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This study aimed to pinpoint the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) gene that is notably linked to milk production traits and to evaluate the structural and functional consequences of mutant proteins. Through pooled DNA sequencing, five SNPs were identified within the SCD gene. Among these, only one exonic SNP (g.10329C>T) was non-synonymous, resulting in an amino acid change from alanine to valine in the protein. Structural and functional analysis of the g.10329C>T mutation revealed discernible differences between wild-type and mutant proteins, indicating consequential effects on the observed phenotype. Subsequently, this identified SNP was genotyped in 100 milking cows for association analysis. The SNP g.10329C>T demonstrated significant allele substitution effects on milk yield traits. These findings suggest that the identified polymorphism (g.10329C>T) influences milk yield traits within the studied population and could serve as a genetic marker for cattle selection processes aimed at enhancing productivity with proper validation.

ABSTRACT: Objectives: The emergence of antimicrobial-resistant and mastitis-associated Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium is of great concern due to the huge economic losses associated with enterococcal infections. Here we report the draft genome sequences of E. faecalis and E. faecium strains that were isolated from raw milk samples obtained from mastitis-infected cows in Bangladesh. Methods: The two strains were isolated, identified, and genomic DNA was sequenced using the Illumina NextSeq 550 platform. The assembled contigs were analysed for virulence, antimicrobial resistance genes, and multilocus sequence type. The genomes were compared to previously reported E. faecalis and E. faecium genomes to generate core genome phylogenetic trees. Results: E. faecalis strain BR-MHR218Efa and E. faecium strain BR-MHR268Efe belonged to multilocus sequence types ST-190 and ST-22, respectively, both of which appear to represent relatively rare sequence types. BR-MHR268Efe harboured only one antibiotic resistance gene encoding resistance towards macrolides (lsa(A)), while BR-MHR218Efa harboured ten different antibiotic resistance genes encoding resistance to aminoglycosides (ant[6]-Ia, aph(3′)-III), sulphonamides (aac(6′)-II), lincosamides (lnu(B)), macrolides (erm(B)), MLSB antibiotics (msr(C)), tetracyclines (tet(M), tet(L)), trimethoprim (dfrG), and pleuromutilin-lincosamide-streptogramin A (lsa(E)). Virulence gene composition was different between the two isolates. BR-MHR218Efa harboured only two virulence genes involved in adherence (acm and scm). BR-MHR268Efe harboured eight complete virulence operons including three operons involved in adherence (Ace, Ebp pili, and EfaA), two operons involved in biofilm formation (BopD and Fsr), and three exoenzymes (gelatinase, hyaluronidase, SprE). Conclusions: The genome sequences of the strains BR-MHR268Efe and BR-MHR218Efa will serve as a reference point for molecular epidemiological studies of mastitis-associated E. faecalis and E. faecium. Additionally, the findings will help understand the complex antimicrobial-resistance in livestock-assoiated Enterococci.

Background and objectives: Hypertension (HTN) is a leading cause of non-communicable disease in low- and middle-income countries, including Bangladesh. Thus, the objectives of this study were to investigate the associated risk factors for HTN and develop with validate a monogram model for predicting an individual's risk of HTN in Bangladesh. Materials and methods: This study exploited the latest nationally representative cross-sectional BDHS, 2017–18 data, which consisted of 6569 participants. LASSO and logistic regression (LR) analysis were performed to reduce dimensionality of data, identify the associated risk factors, and develop a nomogram model for predicting HTN risk in the training cohort. The discrimination ability, calibration, and clinical effectiveness of the developed model were evaluated using validation cohort in terms of area under the curve (AUC), calibration plot, decision curve analysis, and clinical impact curve analysis. Results: The combined results of the LASSO and LR analysis demonstrated that age, sex, division, physical activity, family member, smoking, body mass index, and diabetes were the associated risk factors of HTN. The nomogram model achieved good discrimination ability with AUC of 0.729 (95 % CI: 0.685–0.741) for training and AUC of 0.715 (95 % CI: 0.681–0.729)] for validation cohort and showed strong calibration effects, with good agreement between the actual and predicted probabilities (p-value = 0.231). Conclusion: The proposed nomogram provided a good predictive performance and can be effectively utilized in clinical settings to accurately diagnose hypertensive patients who are at risk of developing severe HTN at an early stage in Bangladesh.

BackgroundRising antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Salmonella Typhi restricts typhoid treatment options, heightening concerns for pan-oral drug-resistant outbreaks. However, lack of long-term temporal surveillance data on AMR in countries with high burden like Bangladesh is scarce. Our study explores the AMR trends of Salmonella Typhi isolates from Bangladesh, drawing comparisons with antibiotic consumption to optimize antibiotic stewardship strategies for the country.Methodology/principal findingsThe typhoid fever surveillance from 1999 to 2022 included two pediatric hospitals and three private clinics in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Blood cultures were performed at treating physicians' discretion; cases were confirmed by microbiological, serological, and biochemical tests. Antibiotic susceptibility was determined following CLSI guidelines. National antibiotic consumption data for cotrimoxazole, ciprofloxacin, and azithromycin was obtained from IQVIA-MIDAS database for comparison. Over the 24 years of surveillance, we recorded 12,435 culture-confirmed typhoid cases and observed declining resistance to first-line drugs (amoxicillin, chloramphenicol, and cotrimoxazole); multidrug resistance (MDR) decreased from 38% in 1999 to 17% in 2022. Cotrimoxazole consumption dropped from 0.8 to 0.1 Daily defined doses (DDD)/1000/day (1999-2020). Ciprofloxacin non-susceptibility persisted at >90% with unchanged consumption (1.1-1.3 DDD/1000/day, 2002-2020). Low ceftriaxone resistance (ConclusionOur study highlights declining MDR amongst Salmonella Typhi in Bangladesh; first-line antimicrobials could be reintroduced as empirical treatment options for typhoid fever if MDR rates further drops below 5%. The analysis also provides baseline data for monitoring the impact of future interventions like typhoid conjugate vaccines on typhoid burden and associated AMR.

