among the 66 samples assessed by PCR, 55 (83.33%) were found positive for E. coli. Of these 55 isolates, the APEC-associated virulence gene fimC was detected in 67.27% of the isolates, which was significantly higher than in the cases of iucD (29.09%) and papC (5.45%) genes. In addition, three isolates were found positive for all three virulence genes, while 23 and 12 isolates were positive for one and two virulence genes respectively. In the bivariate analysis, significant associations were detected between fimC and iucD virulence genes. Using the antibiogram, all E. coli isolates were found to be multidrug resistant (MDR). The isolates exhibited 100% resistance against ampicillin and erythromycin in addition to varying percentages of resistance against streptomycin, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, and chloramphenicol. Highly positive correlations between tetracycline and ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol and ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol and tetracycline were observed by bivariate analysis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that reports APEC-associated virulence genes of MDR E. coli from migratory birds in Bangladesh. Results indicate that migratory birds are reservoirs of MDR E. coli isolates carrying APEC-associated virulence genes, which can seriously contribute to the development of human and animal diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of man-made ponds on arsenic mobilization was examined in Bangladesh. Here, we describe a field experiment that shows how recharge from a newly constructed pond creates a reactive front that moves downward into the underlying aquifer, but only advances slowly, less than 8 cm/year. We found that pond recharge introduces organic carbon that likely drives the reduction of sulfate and solid-phase iron. However, over the six-year period of the study the pond did not drive arsenic contamination of the underlying groundwater. An electron balance indicates that significant precipitation of ferrous iron and sulfide minerals may immobilize arsenic despite the shift towards more reducing conditions, explaining the very low observed aqueous arsenic concentrations. We additionally found that the amount of solid-phase electron acceptors available in the shallow sediments strongly retards the advance of a reduced sediment front. Our results suggest that labile organic carbon introduced by man-made ponds is efficiently mineralized in the sediments immediately below the pond bottom and thus is unlikely to drive arsenic mobilization deeper within the aquifer. We suggest that the excavation of man-made ponds removes young surficial sediments, leaving aged and less reactive sediments beneath the pond, so that recharge through excavated ponds does not mobilize arsenic at the high rates observed in recharge through natural wetlands and river banks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes a community rainwater harvesting (RWH) system as an alternative water supply solution for Paikgacha, a water-scarce coastal urban area in Bangladesh. Although individual household-based RWH systems have been implemented in many areas in Bangladesh, to date, no study has been conducted designing a community RWH system and assessing its reliability and financial feasibility. This study employs historical observed and available climate model predicted future rainfall data into stormwater management model (SWMM) for rainfall-runoff simulation of the community RWH, and compares SWMM's performance with rational formula based estimation. We then calculate volumetric and time reliability of the proposed system and assess its financial viability. We observe good agreement in reliability curves generated by SWMM and rational formula-based model. Under the historical rainfall scenario, our proposed community RWH shows up to 99% reliability for 100 L per day household demand, given that proper community size and storage tank size are chosen. Predicted rainfall pattern of 2041–2070 period shows similar reliability-tank size relation to that of historical observed rainfall; however, predicted high precipitation intensity during 2021–2040 and 2071–2100 seem to assist the system in attaining higher reliability. Cost-benefit analysis indicates the financial viability of the proposed system. Finally, we develop a nomograph incorporating interactive factors of RWH, which would ease decision making by the policymakers regarding the implementation of community RWH. [Display omitted] • Designing and modeling a community rainwater harvesting (RWH) system. • Estimation of climate change impacts on reliability and financial feasibility. • Up to 99% reliability can be achieved for certain community water demand scenario. • Community RWH is financially viable in the study area. • A decision making nomograph is developed for implementing community RWH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Antibiotic abuse has contributed to the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and has become a global concern. With a poorly regulated health system and a general lack of data, Bangladesh remains under high risk of AMR spread. To minimize the existing gap in the literature, this study was conducted to assess the knowledge, attitude, and behavior regarding antibiotic use and misuse among university students. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used to survey 1400 students using a self-administered questionnaire from the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Descriptive and inferential analyses were performed with statistical significance defined as p < 0.05. Results: More than half of the respondents had poor knowledge and neutral attitude towards antibiotics. The students from bioscience were found to have better knowledge and attitude than arts and business. Respondents with good knowledge were more likely to show a positive attitude, p<0.05. Most of the respondents did not know that antibiotics are ineffective against most coughs and cold; and above 60% practiced self-medication. About one-third did not know that antibiotics mainly target bacteria, and surprisingly, more than four-fifth perceived that humans & animals could become resistant to antibiotics. Also, half of the participants did not fulfill their prescribed antibiotic course. Conclusion: There is a substantial amount of knowledge and attitude gap about and non-compliance to the proper use of antibiotics among the university students. The research findings, therefore, reflect the need for policy-level interventions to increase awareness and develop effective countermeasures to prevent the misuse of antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are becoming