Development and Characterization of Hemoglobin Microbubbles for Acoustic Blood Oxygen Level Dependent Imaging.

Oxygen levels in tissues and organs are crucial for their normal functioning, and approaches to monitor them non-invasively have wide biological and clinical applications. In this study, we developed a method of acoustically detecting oxygenation using contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) imaging. Our approach involved the use of specially designed hemoglobin-based microbubbles (HbMBs) that reversibly bind to oxygen and alter the state-dependent acoustic response. We confirmed that the bioactivity of hemoglobin remained intact after the microbubble shell was formed, and we did not observe any significant loss of heme. We conducted passive cavitation detection (PCD) experiments to confirm whether the acoustic properties of HbMBs vary based on the level of oxygen present. The experiments involved driving the HbMBs with a 1.1 MHz focused ultrasound transducer. Through the PCD data collected, we observed significant differences in the subharmonic and harmonic responses of the HbMBs when exposed to an oxygen-rich environment versus an oxygen-depleted one. We used a programmable ultrasound system to capture high-frame rate B mode videos of HbMBs in both oxy and deoxy conditions at the same time in a two-chambered flow phantom and observed that the mean pixel intensity of deoxygenated HbMB was greater than in the oxygenated state using B-mode imaging. Finally, we demonstrated that HbMBs can circulate in vivo and are detectable by a clinical ultrasound scanner. To summarize, our results indicate that CEUS imaging with HbMB has the potential to detect changes in tissue oxygenation and could be a valuable tool for clinical purposes in monitoring regional blood oxygen levels.

XPS valence band observable light-responsive system for photocatalytic acid Red114 dye decomposition using a ZnO-Cu2O heterojunction.

ZnO-Cu2O composites were made as photocatalysts in a range of different amounts using an easy, cheap, and environment-friendly coprecipitation method due to their superior visible light activity to remove pollutants from the surrounding atmosphere. X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) have demonstrated that ZnO-Cu2O catalysts are made of highly pure hexagonal ZnO and cubic Cu2O. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy has confirmed that there is a substantial interaction between the two phases of the resultant catalyst. The optical characterizations of the synthesized ZnO-Cu2O composite were done via UV-vis reflectance spectroscopy. Due to the doping on ZnO, the absorption range of the ZnO-Cu2O catalyst is shifted from the ultraviolet to the visible region due to diffuse reflection. The degradation efficiency is affected by the Ratio of ZnO: Cu2O and ZnO-Cu2O composite with a proportion of 90:10 exhibited the most prominent photocatalytic activity on Acid Red 114, with a pseudo-first-order rate constant of 0.05032 min-1 that was 6 and 11 times greater than those of ZnO and Cu2O, respectively. The maximum degradation efficiency is 97 %. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of the composite is caused by the synergistic interaction of ZnO and Cu2O, which improves visible light absorption by lowering band gap energy and decreasing the rate at which the electron-hole pairs recombine. The scavenging experiment confirmed that hydroxyl radical was the dominant species for the photodegradation of Acid Red 114. Notably, the recycling test demonstrated the ZnO-Cu2O photocatalyst was highly stable and recyclable. These results suggest that the ZnO-Cu2O mix might be able to clean up environmental pollutants when it meets visible light.

Effect of natural thickener on printing performance over cotton woven fabric.