House flies are mechanical vectors of food borne enteric pathogenic bacteria which may transfer isolates to human and produce diseases. In Bangladesh, there is very limited data on molecular characterization of drug-resistant bacteria from isolated house flies. The research was conducted to determine the pathogenic bacteria isolated from houseflies in different location in Dinajpur district of Bangladesh and their antibiogram study for a period of one year from June, 2019 to July, 2020. A total of 140 houseflies were randomly collected and submitted to bacteriology lab, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University for microbiological analysis. A group of cultural tests, biochemical tests were used to isolation and identification of isolates and further confirmed through molecular characterization by the presence of 16S rRNA gene E1, E2 and invA. Additionally, 14 commercially available antibiotics were used by karby-bauer disk diffusion technique for antibiogram study. Results showed that the most commonly isolated bacteria from houseflies' external surfaces were Escherichia coli 19.04%, Salmonella typhimurium 15.87%, and Pseudomonas spp. 7.93% from 63 isolates, while 42 isolates found 35.71%, 28.57%, and 14.28% respectively. PCR amplification bands of Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, and Pseudomonas spp. were 584bp, 284bp, and 1497bp. Almost all the isolates were highly resistant to erythromycin, gentamycin, bacitracin (100%), followed by kanamycin, methicillin (80%) whereas highly sensitive to ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol, azithromycin (100%), followed by tetracycline, amoxicillin (85.71%). These pathogenic microorganisms at distinct sampling sites indicate house flies may transmit vector-borne pathogens to humans. Based on these findings, we recommend vector-borne disease-fighting medications and a sustainable house fly-control approach. We also suggest promoting hygiene and food safety protocol to distance food ingredient from flies in local markets. [ J Adv Biotechnol Exp Ther 2023; 6(3.000): 597-609]

Introduction: Lockdown measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic had an appreciable impact on the education of all medical, dental and non-medical healthcare professional students. These included the closure of universities necessitating a rapid move to e-learning and a new practical approach to conducting teaching-learning classes. However, initially, there was a lack of knowledge and expertise regarding e-learning approaches and the affordability of internet bundles and equipment. Materials and Methods: We conducted two pilot studies to assess such current challenges, replaced by a two-stage approach including a full investigation involving 32 private and public universities during the early stages of the pandemic, followed by a later study assessing the current environment brought about by the forced tops. Results: The top challenges at the start of the pandemic included a lack of familiarity with the e-learning approaches, the cost of the internet, a lack of IT equipment and the quality of the classes. To address identified challenges, universities offered support to staff and students. Since then, e-learning approaches have widened the possibilities for teaching and learning at convenient times. However, challenges remain. Conclusions: There were considerable challenges at the start of the pandemic. Several key issues have been addressed with hybrid learning here to stay. The remaining challenges include a lack of ICT equipment. However, new innovations will continue.

The main focus of this research paper is to develop a realistic mathematical framework to accurately characterize the performance of the harmonic identification system. This mathematical framework incorporates the essential factors that affect the harmonic identification system such as, the radiation pattern and polarization of the reader and transponder antennas, the angle of incidence and reflection, conversion efficiency of the non-linear element, besides the environmental effects which are multipath and clutter reflections. To validate the proposed analytical model, simulations and measurements are conducted using a state-of-the-art transponder equipped with a Schottky diode that exhibits non-linear characteristics in output power. The performance of the transponder is evaluated in both scenarios, with and without environmental reflections, where a significant drop in the backscattered signal is observed due to the multipath reflections. Accordingly, a Ray-tracing model is utilized to investigate the environmental reflections, and thus the system performance could be evaluated analytically. The close agreement between the results obtained from developed analytical framework and Ray-tracing simulations together with the corresponding measurements demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed analytical framework in accurately predicting the performance of the harmonic identification systems.

The flow and heat transfer of a steady, viscous biomagnetic fluid containing magnetic particles caused by the swirling and stretching motion of a three-dimensional cylinder has been investigated numerically in this study. Because fluid and particle rotation are different, a magnetic field is applied in both radial and tangential directions to counteract the effects of rotational viscosity in the flow domain. Partial differential equations are used to represent the governing three-dimensional modeled equations. With the aid of customary similarity transformations, this system of partial differential equations is transformed into a set of ordinary differential equations. They are then numerically resolved utilizing a common finite differences technique that includes iterative processing and the manipulation of tridiagonal matrices. Graphs are used to depict the physical effects of imperative parameters on the swirling velocity, temperature distributions, skin friction coefficient, and the rate of heat transfer. For higher values of the ferromagnetic interaction parameter, it is discovered that the axial velocity increases, whereas temperature and tangential velocity drop. With rising levels of the ferromagnetic interaction parameter, the size of the axial skin friction coefficient and the rate of heat transfer are both accelerated. In some limited circumstances, a comparison with previously published work is also handled and found to be acceptably accurate.

Background. The livestock sector contributes 1.90% to the GDP in Bangladesh during 2021–22. Poultry is one of the important subsectors struggling with diseases. Fowl adenoviruses (FAdVs) cause numerous diseases resulting in economic losses to the poultry industry worldwide. Several FAdV serotypes cause inclusion body hepatitis in chicken. Although FAdV infection was suspected, there was no confirmatory report from Bangladesh. The study was conducted to investigate the FAdV infection and antibodies in chicken. Methods. A total of 50 samples, each composed of liver and spleen, were collected from different chickens of Gazipur, Dinajpur, and Panchagarh district. Each location belongs to A, B, and C poultry zones of Bangladesh, respectively. Viruses were detected by real-time PCR and conventional PCR. Blood samples (n = 303) were collected at the beginning and after the recovery from infection and tested by indirect ELISA. Sequencing of PCR products was done for serotyping and phylogenetic analysis. Results. Clinical signs were observed including anorexia, drowsiness, ruffled feathers, reduced body weight, lack of uniformity, and high mortality (15–25%). Enlarged friable liver with yellow to tan color mottled with the focal soft area, fluid in pericardial sac, swollen and hemorrhagic kidneys, enlarged congested spleen and pancreas, etc. were found on postmortem examination. FAdVs were detected in 90% of the flocks except commercial layer flock from Dinajpur. Three serotypes, namely, 8b (70%), 11 (10%), and 5 (10%) were detected. Anti-FAdV antibody was detected in 80% flocks at the beginning of infection and in 90% of the flocks after recovery from infection. The antibody titer increases significantly (p