increasingly common, leading to a global health crisis. The effects of abusing antibiotics not only increase pathogenic resistance but also cause various diseases and syndromes. Gut microbiota contains many beneficial roles for health, while antibiotics kill both pathogens and gut microbiota which is considered one of the major side effects of antibiotics. In fact, new antibiotic compounds are needed in this urgent scenario; phytoremediation is the oldest but most effective method, and research on the antibacterial properties of several types of medicinal plants has already been conducted. Tea and agarwood plants are well known for their economic contribution in both beverage and cosmetic production, as well as for their medicinal value. In this study, tea and agarwood leaf extracts were analyzed for their antimicrobial activity against both pathogenic and beneficial bacteria. Fresh tea ( Camellia sinensis ) leaves were collected in three varieties, namely, BT-6 from Sylhet, BT-7 from Moulvibazar, and BT-8 from Habiganj; also, green tea (nonfermented tea), black tea (fully fermented tea), and agarwood ( Aquilaria malaccensis ) were collected from Sylhet region of Bangladesh. Unlike commercial antibiotics, which have side effects on probiotics (beneficiary bacteria), leaf extract activities were analyzed to check if they had positive effects on probiotics that can be found in the gastrointestinal tract as well as dairy products. Potential beneficiary bacteria, Lysinibacillus macroides strain SRU-001 (NCBI accession no. MW665108), and pathogenic bacteria, Aeromonas caviae strain YPLS-62 (NCBI accession no. MW666783), were isolated from the small intestine of poultry and curd, respectively. Tea and agarwood leaves (5 g powder/80 mL methanol) with solvents were kept for seven days at room temperature, and extracts were applied for antimicrobial assays by the disc diffusion assay against the isolated bacteria. 50  µ L of each leaf extract was examined against 50  µ L of each bacterial culture, where gentamicin was a control. After 24 hours of incubation, tea and agarwood leaf extracts showed an 11-15 mm zone of inhibition against pathogenic A. caviae , while only BT-8 showed 7 mm (disc diameter 6 mm) against probiotic L. macroides . However, compared to leaf extracts, gentamicin showed a 27 mm zone of inhibition against both L. macroides strain SRU-001 and A. caviae strain YPLS-62 bacteria. This research clearly indicates that gentamicin kills both pathogenic and beneficiary bacteria, while leaf extracts from tea and agarwood plants contain antimicrobial activity against only pathogenic A. caviae but no effects on probiotic L. macroides . This outcome indicates not only the potential therapeutic values of tea and agarwood leaves as antibiotics over commercial antibiotics but also the chance of having pathogens in curd and potential beneficial bacteria from the poultry small intestine., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Shah Rucksana Akhter Urme et al.)

Objective: Prognostic factors in colorectal cancer have lesser been evaluated in developing countries. This study aims to determine overall survival and prognostic factors for metastatic colorectal cancer patients who were non-operable and received chemotherapy., Methods: The study retrospectively investigated 67 inoperable metastatic colorectal cancer patients at Square Hospital, Bangladesh. The primary endpoint was overall survival, and the secondary endpoints were prognostic association with factors. Survival probabilities were calculated by non-parametric Kaplan-Meier method and compared by log-rank test. Univariate and multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were implemented to assess the prognostic association., Results: Median survival of the entire cohort was 14 months (95% confidence interval: 11-25). In multivariable analysis, two prognostic factors were independently associated with survival: Karnofsky performance status and carcinoembryonic antigen. Patients with Karnofsky performance status <70 had significant higher risk of death than those with Karnofsky performance status ≥70 (adjusted hazard ratio 4.25, 95% confidence interval: 2.15-8.39). Higher risk of death was found to be associated with higher carcinoembryonic antigen: adjusted hazard ratio was 1.72 (95% confidence interval: 0.81-3.68) and 2.96 (95% confidence interval: 1.25-7.01) for patients with carcinoembryonic antigen 10-100 and >100 ng/ml, respectively, while comparing with carcinoembryonic antigen <10 ng/ml. The presence of peritoneal metastasis and grade-III tumour significantly worsened the survival in univariate analysis (hazard ratio 2.46, 95% confidence interval: 1.32-4.57 and hazard ratio 1.74, 95% confidence interval: 1.01-3.03, respectively) but not in multivariable analysis (adjusted hazard ratio 1.92, 95% confidence interval: 0.88-4.18 and adjusted hazard ratio 1.25, 95% confidence interval: 0.66-2.36, respectively)., Conclusion: The study reported survival of stage IV colorectal cancer patients undergo chemotherapy and identified that Karnofsky performance status and carcinoembryonic antigen are the poor prognostic factors to this cohort adjusting for other factors., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permission@oup.com.)

Faecal Sludge Management (FSM) has become a prominent environmental concern in the today's world. Dewatering of sludge and the treatment of wastewater (WW) are the prime spiny issue because of the deleterious essence of faecal sludge (FS) and WW in the environment. The main focus of this study was on FSM by 'Deebag' and 'Jute Bag' through dewatering and filtering. Deebag is a dewatering as well as filtering media which is made with geotextile and polypropylene. Contrariwise, three types of jute bags were made of jute fiber for using as the same purposes of Deebag. A polyacrylamide polymer was used in this study and both filtering and dewatering were done in two ways-with and without the presence of polymer. Biochemical Oxygen Demand at 5 days (BOD5), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), Chloride (Cl-), Phosphate (PO43-), Nitrate (NO3-), Total Suspended Solid (TSS) and Total Dissolved Solid (TDS) parameters of raw and filtering samples were analyzed to assess the performance of WW treatment by Deebag and jute bags. Only using polymer was observed as one kind of treatment of WW. Deebag has been found to show the maximum dewatering capacity as well as treatment efficiency comparing with the jute bags. However, among three types of jute bags, double jute layered bag has shown the best performance. Maximum dewatering for Deebag and jute bags were found 88% and 83% respectively while using the polymer., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.