Execution of natural thickener (wild taro corm) over pretreated cotton woven fabric with reactive dye has been explored in this research work. Taro root was collected from Sherpur in Bangladesh and made into a fine powder using a grinder. Thickener pastes were prepared by using different concentrations of taro powder, then their viscosity was measured to find out the difference with sodium alginate thickener, which is traditionally used for reactive printing. A suitable thickener stock paste concentration was selected from a number of trials and depending on the result of visual sharpness of the printed samples. A suitable reactive printing method was selected between all in (1 step) and 2 step methods of reactive printing and finally the amount of thickener on the printing recipe was optimized. The color fastness to wash, color fastness to rubbing, bending length, K/S value, levelness, penetration%, print paste adds on and visual sharpness were measured to assess the printing quality. The findings indicate that when Taro corm powder is combined with boiled water, it produces a solution with higher viscosity. Additionally, a mixture of 15 % taro and boiled water yields the most distinct print outline. Comparatively, the 2-step reactive printing method offers a superior outline compared to the 1-step (all in one) method. Moreover, using 50 to 60 gm of taro corm thickening paste for every 100 g of print paste results in a higher K/S value. The results revealed that the wild taro corm could be used successfully as thickener for reactive printing. Finally, the cost was also calculated, and it was found economical as well compared to sodium alginate.

Genome-Wide Comprehensive Identification and In Silico Characterization of Lectin Receptor-Like Kinase Gene Family in Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.).

Lectin receptor-like kinases (LecRLKs) are a significant subgroup of the receptor-like kinases (RLKs) protein family. They play crucial roles in plant growth, development, immune responses, signal transduction, and stress tolerance. However, the genome-wide identification and characterization of LecRLK genes and their regulatory elements have not been explored in a major cereal crop, barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). Therefore, in this study, integrated bioinformatics tools were used to identify and characterize the LecRLK gene family in barley. Based on the phylogenetic tree and domain organization, a total of 113 LecRLK genes were identified in the barley genome (referred to as HvlecRLK) corresponding to the LecRLK genes of Arabidopsis thaliana. These putative HvlecRLK genes were classified into three groups: 62 G-type LecRLKs, 1 C-type LecRLK, and 50 L-type LecRLKs. They were unevenly distributed across eight chromosomes, including one unknown chromosome, and were predominantly located in the plasma membrane (G-type HvlecRLK (96.8%), C-type HvlecRLK (100%), and L-type HvlecRLK (98%)). An analysis of motif composition and exon-intron configuration revealed remarkable homogeneity with the members of AtlecRLK. Notably, most of the HvlecRLKs (27 G-type, 43 L-type) have no intron, suggesting their rapid functionality. The Ka/Ks and syntenic analysis demonstrated that HvlecRLK gene pairs evolved through purifying selection and gene duplication was the major factor for the expansion of the HvlecRLK gene family. Exploration of gene ontology (GO) enrichment indicated that the identified HvlecRLK genes are associated with various cellular processes, metabolic pathways, defense mechanisms, kinase activity, catalytic activity, ion binding, and other essential pathways. The regulatory network analysis identified 29 transcription factor families (TFFs), with seven major TFFs including bZIP, C2H2, ERF, MIKC_MADS, MYB, NAC, and WRKY participating in the regulation of HvlecRLK gene functions. Most notably, eight TFFs were found to be linked to the promoter region of both L-type HvleckRLK64 and HvleckRLK86. The promoter cis-acting regulatory element (CARE) analysis of barley identified a total of 75 CARE motifs responsive to light responsiveness (LR), tissue-specific (TS), hormone responsiveness (HR), and stress responsiveness (SR). The maximum number of CAREs was identified in HvleckRLK11 (25 for LR), HvleckRLK69 (17 for TS), and HvleckRLK80 (12 for HR). Additionally, HvleckRLK14, HvleckRLK16, HvleckRLK33, HvleckRLK50, HvleckRLK52, HvleckRLK56, and HvleckRLK110 were predicted to exhibit higher responses in stress conditions. In addition, 46 putative miRNAs were predicted to target 81 HvlecRLK genes and HvlecRLK13 was the most targeted gene by 8 different miRNAs. Protein-protein interaction analysis demonstrated higher functional similarities of 63 HvlecRLKs with 7 Arabidopsis STRING proteins. Our overall findings provide valuable information on the LecRLK gene family which might pave the way to advanced research on the functional mechanism of the candidate genes as well as to develop new barley cultivars in breeding programs.