The rise of antimicrobial resistance, particularly from extended-spectrum β-lactamase producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E), poses a significant global health challenge as it frequently causes the failure of empirical antibiotic therapy, leading to morbidity and mortality. The E. coli- and K. pneumoniae-derived CTX-M genotype is one of the major types of ESBL. Mobile genetic elements (MGEs) are involved in spreading ESBL genes among the bacterial population. Due to the rapidly evolving nature of ESBL-E, there is a lack of specific standard examination methods. Carbapenem has been considered the drug of first choice against ESBL-E. However, carbapenem-sparing strategies and alternative treatment options are needed due to the emergence of carbapenem resistance. In South Asian countries, the irrational use of antibiotics might have played a significant role in aggravating the problem of ESBL-induced AMR. Superbugs showing resistance to last-resort antibiotics carbapenem and colistin have been reported in South Asian regions, indicating a future bleak picture if no urgent action is taken. To counteract the crisis, we need rapid diagnostic tools along with efficient treatment options. Detailed studies on ESBL and the implementation of the One Health approach including systematic surveillance across the public and animal health sectors are strongly recommended. This review provides an overview of the background, associated risk factors, transmission, and therapy of ESBL with a focus on the current situation and future threat in the developing countries of the South Asian region and beyond.

Cubic boron nitride (cBN) is a relatively less studied wide bandgap semiconductor despite its many promising mechanical, thermal, and electronic properties. We report on the electronic, structural, and optical characterization of commercial cBN crystal platelets. Temperature dependent transport measurements revealed the charge limited diode behavior of the cBN crystals. The equilibrium Fermi level was determined to be 0.47 eV below the conduction band, and the electron conduction was identified as n-type. Unirradiated dark and amber colored cBN crystals displayed broad photoluminescence emission peaks centered around different wavelengths. RC series zero phonon line defect emission peaks were observed at room temperature from the electron beam irradiated and oxygen ion implanted cBN crystals, making this material a promising candidate for high power microwave devices, next generation power electronics, and future quantum sensing applications.

Parental involvement with children is crucial for children's school readiness. The inequality in Early Childhood Education (ECE) results in an intellectual divide among children aged 3-5 in Bangladesh. Additionally, cognitive and non-cognitive development significantly contributes to school readiness. This case study research gathered information from 68 parents, 25 supply-side stakeholders, and classroom and school observations to comprehend the current state of school readiness of children in Bangladesh. This research finds that private tutoring has become a popular approach to preparing children for school because parents are less involved with their children. The insufficient preparation for ECE instructors and the infrequent contact between parents and teachers increase parental ignorance of their child's school readiness. The research highlights some significant elements of the settings of ECE which needs to be advanced and recreated that are favorable to the development of young children, such as learning materials, the surroundings, the curriculum, and peer interactions.

Canine parvovirus (CPV-2) is one of the most important pathogens of dogs of all ages, causing pandemic infections that are characterized by fatal hemorrhagic enteritis. The CPV-2 vaccine is recommended as a core vaccine for pet animals. Despite the intensive practice of active immunization, CPV-2 remains a global threat. In this study, a multi-epitope vaccine against CPV-2 was designed, targeting the highly conserved capsid protein (VP2) via in silico approaches. Several immunoinformatics methods, such as epitope screening, molecular docking, and simulation were used to design a potential vaccine construct. The partial protein sequences of the VP2 gene of CPV-2 and protein sequences retrieved from the NCBI were screened to predict highly antigenic proteins through antigenicity, trans-membrane-topology screening, an allergenicity assessment, and a toxicity analysis. Homologous VP2 protein sequences typically linked to the disease were identified using NCBI BLAST, in which four conserved regions were preferred. Overall, 10 epitopes, DPIGGKTGI, KEFDTDLKP, GTDPDDVQ, GGTNFGYIG, GTFYFDCKP, NRALGLPP, SGTPTN, LGLPPFLNSL, IGGKTG, and VPPVYPN, were selected from the conserved regions to design the vaccine construct. The molecular docking demonstrated the higher binding affinity of these epitopes with dog leukocyte antigen (DLA) molecules. The selected epitopes were linked with Salmonella enterica flagellin FliC adjuvants, along with the PADRE sequence, by GGS linkers to construct a vaccine candidate with 272 nucleotides. The codon adaptation and in silico cloning showed that the generated vaccine can be expressed by the E. coli strain, K12, and the sequence of the vaccine construct showed no similarities with dog protein. Our results suggest that the vaccine construct might be useful in preventing canine parvoviral enteritis (CPE) in dogs. Further in vitro and in vivo experiments are needed for the validation of the vaccine candidate.

Chipless radio frequency identification (RFID) technology is expected to replace barcode technology due to its ability to read in non-line-of-sight (NLOS) situations, long reading range, and low cost. Currently, there is extensive research being conducted on frequency-coded (FC) co-polarized radar cross-section (RCS)-based tags, which are widely used. However, detecting co-polarized chipless RFID tags in cluttered environments is still a challenge, as confirmed by measuring two co-polarized tags in front of a perfect metal reflector (30.5cm×22.5cm). To address this challenge, a realistic mathematical model for a chipless RFID system has been developed that takes into account the characteristics of the reader and the tag, as well as reflections from cluttered objects. This extensive mathematical model developed for linear chipless RFID systems in clutter scenarios holds the potential to greatly assist researchers in their exploration of RCS-based tags. By relying solely on simulations, this model provides a tool to effectively analyze and understand RCS-based tags, ultimately simplifying the process of generating more authentic tag designs. This model has been simulated and verified with measurement results by placing a single flat metal reflector behind two co-polarized one-bit designs: a dipole array tag and a square patch tag. The results showed that the interfering signal completely overlaps the ID of the co-polarized tag, severely limiting its detectability. To solve this issue, the proposed solution involves reading the tag in cross-polarization mode by etching a diagonal slot in the square patch tag. This proposed tag provides high immunity to the environment and can be detected in front of both dielectric and metallic objects.

In this paper, the effects of various fluid properties on two-dimensional unsteady biomagnetic fluid flow (blood) and heat transfer over a stretching sheet under the appearance of a magnetic dipole is investigated. The governing boundary layer equations are simplified via suitable transformation which are then solved using the bvp4c function approach in MATLAB software. The results indicate that fluid velocity and temperature are greatly influenced by the ferromagnetic interaction parameter. With increasing ferromagnetic number, fluid velocity drops but temperature increases. It is also found that the coefficient of skin friction and Nusselt number increase with an increase in values of thermal conductivity parameter. For certain parameter values, the results are also compared with previously published studies and they are found to be in acceptable agreement.

Identification of meat and meat products is significant for economic, religious, or public health reasons. This study focused on the detection and differentiation of meat animal species. A total of sixty-four meat samples (10 samples of each like beef, buffen, chevon, and mutton; twenty-four samples of pork) were analyzed for these purposes. PCR-RFLP of 12S rRNA gene with four restriction enzymes was performed on individual meat samples as well as mixture of different meat. Species specific primers as well as sequencing of DNA were also used to detect and verify the RFLP results. PCR amplification yielded a 456bp fragments from 100% samples. AluI digested beef DNA into 359 and 97bp, chevon and mutton DNA into 246 and 210bp fragments and pork DNA into 290 and 166bp fragments. However, it cannot digest buffen DNA. On the other hand HhaI digested only buffen DNA into 247 and 209bp fragments but not others. ApoI restricts only mutton DNA and yielded 329 and 127bp fragments but not others. Nevertheless, BspTI yielded 323 and 133bp fragments only from chevon. Besides, mixed samples (1:1) of beef-buffen and chevon-mutton can be differentiated by AluI & HhaI and BspTI & ApoI, respectively. Chord analysis based on our sequence and respective sequences of studied animals from GenBank indicated that the cutting sites are conserved in these species of animals. Phylogenetically each of the species was clustered separately. This technique may be useful for meat animal species detection and differentiation either from individual meat and mixed meat samples.

Background: Bangladesh is declared as “Digital Bangladesh” however, medical students are least acquainted with the necessary information and communication technology (ICT) knowledge in the context of medical education. We have conducted a survey to know about digital equipment ownership, therefore, carried out a self-reported assessment of knowledge and utilization of ICT in relation to educational and clinical development. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional, multi-centered questionnaire survey was conducted among the medical students during the period of October 2019. Results and Discussions: In total 467 medical students responded to the questionnaire in which 92% of the students owned a Google android smartphone and accessed the Internet on their devices. Sixty-nine percent of students have (1–5) medical-related apps in their device and drug formulary apps most commonly used 43%. Fifty-nine percent of students have gained their present computer knowledge through self-learning. For study work with fellow student, 90% of students preferred Facebook group, WhatsApp, and Viber. While there was a range of variation in the usage of nonacademic search engines 72% of Google and no usages were found for more dedicated academic services such as PubMed and Medscape. According to 74% of students, inadequate integration of ICT knowledge into their syllabus culminated in insufficient future professional skills. All students were keen on a basic ICT learning program at the beginning of their medical courses. Conclusion: The study revealed that to prepare medical students for using ICT in their academic work adequately, introducing ICT training at the initial stage of the undergraduate program and designing the curriculum to develop a multiplicity of skills is essential in addition to an integrated teaching method.

Abstract Antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli (E. coli) are common in retail poultry products. In this study, we aimed to isolate and characterize multidrug resistant (MDR) E. coli in raw chicken meat samples collected from poultry shops in Sylhet division, Bangladesh, as well as to determine correlation between resistance phenotype and genotype. A total of 600 chicken meat swabs (divided equally between broiler and layer farms, n = 300 each) were collected and the isolates identified as E. coli (n = 381) were selected. Disc diffusion antimicrobial susceptibility assay showed resistance of these isolates to ampicillin, erythromycin, tetracycline, streptomycin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, chloramphenicol, and gentamicin. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) identified several antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in our isolates. Among these ARGs, the prevalence of tetA (for tetracycline) was the highest (72.58%) in broiler chicken isolates, followed by sul1 (for sulfonamide; 44.16%), aadA1 (for streptomycin; 33.50%), ereA (for erythromycin; 27.41%), aac-3-IV (for gentamicin; 25.38%), and the two genes cmlA (24.87%) and catA1 (8.63%) for chloramphenicol. On the other hand, the respective prevalence in layer chicken isolates were 82.06%, 47.83%, 35.87%, 35.33%, 23.91%, 19.02%, and 5.43%. Furthermore, 49.23% of the isolates from broiler chicken were MDR, with the presence of multiple antibiotic resistance genes, including 3 (40.11%) and 4 (9.13%) genes. On the other hand, 51.09% of layer chicken E. coli isolates were MDR, with 3, 4 or 5 ARGs detected in 36.41%, 14.13%, and 0.54% of the isolates, respectively. We also found that 12.8% of broiler chicken E. coli isolates and 7.61% of layer chicken isolates carried genes coding for extended-spectrum SHV beta-lactamases. Lastly, we report the presence of the AmpC beta-lactamase producing gene (CITM) in 4.56% and 3.26% of broiler and layer chicken E. coli isolates, respectively. We found significant correlations between most of the antimicrobial resistant phenotypes and genotypes observed among the investigated E. coli isolates. Our findings highlight the need for the prudent use of antimicrobials in chickens to minimize the development of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains.

Objective The objectives of this study were to investigate the genetic diversity, population structure and relatedness among the five chicken populations of Bangladesh using microsatellite markers. Methods A total of 161 individuals representing 5 chicken populations (non-descript Deshi [ND], naked neck [NN], hilly [HI], Aseel [AS], and red jungle fowl [JF]) were included in this study to investigate genetic diversity measures, population structure, genetic distance and phylogenetic relationships. Genotyping was performed using 16 selected polymorphic microsatellite markers distributed across 10 chromosomes. Results The average observed and expected heterozygosity, mean number of alleles and polymorphic information content were found to be 0.67±0.01, 0.70±0.01, 10.7 and 0.748, respectively in the studied populations. The estimated overall fixation index across the loci (F), heterozygote deficiency within (FIS) and among (FIT) chicken populations were 0.04±0.02, 0.05 and 0.16, respectively. Analysis of molecular variance analysis revealed 88.07% of the total genetic diversity was accounted for within population variation and the rest 11.93% was incurred with population differentiation (FST). The highest pairwise genetic distance (0.154) was found between ND and AS while the lowest distance was between JF and AS (0.084). Structure analysis depicted that the studied samples can be categorized into four distinct types or varieties (ΔK = 3.74) such as ND, NN, and HI where AS and JF clustered together as an admixed population. The Neighbor-Joining phylogenetic tree and discriminant analysis of principal component also showed close relatedness among three chicken varieties namely AS, HI, and JF. Conclusion The results reflected that indigenous chicken of Bangladesh still possess rich genetic diversity but weak differentiation among the studied populations. This finding provides some important insight on genetic diversity measures that could support the designing and implementing of future breeding plans for indigenous chickens of Bangladesh.