Genome-wide identification and characterization of protein phosphatase 2C (PP2C) gene family in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) and their expression profiles in response to multiple abiotic stresses.

Plant protein phosphatase 2C (PP2C) plays vital roles in responding to various stresses, stimulating growth factors, phytohormones, and metabolic activities in many important plant species. However, the PP2C gene family has not been investigated in the economically valuable plant species sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). This study used comprehensive bioinformatics tools to identify and characterize the PP2C gene family members in the sunflower genome (H. annuus r1.2). Additionally, we analyzed the expression profiles of these genes using RNA-seq data under four different stress conditions in both leaf and root tissues. A total of 121 PP2C genes were identified in the sunflower genome distributed unevenly across the 17 chromosomes, all containing the Type-2C phosphatase domain. HanPP2C genes are divided into 15 subgroups (A-L) based on phylogenetic tree analysis. Analyses of conserved domains, gene structures, and motifs revealed higher structural and functional similarities within various subgroups. Gene duplication and collinearity analysis showed that among the 53 HanPP2C gene pairs, 48 demonstrated segmental duplications under strong purifying selection pressure, with only five gene pairs showing tandem duplications. The abundant segmental duplication was observed compared to tandem duplication, which was the major factor underlying the dispersion of the PP2C gene family in sunflowers. Most HanPP2C proteins were localized in the nucleus, cytoplasm, and chloroplast. Among the 121 HanPP2C genes, we identified 71 miRNAs targeting 86 HanPP2C genes involved in plant developmental processes and response to abiotic stresses. By analyzing cis-elements, we identified 63 cis-regulatory elements in the promoter regions of HanPP2C genes associated with light responsiveness, tissue-specificity, phytohormone, and stress responses. Based on RNA-seq data from two sunflower tissues (leaf and root), 47 HanPP2C genes exhibited varying expression levels in leaf tissue, while 49 HanPP2C genes showed differential expression patterns in root tissue across all stress conditions. Transcriptome profiling revealed that nine HanPP2C genes (HanPP2C12, HanPP2C36, HanPP2C38, HanPP2C47, HanPP2C48, HanPP2C53, HanPP2C54, HanPP2C59, and HanPP2C73) exhibited higher expression in leaf tissue, and five HanPP2C genes (HanPP2C13, HanPP2C47, HanPP2C48, HanPP2C54, and HanPP2C95) showed enhanced expression in root tissue in response to the four stress treatments, compared to the control conditions. These results suggest that these HanPP2C genes may be potential candidates for conferring tolerance to multiple stresses and further detailed characterization to elucidate their functions. From these candidates, 3D structures were predicted for six HanPP2C proteins (HanPP2C47, HanPP2C48, HanPP2C53, HanPP2C54, HanPP2C59, and HanPP2C73), which provided satisfactory models. Our findings provide valuable insights into the PP2C gene family in the sunflower genome, which could play a crucial role in responding to various stresses. This information can be exploited in sunflower breeding programs to develop improved cultivars with increased abiotic stress tolerance.

Astute exploration of collective mental health events among the residents of elderly care homes.

Background & objective: Developing countries are presently witnessing a great burden of rapid aging followed by losing the social values of older adults due to age-related cognitive impairment as well as rising depression levels. This study was designed to assess the cognitive impairment and depression status combinedly among older adults in elderly care homes. Methods: It was a cross-sectional survey among randomly selected 200 older adults aged between 60 and 80 years residing in some old homes in Dhaka district, Bangladesh. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews while Cognitive function and level of depression were assessed by applying the Standardized Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Results: Among all the respondents, the majority (81.5%) were staying in old homes for 1-5 years. The majority (91.0%) had difficulties with vision, 40.7% had difficulties with hearing and 19.6% had difficulties moving around. The MMSE test revealed that 43% had moderate cognitive impairment, 36% had mild and 19.5% were found normal while more than half (56%) had severe depression. Significant cognitive impairment was found among the illiterate respondents who did not have any family care support. In addition, higher-educated respondents were found to have more severe depression (OR/p = 6.33/<0.01; 95% CI: 2.36-16.96). Furthermore, severely depressed respondents had more severe cognitive impairment (COR/p = 3.83/0.01; 95% CI: 1.66-8.83). Functional disabilities were also a greater concern for cognitive impairment and depression. Conclusion: An increasing number of old home residents are suffering from significant mental disorders while there is no mental health support in the elderly care homes in Bangladesh. Finally, there is a great need to develop packages and programs of mental health care for senior citizens and their caregivers residing in old homes, which can be scaled up across the country's mixed healthcare delivery system.

The influence of mixed thickeners on printing over lyocell knitted fabric.

A quest was carried out to print on light weight lyocell knitted fabric with two mono-functional reactive dyes using pure guar gum (GG) or substituted guar gum (SGG) in combination with sodium alginate (Al) at different ratios. For each dyestuff, the print paste was prepared using mixed thickeners, namely GG/Al or SGA/Al at five different ratios. All samples were compared with the recipe containing pure sodium alginate. The empirical data show that the rheological behaviorisms of print paste-like viscosity and its other physical characteristics, such as paste add-on percentage (%) and penetration percentage (%), were dependent on the percentage of GG or SGG present in the thickener combination prepared with sodium Alginate. The combination of thickeners of these types also creates an impact on the final excellence of printed fabric, such as the colour yield, sharpness, stiffness of the fabric and the fastness of the colour. However, a few qualities are also dye dependent. The SGG/A combination gives a superior result when combining all the data with GG/A. Alginate with the small addition of SGG viz. the 80/20 or 60/40 mixture shows an excellent result in terms of printing characteristics. The thickener had no influential effect on the colour fastness rating.

Natural Products Targeting Hsp90 for a Concurrent Strategy in Glioblastoma and Neurodegeneration.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the most common aggressive, resistant, and invasive primary brain tumors that share neurodegenerative actions, resembling many neurodegenerative diseases. Although multiple conventional approaches, including chemoradiation, are more frequent in GBM therapy, these approaches are ineffective in extending the mean survival rate and are associated with various side effects, including neurodegeneration. This review proposes an alternative strategy for managing GBM and neurodegeneration by targeting heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90). Hsp90 is a well-known molecular chaperone that plays essential roles in maintaining and stabilizing protein folding to degradation in protein homeostasis and modulates signaling in cancer and neurodegeneration by regulating many client protein substrates. The therapeutic benefits of Hsp90 inhibition are well-known for several malignancies, and recent evidence highlights that Hsp90 inhibitors potentially inhibit the aggressiveness of GBM, increasing the sensitivity of conventional treatment and providing neuroprotection in various neurodegenerative diseases. Herein, the overview of Hsp90 modulation in GBM and neurodegeneration progress has been discussed with a summary of recent outcomes on Hsp90 inhibition in various GBM models and neurodegeneration. Particular emphasis is also given to natural Hsp90 inhibitors that have been evidenced to show dual protection in both GBM and neurodegeneration.

COVID-19 and Bangladeshi health professionals: Infection status, vaccination and its immediate health consequences.