Background and Aim: Pigeon rearing has been gaining popularity for recent years. They are reared remarkably very close to the house of the owner. This activity, therefore, may pose potential threats for humans as well as other animals as pigeons may carry and spread different pathogens including drug-resistant bacteria. This study was conducted to explore the prevalence of Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. as well as their antibiogram profile along with an association analysis. Materials and Methods: Forty swab samples were collected from 20 pigeons during the study. E. coli and Salmonella spp. were isolated and identified on various types of agars, including MacConkey, Eosin methylene blue, Brilliant green, and Salmonella-Shigella agar. Biochemical tests such as the carbohydrate fermentation test, the triple sugar iron agar slant reaction, the indole test, the methyl red test, the catalase test, as well as the Voges–Proskauer test were also performed. Besides, the presence of E. coli was further confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Moreover, antimicrobial susceptibility testing of the isolates was performed against nine antibiotics from seven classes on the Mueller-Hinton agar based on the Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion method. Results: The overall prevalence of E. coli and Salmonella spp. was 52.5 and 27.5%, respectively. The prevalence of the pathogenic E. coli was 61.90%. The antibiogram profile of 21 E. coli as well as 11 Salmonella spp. revealed that all isolates, except one, were resistant to one to six antibiotics. Around 61.90%, 71.43%, 23.81%, 61.90%, 23.81%, 19.05%, and 52.38% of E. coli showed resistance against amoxicillin, ampicillin, azithromycin, erythromycin, nalidixic acid, gentamicin, and tetracycline, respectively. Furthermore, E. coli resistance was not observed in case of ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin. Similarly, around 36.36%, 27.27%, 27.27%, 45.45%, 81.82%, 100%, and 18.18% of the Salmonella spp. showed resistance against amoxicillin, ampicillin, azithromycin, erythromycin, nalidixic acid, tetracycline, and levofloxacin, respectively. However, all Salmonella spp. (100%) were found to show sensitivity against ciprofloxacin and gentamicin. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) E. coli (23.80%) and Salmonella spp. (54.54%) were also isolated. Furthermore, both positive (odds ratio [OR] >1) and negative (OR

Abstract The current study has been derived to understand morphometric parameters to pledge the reduction in the proclaimed drought influence for climate change. Watershed prioritization has been studied using the geographical information system and remote sensing techniques for soil erosion and water preservation measure at Plio–Pleistocene elevated tract in Bangladesh. Secondary data, i.e., SRTM DEM and the topographical sheets, have been used for the drainage network identification. Seventeen watersheds of fifth order and three watersheds of sixth order are selected for the whole study. Sixteen basic morphometric parameters that are categorized as areal, linear and relief aspects have been used for the study area. The study area comprises sixth stream order that has been obtained using a stream threshold value of 100-m length. Morphometric analysis is suitable for water and soil conservation practice where groundwater and relevant data sets are not available. For the categorization and correlation of the morphometric parameters, principal component analysis (PCA) has been used in the present study. PCA analysis is more suitable, well-known and widely used method for its simplicity to choose more influencing parameters (correlated parameters) that are responsible for watershed prioritization. Strongly correlated components (D d, R c, R e and R b) are used for the compound parameter (C p) and final priority (R p) calculation. Low C p value is suitable for water and soil conservation measure. Therefore, the corresponding low C p has been taken as one for final priority ranking (R p) purpose, then second lowest value as two, and so on.

Background. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health problem which is constantly evolving and varies spatially and temporally. Resistance to a particular antibiotic may serve as a selection and coselection marker for the same or different antibiotic classes. Therefore, this cross-sectional study was conducted to predict the association of phenotypic and genotypic resistance traits in uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC). Method. A total of 42 UPEC from 83 urine samples were investigated for the prevalence and association of phenotypic and genotypic AMR traits. Antibiogram profiling was carried out by Kirby–Bauer’s disc diffusion method and AMR genes (ARGs) were detected by PCR. Result. UPECs were isolated from 50.60% (42/83) of the samples examined. Of these, 80.95% of cases were derived from females, and 38.10% of cases were found in the age group of 21–30 years. The isolates were shown to have a high frequency of resistance to tetracycline (92.86%), followed by sulfonamide (71.43%), ampicillin (52.38%), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (47.62%), and 28.57% each to streptomycin, chloramphenicol, and erythromycin. The most prevalent antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) in these isolates were tet(A) (78.57%), tet(B) (76.19%), sul1 (61.91%), dfrA1 (35.71%), blaSHV (26.19%), cmlA (19.05%), and CITM, qnrA, and catA1 each at 11.91%. According to statistical analysis, ampicillin, sulfonamide, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and ciprofloxacin resistance were strongly correlated with the presence of blaSHV, sul1, dfrA1, and qnrA, respectively. Nonsignificant associations were observed between ciprofloxacin-tetracycline, sulfonamide-erythromycin pairs as well as between tet(A) and tet(B) genes. Besides, coselection was also assumed in the case of chloramphenicol resistance genes, namely, catA1 and cmlA. Conclusion. Both the phenotypic and genetic resistance traits were found in the UPEC isolates. Statistical association and coselection phenomena among AMR phenotypes and genotypes were also observed but required to be validated in a broad-scale study. However, these findings might have important implications for the development of an AMR prediction model to tackle future AMR outbreaks.