Healthcare professionals play a pivotal role in protecting and saving the lives of general people. As health workers are more likely to be infected with COVID-19, it is inevitable to safeguard them through vaccination in advance to continue healthcare services. Hence the study aimed to explore the infection and vaccination status along with immediate health consequences among these frontiers. This was a cross-sectional, web-delivered study conducted among the 300 healthcare frontiers working at COVID-19 dedicated hospitals in eight divisions of Bangladesh. The study questionnaire encompasses infection, vaccination status with dose information, and demographical and organizational information among the respondents. A multivariate logistic regression model and Chi-square test was used for the analytical exploration. Adjusted and Unadjusted Odds Ratio with a 95% confidence interval was calculated for the specified setting indicators. The study revealed that 49% of all respondents tested positive whereas 98% of them were found vaccinated of which mostly (52.3%) had their 2nddoses and 68.7% faced immediate health consequences for having the vaccination. As predictor for COVID-19 infection status, young and senior adult group (30-39 years: AOR = 2.01/0.03; 95% CI: 1.08-3.76; >50 years: AOR = 4.36/0.01; 95% CI: 1.65-11.55) and respondents who received Sinopharm as their vaccine found to have more significant positive infection history. The predictors regarding experiencing immediate health effects after vaccination, surprisingly female (AOR = 3.31/0.01; 95% CI: 1.82-6.04) health professionals of the capital city (AOR = 1.91/0.03; 95% CI: 1.06-3.46) were observed to have health consequences on vaccination. As the older female group (>50 years) in the nursing profession was found more infected with COVID-19 and a significant number of health professionals especially the age group (30-39 years) in the nursing profession experienced immediate health effects of COVID-19 vaccination, implementation of specific strategies and policies are needed to ensure the safety precaution and effective vaccination among the health professionals of Bangladesh.

Remote Loading of Gas Bubbles into Polylactic Acid Microcapsules Creates Acoustically Active Janus Particles.

Polymeric microcapsules (MCs) are biocompatible agents used in biomedical applications such as drug delivery and in vivo imaging. We have discovered a method of remotely loading air into polylactic acid (PLA)-based MCs with an aqueous core. When the microcapsules are suspended in high content glycerol and propylene glycol solutions, changes in gas solubility cause bubbles to nucleate within the core through an "Ouzo-like" effect. The resulting bubble displaces the internal fluid of the MCs, but small molecules are retained in their interior. The residual content does not homogeneously distribute; rather, it localizes to one specific location, creating gas-filled Janus particles.

Infection and vaccination status of COVID-19 among healthcare professionals in academic platform: Prevision vs. reality of Bangladesh context.

COVID-19 posed the healthcare professionals at enormous risk during this pandemic era while vaccination was recommended as one of the effective preventive approaches. It was visualized that almost all health workforces would be under vaccination on a priority basis as they are the frontline fighters during this pandemic. This study was designed to explore the reality regarding infection and vaccination status of COVID-19 among healthcare professionals of Bangladesh. It was a web-based cross-sectional survey and conducted among 300 healthcare professionals available in the academic platform of Bangladesh. A multivariate logistic regression model was used for the analytical exploration. Adjusted and Unadjusted Odds Ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated for the specified setting indicators. A Chi-square test was used to observe the association. Ethical issues were maintained according to the guidance of the declaration of Helsinki. Study revealed that 41% of all respondents identified as COVID-19 positive whereas a significant number (18.3%) found as non-vaccinated due to registration issues as 52.70%, misconception regarding vaccination as 29.10%, and health-related issues as 18.20%. Respondents of more than 50 years of age found more significant on having positive infection rather than the younger age groups. Predictors for the non-vaccination guided that male respondents (COR/p = 3.49/0.01), allied health professionals, and respondents from the public organizations (p = 0.01) who were ≤29 (AOR/p = 4.45/0.01) years of age significantly identified as non-vaccinated. As the older female groups were found more infected and a significant number of health care professionals found as non-vaccinated, implementation of specific strategies and policies are needed to ensure the safety precautions and vaccination among such COVID-19 frontiers.

Identifying Unique Acoustic Signatures from Chemically-Crosslinked Microbubble Clusters Using Deep Learning.