Background Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignancies and a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. It is the fourth leading cancer in Bangladesh. Identification of risk factors, effective prevention, and early diagnosis are the most important interventions against GC. Objectives To find an association of dietary and behavioral factors in the development of GC among the Bangladeshi population. Methods This case–control study was conducted from January 2017 to December 2018 at the National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh. A total of 178 patients were studied (89 case and 89 controls). Data were collected via face-to-face interview using a standard structured questionnaire, posing questions about socio-demographic, behavioral and dietary habits, and clinical factors. A binary logistic regression method was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR). Results Among 178 patients, the age group ranged from 30 to 80 years and most patients were between 51 to 60 years. The results showed that regular consumption of red meat, duration of smoking, smokeless tobacco, fast food and fatty food, and family history of any type of cancer were directly associated with the risk of GC. On the contrary, a habit of regular walking and playing sports has an inverse association with GC. Adjusted OR shows regular consumption of red meat has 2.6 times more risk (OR = 2.661) of developing GC compared with irregular meat consumption, and a person with a history of Helicobacter pylori infection is 53% (OR = 7.263; 95% confidence interval: 3.614–14.597) more likely to develop cancer. In contrast, people who were doing exercise regularly for at least 30 minutes/day are 62.7% (OR = 0.373) less likely to develop GC than those who did not. Conclusion The study showed an association of some dietary and behavioral factor in the development of GC. However, more research in this field is required to understand the etiology, for the development of suitable screening test, for demarcation of high-risk population, and to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of primary prevention programs.

Antimicrobials have been used to improve animal welfare, food security, and food safety that promote the emergence, selection, and dissemination of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria. In this study, 50 E. coli were isolated from frozen chicken meat samples in Dhaka city. Antibiotic sensitivity patterns were assessed through the disk diffusion method and finally screened for the presence of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARG) using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Among the 160 samples, the prevalence of E. coli was observed in fifty samples (31.25%). All of these isolates were found resistant to at least one antimicrobial agent, and 52.0% of the isolates were resistant against 4–7 different antimicrobials. High resistance was shown to tetracycline (66.0%), followed by resistance to erythromycin (42.0%), ampicillin and streptomycin (38.0%), and sulfonamide (28.0%). In addition, the most prevalent ARGs were tet(A) (66.0%), ereA (64.0%), tet(B) (60.0%), aadA1 and sulI (56.0%), blaCITM (48.0%) and blaSHV (40.0%). About 90.0% of isolates were multidrug resistant. This study reveals for the first time the current situation of E. coli AMR in broilers, which is helpful for the clinical control of disease as well as for the development of policies and guidelines to reduce AMR in broilers production in Bangladesh.

Avian influenza viruses (AIVs) pose threats to animal and human health. Outbreaks from the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) in indigenous chickens in Bangladesh are infrequent. This could be attributed to the Myxovirus resistance (Mx) gene. To determine the impact of Mx gene diversity on AIV infections in chicken, we assessed the Mx genes, AIVs, and anti-AIV antibodies. DNA from blood cells, serum, and cloacal swab samples was isolated from non-vaccinated indigenous chickens and vaccinated commercial chickens. Possible relationships were assessed using the general linear model (GLM) procedure. Three genotypes of the Mx gene were detected (the resistant AA type, the sensitive GG type, and the heterozygous AG type). The AA genotype (0.48) was more prevalent than the GG (0.19) and the AG (0.33) genotypes. The AA genotype was more prevalent in indigenous than in commercial chickens. A total of 17 hemagglutinating viruses were isolated from the 512 swab samples. AIVs were detected in two samples (2/512; 0.39%) and subtyped as H1N1, whereas Newcastle disease virus (NDV) was detected in the remaining samples. The viral infections did not lead to apparent symptoms. Anti-AIV antibodies were detected in 44.92% of the samples with levels ranging from 27.37% to 67.65% in indigenous chickens and from 26% to 87.5% in commercial chickens. The anti-AIV antibody was detected in 40.16%, 65.98%, and 39.77% of chickens with resistant, sensitive, and heterozygous genotypes, respectively. The genotypes showed significant association (p < 0.001) with the anti-AIV antibodies. The low AIV isolation rates and high antibody prevalence rates could indicate seroconversion resulting from exposure to the virus as it circulates. Results indicate that the resistant genotype of the Mx gene might not offer anti-AIV protection for chickens.

The flow and heat characteristics of an unsteady, laminar biomagnetic fluid, namely blood containing Fe3O4 magnetic particles, under the influence of thermal radiation and a magnetic dipole over a cylinder with controlled boundary conditions using a group theory method are investigated in the present study. The mathematical formulation of the problem is constructed with the aid of biomagnetic fluid dynamics (BFD) which combines principles of ferrohydrodynamics (FHD) and magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). It is assumed that blood exhibits polarization as well as electrical conductivity. Additionally, the shape of the magnetic particles, namely cylindrical and spherical, is also considered. Moreover, in this model, a group theoretical transformation, namely a two-parameter group technique, is applied. By applying this group transformation, the governing system of partial differential equations (PDEs) along with applicable boundary conditions are reduced to one independent variable and, consequently, converted into a system of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) with suitable boundary conditions. An efficient numerical technique is applied to solve the resultant ODEs and this technique is based on three essential features, namely (i) a common finite differences method with central differencing, (ii) tridiagonal matrix manipulation and (iii) an iterative procedure. The flow and heat characteristics of blood-Fe3O4 are found to be dependent on some physical parameters such as the particle volume fraction, the ferromagnetic interaction parameter, the magnetic field parameter, and the thermal radiation parameter. An ample parametric study is accomplished to narrate the influences of such physical parameters on velocity, temperature distributions as well as the coefficient of skin friction and rate of heat transfer. From the numerical results, it is deduced that the fluid velocity is enhanced for the ferromagnetic number and the temperature profile is decreased as the ferromagnetic number is gradually increased. It is also obtained that for the cylindrical shape of magnetic particles, the fluid temperature is more enhanced than that of the spherical shape. Both the skin friction coefficient and the local Nusselt number are increased for increasing values of the ferromagnetic interaction parameter, where the heat transfer rate of blood-Fe3O4 is significantly increased by approximately 33.2% compared to that of pure blood, whereas the coefficient of skin friction is reduced by approximately 6.82%.