Ultrasound contrast agents (UCA) are gas encapsulated microspheres that oscillate volumetrically when exposed to an ultrasound field producing a backscattered signal which can be used for improved ultrasound imaging and drug delivery. UCA's are being used widely for contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging, but there is a need for improved UCAs to develop faster and more accurate contrast agent detection algorithms. Recently, we introduced a new class of lipid based UCAs called Chemically Cross-linked Microbubble Clusters (CCMCs). CCMCs are formed by the physical tethering of individual lipid microbubbles into a larger aggregate cluster. The advantages of these novel CCMCs are their ability to fuse together when exposed to low intensity pulsed ultrasound (US), potentially generating unique acoustic signatures that can enable better contrast agent detection. In this study, our main objective is to demonstrate that the acoustic response of CCMCs is unique and distinct when compared to individual UCAs using deep learning algorithms. Acoustic characterization of CCMCs and individual bubbles was performed using a broadband hydrophone or a clinical transducer attached to a Verasonics Vantage 256. A simple artificial neural network (ANN) was trained and used to classify raw 1D RF ultrasound data as either from CCMC or non-tethered individual bubble populations of UCAs. The ANN was able to classify CCMCs at an accuracy of 93.8% for data collected from broadband hydrophone and 90% for data collected using Verasonics with a clinical transducer. The results obtained suggest the acoustic response of CCMCs is unique and has the potential to be used in developing a novel contrast agent detection technique.

Unmet supportive care needs and predictor of breast cancer patients in Bangladesh: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer survivor goes through a period of needs in their post-treatment daily life. Relatively few studies have been conducted to understand the unmet needs among breast cancer survivors in Bangladesh. Recognize and measure patterns and predictors of unmet needs of breast cancer patients was the aim of the study. OBJECTIVE: To identify and measure patterns and predictors of unmet needs of breast cancer patients in Bangladesh. METHOD: A cross-sectional study among 138 breast cancer patients; conveniently selected from two public and two private cancer institutes. Face-to-face interview for data collection and medical record review for checklist was done. Unmet needs have been determined by the supportive care needs survey short form 34 scale. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the predictors of unmet needs. RESULTS: The study indicated the top 10 moderate-to-high needs; among which the top five needs were from the information need domain. Surprisingly, private cancer treatment centers were identified as a significant predictor for unmet needs. Patients from private cancer institutes reported more explanation needs as well as needs with their physical and daily living and sexuality. Furthermore, the type of treatment like patient receiving combine treatment therapy reported more need for help compared to the patient receiving chemotherapy alone. Moreover, housewives reported the low need for patient care and support systems as a result of their reluctant behavior towards their health. CONCLUSION: Individual's unmet need assessment should be a part of every treatment protocol of breast cancer for a better treatment outcome.

Fabrication and characterization of stretchable denim fabric using core spun yarn.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of extensibility on cotton blended polyester-spandex core-spun yarn in the weft direction of 3/1 right-handed Z-twill denim. For the preparation of samples, 100% ring spun cotton yarn of 42 tex (14s/1 Ne) was used as warp, and 70:30, 30:70, 60:40, and 40:60 cotton-polyester core-spun yarn of 30 tex (20s/1) was used in the weft direction. Four categories of denim fabric were fabricated by using the air-jet weaving machine. Spandex yarn was used as a core material of weft with a percentage of 2%, 2.5%, 1.9%, and 1.8% respectively. Different physio-mechanical characteristics namely tensile and tearing strength, GSM, growth and recovery percentage, initial modulus, bending length, drape co-efficiency, abrasion resistance, flexural rigidity were evaluated to justify the quality of fabricated pieces of denim. Water wicking and breathability were taken into consideration when determining comfort. Higher cotton containing specimens exhibited lower tensile and tearing strength. Additionally, the produced denim fabrics showed balanced drapability and good breathability.

International High-Risk Clones Among Extended-Spectrum ß-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Background: Escherichia coli is a major extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL)-producing organism responsible for the rapid spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) that has compromised our ability to treat infections. Baseline data on population structure, virulence, and resistance mechanisms in E. coli lineages from developing countries such as Bangladesh are lacking. Methods: Whole-genome sequencing was performed for 46 ESBL-E. coli isolates cultured from patient samples at the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b)-Dhaka. Sequence data were analyzed to glean details of AMR, virulence, and phylogenetic and molecular markers of E. coli lineages. Results: Genome comparison revealed presence of all major high-risk clones including sequence type 131 (ST131) (46%), ST405 (13%), ST648 (7%), ST410 (4.3%), ST38 (2%), ST73 (2%), and ST1193 (2%). The predominant ESBL gene and plasmid combination were bla CTX - M - 15 and FII-FIA-FIB detected in diverse E. coli phylogroups and STs. The bla NDM - 5 (9%) gene was present in prominent E. coli STs. One (2%) mcr-1-positive ST1011 E. coli, coharboring bla CTXM - 55 gene, was detected. The extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli genotype was associated with specific E. coli lineages. The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based genome phylogeny largely showed correlation with phylogroups, serogroups, and fimH types. Majority of these isolates were susceptible to amikacin (93%), imipenem (93%), and nitrofurantoin (83%). Conclusion: Our study reveals a high diversity of E. coli lineages among ESBL-producing E. coli from Dhaka. This study suggests ongoing circulation of ST131 and all major non-ST131 high-risk clones that are strongly associated with cephalosporin resistance and virulence genes. These findings warrant prospective monitoring of high-risk clones, which would otherwise worsen the AMR crises.

Compliance on existing WASH facilities in community clinics of Bangladesh: A comparative study.

Provisions of water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities are essential to make accessible and sustainable through Community Clinics (CCs) to control infection in primary health care service. However, there is scarcity of literature to observe the scenario. This cross-sectional study with mix-method approach conducted a comparative analysis with a focus on compliance with WASH facilities between two categories of CCs in Meherpur and Kustia District in Bangladesh. There were total 420 respondents out of which 400 were selected purposively from the 20 renovated and non-renovated CCs for quantitative approach and 20 respondents for qualitative approach. Data were collected using face-to-face interview method. The study revealed that all of the renovated CCs had safe drinking water source, functioning toilet, hand washing and dust bin facilities except for a few cases with technical problem in water supply. But the reverse scenario was observed in non-renovated CCs. Compliance on WASH facilities in renovated CCs was two times higher than the non-renovated CCs. Clients aged ≤40 years (AOR = 0.41, renovated CCs), and married (AOR = 4.03, non-renovated CCs) did not comply the use of safe drinking water in CCs. Noncompliance of toilet use (AOR = 12.15, renovated CCs and AOR = 8.96, non-renovated CCs) and hand washing facility use (AOR = 8.46, renovated CCs and AOR = 16.8, non-renovated CCs) significantly found higher among respondents who had no formal education. Non-renovated CCs need to develop their WASH facilities as well as ensure maintenance whereas the renovated CCs need dedicated human resource as well as effective policies to maintain the sustainability.

Agricultural Injury-Associated Chromobacterium violaceum Infection in a Bangladeshi Farmer.

Chromobacterium violaceum is an emerging environmental pathogen that causes life-threatening infection in humans and animals. In October 2017, a Bangladeshi farmer was hospitalized with high-grade fever due to an agricultural injury-related wound infection. Bacteriological and 16S rRNA gene investigation detected C. violaceum in the wound discharge. The patient recovered successfully after a combination treatment with meropenem and ciprofloxacin, followed by prolonged medication to avoid recurrence. We strongly propose to incorporate C. violaceum in the differential diagnosis of wound and skin infections occurring in tropical and subtropical regions, especially when the injury was exposed to soil or sluggish water.