As preferências, satisfação e lealdade dos consumidores em relação aos supermercados em Bangladesh foram estudadas, mas este estudo visa identificar o problema dos clientes em comprar nos supermercados, juntamente com suas características socioeconômicas, cenário atual e importância econômica dos supermercados em Bangladesh. O estudo é empírico, foi empregado um método misto, 400 clientes de supermercados foram pesquisados pela técnica de interceptação de shopping por meio de questionário, 6 entrevistas em profundidade foram realizadas com empresários e profissionais de supermercados e artigos relevantes, publicações, livros, relatórios, periódicos, jornais e sites foram revisados. Estatística descritiva, testes qui-quadrado e análise fatorial foram realizados na análise dos dados. Existem 211 pontos de venda nos principais supermercados em Bangladesh, que contribuem com 1,49% para o PIB e geram empregos significativos. As classes média alta e alta, alta escolaridade e pequena família são os clientes que enfrentam os maiores problemas de alto custo devido ao adicional de imposto, longa espera na fila de pagamento e compras desnecessárias durante as compras no supermercado. Todas as características demográficas têm relação significativa com esses problemas, exceto o estado civil e o tamanho da família. A indústria de supermercados precisa entender a psicologia dos clientes; concentrar-se na melhoria das instalações da loja e na educação das pessoas sobre os atributos dos supermercados e os formuladores de políticas podem iniciar uma política adequada para operar o negócio de supermercados em Bangladesh.

This research was aimed to evaluate the potential of biosorption technique in more realistic conditions that appeal to the industry by exploiting locally available biosorbents such as jute stick powder (JSP), an agricultural product, for the removal of toxic Pb(II), Cr(III) and Cd(II) ions from wastewater. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning electron micrographs (SEM) analysis proved that the surface of biosorbent was porous, with heterogeneous structures that contained high internal spaces. The removal efficiencies of the mixture of the target metals by JSP were optimized with respect to pH, initial metal concentration, shaking time and biomass dose. Biosorption performance of JSP in multiple metal systems was above 90 percent adsorption for tested metal ions. Biomass regeneration efficiencies up to 98% were achieved using acid as eluent. Sorption performance of the JSP as biosorbent was examined by classical adsorption equilibrium isotherms, kinetics in batch systems, and dynamic continuous flow studies. Batch sorption studies revealed that pseudo-first, pseudo-second-order, and Langmuir isotherm models were suitable to describe the metals sorption kinetics and equilibrium, respectively.

Ducks are the natural reservoir of influenza A virus and the central host for the avian influenza virus (AIV) subtype H5N1, which is highly pathogenic. Semi-scavenging domestic ducks allow for the reemergence of new influenza subtypes which could be transmitted to humans. We collected 844 cloacal swabs from semi-scavenging ducks inhabiting seven migratory bird sanctuaries of Bangladesh for the molecular detection of avian influenza genes. We detected the matrix gene (M gene) using real-time RT–PCR (RT–qPCR). Subtyping of the AIV-positive samples was performed by RT–qPCR specific for H5, H7, and H9 genes. Out of 844 samples, 21 (2.488%) were positive for AIV. Subtyping of AIV positive samples (n = 21) revealed that nine samples (42.85%) were positive for the H9 subtype, five (23.80%) were positive for H5, and seven (33.33%) were negative for the three genes (H5, H7, and H9). We detected the same genes after propagating the virus in embryonated chicken eggs from positive samples. Semi-scavenging ducks could act as carriers of pathogenic AIV, including the less pathogenic H9 subtype. This can enhance the pathogenicity of the virus in ducks by reassortment. The large dataset presented in our study from seven areas should trigger further studies on AIV prevalence and ecology.

The study of biomagnetic fluid flow and heat transfer containing magnetic particles through an unsteady stretching/shrinking cylinder was numerically investigated in this manuscript. Biomagnetic fluid namely blood taken as base fluid and CoFe2O4 as magnetic particles. Where blood acts as an electrically conducting fluid along with magnetization/polarization. The main concentration is to study a time-dependent biomagnetic fluid flow with magnetic particles that passed through a two dimensional stretching/shrinking cylinder under the influence of thermal radiation, heat source and partial slip condition which has not been studied yet as far as best knowledge of authors. This model is consistent with the principles of magnetohydrodynamic and ferrohydrodynamic. The flow equations, such as momentum, energy which is described physically by a system of coupled, nonlinear partial differential equation with appropriate boundary conditions and converted into a nonlinear system of ordinary differential equations by using suitable similarity transformations. The resultant ODEs numerically solved by applying by applying an efficient numerical technique based on a common finite differencing method along with central differencing, tridiagonal matrix manipulation and an iterative procedure. The values assigned to the parameters are compatible with human body conditions. The numerous results concerning velocity, temperature and pressure field, as well as the skin friction and the rate of heat transfer, are presented for the parameters exhibiting physical significance, such as ferromagnetic interaction parameter, magnetic field parameter, volume fraction, unsteady parameter, curvature parameter, etc. The main numerical findings are that the fluid velocity is decreased as the ferromagnetic number is enhanced gradually in both stretching or shrinking cases whereas, the opposite behavior is found for the skin friction coefficient. The rate of heat transfer with ferromagnetic interaction parameter was also monitored and found that opposite behavior occurs for stretching and shrinking cases. Comparisons were made to check the accuracy of the present numerical results with published literature and found to be in excellent agreement. Hopefully, this proposed model will control the blood flow rate, as well as the rate of heat transfer, such as magnetic hyperthermia.

This paper presents a hydraulic and morphological analysis of the Lower Jamuna in Bangladesh with a focus on two key bifurcations that are important for stabilization of the Lower Jamuna reach. We used ground measurements, historical data, multispectral satellite images from various sources as well as numerical models. We carried out hydraulic analyses of the changes and their peculiarities, such as flow distributions at the bifurcation and hysteresis of the stage–discharge relationships. We supplemented our analysis by using numerical models to simulate discharge distribution at the bifurcations under various flow and riverbed conditions. We developed an advanced and automated satellite image processing application for the Lower Jamuna, referred to as Morphology Monitor (MoMo), using the Google Earth Engine. MoMo was found to be an effective tool for a rapid assessment and analysis of the changes in deep-channel and sandbar areas. It is also useful for monitoring and assessing riverbank and char erosion and accretion, which is important not only for morphological but also ecological impact assessment. The application can be adapted as an operational tool as well. Furthermore, we assessed the evolution of deep channels at the bifurcations based on regularly and extensively measured bathymetry data. The analysis was carried out in complement with morphological modeling, particularly for short-term prediction. In this paper we present the major findings of the analysis and discuss their implications for adaptive river management.

Salmonella Gallinarum is one of the most important bacterial pathogens associated with diminished egg production in poultry. The aim of this study was to understand the occurrence, molecular traits and antimicrobial resistance patterns of Salmonella Gallinarum strains isolated from small-scale commercial layer flocks with low level biosecurity standards in Bangladesh. A total of 765 samples, including cloacal swabs (535), visceral organs (50), and droppings (180), were collected from chickens of 12 layer flocks in 11 districts. Salmonella Gallinarum was isolated and characterized through culture-based method, followed by biochemical tests, sero-grouping, PCR assays, sequencing, and antibiogram. The identity of biochemically detected isolates of Salmonella Gallinarum was confirmed via genus-specific 16S rRNA gene based PCR, followed by invA and spvC genes based PCR assays. Occurrence of Salmonella Gallinarum was detected in overall 25.75% (197/765) samples, with a significantly (p < 0.05) higher incidence in visceral organs (42%) in comparison to cloacal swab (24%) and droppings (26%). Sequencing and subsequent phylogenetic analysis of invA and spvC genes in representative strains of Salmonella Gallinarum revealed a close genetic lineage, with a sequence similarity of 98.05–99.21% and 97.51–99.45%, respectively, to previously published sequences of the corresponding genes from the same serogroup strains. Remarkably, 66.5% (131/197) of the isolated strains of Salmonella Gallinarum were found to be resistant to 3 to 6 antimicrobial agents, and interpreted as multidrug resistant (MDR). The findings of this study underscore an inherent need of appropriate control measures to curb the widespread incidence of MDR Salmonella Gallinarum in small-scale commercial layer flocks, thereby, facilitating enhanced egg production and further support to the food security and safety in low resource settings.

In this study, we examined the biomagnetic flow and heat transfer of an incompressible electrically conductive fluid (blood) containing gold nanoparticles over a stretching sheet in the presence of a magnetic dipole. In this problem, both principles of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) and ferrohydrodynamics (FHD) were adopted. Biot number and slip and suction parameters were taken into consideration. The nonlinear partial differential equations were transformed into ordinary differential equations by implementing similarity transformations. The numerical solution was attained by utilizing the bvp4c function technique in MATLAB R2018b software. The influence of pertinent parameters involved in this model, such as ferromagnetic parameter, magnetic field parameter, Grashof number, Eckert number, suction parameter, Biot number, slip parameter and Prandtl number, on the dimensionless velocity, temperature, skin friction and heat transfer rate were analyzed numerically and are represented graphically. Among the numerous results, it was observed that increment in ferromagnetic parameter and Prandtl number results in decrement of the velocity and temperature, respectively. For some values of the parameters, a comparison with the results of other documents in the literature is also made.

This paper focuses on the frequency coded chipless Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) wherein the tag’s information bits are physically encoded by the resonators’ notch position which has an effect on the frequency spectrum of the backscattered or retransmitted signal of the tag. In this regard, the notch analytical model is developed to consider the notch position and quality factor. Besides, the radar cross section (RCS) mathematical representation of the tag is introduced to consider the incident wave’s polarization and orientation angles. Hence, the influences of the incident wave’s orientation and polarization mismatches on the detection performance are quantified. After that, the tag measurement errors and limitations are comprehensively explained. Therefore, approaches to measureing RCS- and retransmission-based tags are introduced. Furthermore, the maximum reading range is theoretically calculated and practically verified considering the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Ultra Wideband (UWB) regulations. In all simulations and experiments conducted, a mono-static configuration is considered, in which one antenna is utilized for transmission and reception.

Recently, the vulnerability of automatic speaker recognition systems to spoofing attacks has received significant interest among researchers. A robust speaker recognition system demands not only high recognition accuracy but also robustness to spoofing attacks. Several spoofing and countermeasure challenges have been organized to draw attention to this problem among the speaker recognition communities. Low-level descriptors designed to detect artifacts in spoofed speech are found to be the most effective countermeasures against spoofing attacks. In this work, we used Fisher vector encoding of low-level descriptors extracted from speech signals. The idea behind Fisher vector encoding is to determine the amount of change induced by the descriptors of the signal on a background probability model which is typically a Gaussian mixture model. The Fisher vector encodes the amount of change of the model parameters to optimally fit the new- coming data. For performance evaluation of the proposed approach we carried out spoofing detection experiments on the 2015 edition of automatic speaker verification spoofing and countermeasure challenge (ASVspoof2015) and report results on the evaluation set. As baseline systems, we used the standard Gaussian mixture model and i-vector/PLDA paradigms. For a fair comparison, in all systems, Constant Q cepstral coefficient (CQCC) features were used as low-level descriptors. With the Fisher vector-based approach, we achieved an equal error rate (EER) of 0.1145% on the known attacks, 1.223% on the unknown attacks, and 0.668% on the average. Moreover, with a single decision threshold this approach yielded an EER of 1.05% on the evaluation set.

Bangladesh is characterized by a high demand for skilled workers. Hence, the significance of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) becomes crucial to address the existing skill gaps to stimulate economic development. This research addresses the major challenges that hinder the progress of TVET in Bangladesh. This study adopts a mixed-method approach to investigate thoroughly the fundamental aspects of TVET's capacity to provide high-quality skills development programs with an aim to increase its graduates' employability. This study finds that individuals, upon their graduation from TVET institutions, face significant obstacles in the job market. These challenges, as the research finds, arise primarily due to discrepancies between graduates' skills and job market demands. This study also examines the local TVET issues in Bangladesh, offers valuable insights and policy recommendations to address skill deficits, ensure sustainable employment for TVET graduates, and enhance economic development in developing nations..