Air pollution dispersion from biomass stoves to neighboring homes in Mirpur, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

BACKGROUND: Indoor air pollution, including fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and carbon monoxide (CO), is a major risk factor for pneumonia and other respiratory diseases. Biomass-burning cookstoves are major contributors to PM2.5 and CO concentrations. However, high concentrations of PM2.5 (> 1000 µg/m3) have been observed in homes in Dhaka, Bangladesh that do not burn biomass. We described dispersion of PM2.5 and CO from biomass burning into nearby homes in a low-income urban area of Dhaka, Bangladesh. METHODS: We recruited 10 clusters of homes, each with one biomass-burning (index) home, and 3-4 neighboring homes that used cleaner fuels with no other major sources of PM2.5 or CO. We administered a questionnaire and recorded physical features of all homes. Over 24 h, we recorded PM2.5 and CO concentrations inside each home, near each stove, and outside one neighbor home per cluster. During 8 of these 24 h, we conducted observations for pollutant-generating activities such as cooking. For each monitor, we calculated geometric mean PM2.5 concentrations at 5-6 am (baseline), during biomass burning times, during non-cooking times, and over 24 h. We used linear regressions to describe associations between monitor location and PM2.5 and CO concentrations. RESULTS: We recruited a total of 44 homes across the 10 clusters. Geometric mean PM2.5 and CO concentrations for all monitors were lowest at baseline and highest during biomass burning. During biomass burning, linear regression showed a decreasing trend of geometric mean PM2.5 and CO concentrations from the biomass stove (326.3 µg/m3, 12.3 ppm), to index home (322.7 µg/m3, 11.2 ppm), neighbor homes sharing a wall with the index home (278.4 µg/m3, 3.6 ppm), outdoors (154.2 µg/m3, 0.7 ppm), then neighbor homes that do not share a wall with the index home (83.1 µg/m3,0.2 ppm) (p = 0.03 for PM2.5, p = 0.006 for CO). CONCLUSION: Biomass burning in one home can be a source of indoor air pollution for several homes. The impact of biomass burning on PM2.5 or CO is greatest in homes that share a wall with the biomass-burning home. Eliminating biomass burning in one home may improve air quality for several households in a community.

Application of Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) Technique for the Detection of Genetic Aberration in Medical Science.

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is a macromolecule recognition technique, which is considered as a new advent in the field of cytology. Initially, it was developed as a physical mapping tool to delineate genes within chromosomes. The accuracy and versatility of FISH were subsequently capitalized upon in biological and medical research. This visually appealing technique provides an intermediate degree of resolution between DNA analysis and chromosomal investigations. FISH consists of a hybridizing DNA probe, which can be labeled directly or indirectly. In the case of direct labeling, fluorescent nucleotides are used, while indirect labeling is incorporated with reporter molecules that are subsequently detected by fluorescent antibodies or other affinity molecules. FISH is applied to detect genetic abnormalities that include different characteristic gene fusions or the presence of an abnormal number of chromosomes in a cell or loss of a chromosomal region or a whole chromosome. It is also applied in different research applications, such as gene mapping or the identification of novel oncogenes. This article reviews the concept of FISH, its application, and its advantages in medical science.

The impact of formulation attributes and process parameters on black seed oil loaded liposomes and their performance in animal models of analgesia.

This study aimed to formulate black seed oil (Nigella sativa) loaded liposomes using the ethanol injection method to enhance oral bioavailability and improve therapeutic activity in small animal studies of analgesia. The impact of formulation attributes and process parameters on the liposomal system was evaluated with key quality attributes being particle size, morphology, and entrapment efficiency. The particle size and entrapment efficiency of the liposome preparation were found to be between the range of 50-900 nm and 34-87% respectively. Particle size distribution data suggested that increasing the percentage of oil, up to a certain concentration, reduced the size of the liposomes significantly from 520 ± 81.2 nm to 51.48 ± 1.31 nm. Stirring and injection rate were shown to have marked impact on the average particle size of liposome. It was observed that entrapment efficiency of liposomes was greatly influenced by the amount of cholesterol and type of cryoprotectant used during formulation. The stability study indicated that the liposomal preparation was stable at ambient conditions for one month. In vivo studies showed that the liposomal preparation demonstrated significant analgesic activity in mice.