Comprehensive Assessment of the Genotype-Environment Interaction and Yield Stability of Boro Rice Genotypes under Four Environments in Bangladesh Using AMMI Analysis.

Yield stability, alongside high yield potential and broad adaptation to various agroclimatic environments, is a key objective for rice breeders aiming to ensure food security. This study aimed to explore the most suitable and stable Boro rice genotypes for Bangladesh. Ten Boro rice genotypes underwent testing in four environments during the 2022 Boro season to investigate genotype-environment interaction (GEI) and yield stability performance. The experiment utilized three replications of a completely randomized block design. Yield stability performance was assessed through combined analysis and the additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) model. The combined ANOVA revealed that the environment explained 10.23%, while GEI accounted for 9.17%, and the genotypes captured 80.60% of the variance, significantly impacting grain yield. Significance was observed in the environment, genotype main effects, and GEI. Analysis indicated that BRRI dhan 68 yielded the highest (6,754 kg·ha-1) and BRRI dhan 88 the lowest (5,620 kg·ha-1) among the investigated genotypes. In addition, genotypes BRRI dhan 84, BRRI dhan 81, and BRRI dhan 67 exhibited the highest grain yields. The Rangpur environment demonstrated considerable stability across the four environments with a high mean value of grain yield (7,206 kg·ha-1). Therefore, the AMMI model emerges as a valuable tool for identifying the most suitable and stable Boro rice genotypes with high-yielding potential across various regions in Bangladesh, as well as under diverse conditions.

Real-Time Detection of Microplastics Using an AI Camera.

Microplastics (MPs, size ≤ 5 mm) have emerged as a significant worldwide concern, threatening marine and freshwater ecosystems, and the lack of MP detection technologies is notable. The main goal of this research is the development of a camera sensor for the detection of MPs and measuring their size and velocity while in motion. This study introduces a novel methodology involving computer vision and artificial intelligence (AI) for the detection of MPs. Three different camera systems, including fixed-focus 2D and autofocus (2D and 3D), were implemented and compared. A YOLOv5-based object detection model was used to detect MPs in the captured image. DeepSORT was then implemented for tracking MPs through consecutive images. In real-time testing in a laboratory flume setting, the precision in MP counting was found to be 97%, and during field testing in a local river, the precision was 96%. This study provides foundational insights into utilizing AI for detecting MPs in different environmental settings, contributing to more effective efforts and strategies for managing and mitigating MP pollution.

KRASFormer: a fully vision transformer-based framework for predicting KRAS gene mutations in histopathological images of colorectal cancer.

Detecting the Kirsten Rat Sarcoma Virus (KRAS) gene mutation is significant for colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. The KRAS gene encodes a protein involved in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling pathway, and mutations in this gene can negatively impact the use of monoclonal antibodies in antiEGFR therapy and affect treatment decisions. Currently, commonly used methods like next-generation sequencing (NGS) identify KRAS mutations but are expensive, time-consuming, and may not be suitable for every cancer patient sample. To address these challenges, we have developed KRASFormer, a novel framework that predicts KRAS gene mutations from Haematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) stained WSIs that are widely available for most CRC patients. KRASFormer consists of two stages: the first stage filters out non-tumor regions and selects only tumour cells using a quality screening mechanism, and the second stage predicts the KRAS gene either 'wildtype' or 'mutant' using a Vision Transformer-based XCiT method. The XCiT employs cross-covariance attention to capture clinically meaningful long-range representations of textural patterns in tumour tissue and KRAS mutant cells. We evaluated the performance of the first stage using an independent CRC-5000 dataset, and the second stage included both The Cancer Genome Atlas colon and rectal cancer (TCGA-CRCDX) and in-house cohorts. The results of our experiments showed that the XCiT outperformed existing state-of-the-art methods, achieving AUCs for ROC curves of 0.691 and 0.653 on TCGA-CRC-DX and in-house datasets, respectively. Our findings emphasize three key consequences: the potential of using H&E-stained tissue slide images for predicting KRAS gene mutations as a cost-effective and time-efficient means for guiding treatment choice with CRC patients; the increase in performance metrics of a Transformer-based model; and the value of the collaboration between pathologists and data scientists in deriving a morphologically meaningful model.

Exploring risky health behaviors and vulnerability to sexually transmitted diseases among transnational undocumented labor migrants from Bangladesh: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: In Bangladesh, remittances constitute a substantial portion of the country's foreign exchange earnings and serve as a primary source of income. However, a considerable number of Bangladeshi citizens reside overseas without proper documentation, exposing them to significant challenges such as limited access to healthcare and socioeconomic opportunities. Moreover, their irregular migration status often results in engaging in risky health behaviors that further exacerbate their vulnerability. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the risky health behavior and HIV/STI susceptibility of Bangladeshi irregular international migrants residing across the globe with undocumented status. METHODS: Using a qualitative Interpretative Phenomenological Approach (IPA), 25 illegal migrants were interviewed who are currently living illegally or returned to their home country. The author used a thematic approach to code and analyze the data, combining an integrated data-driven inductive approach with a deductive approach. Concurrent processing and coding were facilitated by employing the Granheim model in data analysis. RESULTS: The study identified four risky health behaviors among irregular Bangladeshi migrants: hazardous living conditions, risky jobs, suicidal ideation, and tobacco consumption. Additionally, the authors found some HIV/STI risk behavior among them including engaging in unprotected sex, consuming alcohol and drugs during sexual activity, and having limited access to medical facilities. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study can be used by health professional, governments, policymakers, NGOs, and concerned agencies to develop welfare strategies and initiatives for vulnerable undocumented migrant workers.

Utilization of factory tea (Camellia sinensis) wastes in eco-friendly dyeing of jute packaging fabrics.

Eco-friendly dyeing of jute packaging fabrics was evaluated using aqueous extraction of factory tea (Camellia sinensis) wastes. Jute and factory tea wastes are available in Bangladesh and jute bags are used for packaging of various exportable agricultural commodities. The extract of factory tea waste (FTW) is dark coffee colored and it was characterized by attenuated total reflection-fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) and microbial analysis. Nontoxic, non-allergic and eco-friendly natural dyeing process of jute packaging fabrics using extract of FTW were developed and optimized. Metal mordants 10 % on the weight of fabric was used to get the fastness properties of dyed jute fabric. The methods of application of mordants were pre-mordanting, simultaneous or meta-mordanting and post-mordanting. The color fastness and tensile properties were measured for all jute packaging fabrics and it is found that the dyed jute packaging fabrics showed a slight decrease in tensile breaking force (N) than undyed jute packaging fabric. The highest color fastness obtained with the meta mordanting method with ferrous sulfate mordant in a shade of dark coffee. The results of the color fastness for light and washing showed an excellent value of grade 4-5.

Arsenic Exposure-Related Hypertension in Bangladesh and Reduced Circulating Nitric Oxide Bioavailability.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is a major cause of death worldwide. Although arsenic exposure has been associated with the risk of hypertension, this association appears nonuniform due to inconsistent results from studies conducted in different populations. Moreover, hypertension is a complex condition with multiple underlying mechanisms and factors. One factor is impaired production and bioavailability of vascular nitric oxide (NO). However, the implications of the effects of arsenic exposure on circulating NO and its association with hypertension in humans are largely unknown. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the dose-response relationship between arsenic exposure and hypertension with vascular NO levels as a potential mediator of arsenic-related hypertension in individuals exposed to a broad range of arsenic. METHODS: A total of 828 participants were recruited from low- and high-arsenic exposure areas in Bangladesh. Participants' drinking water, hair, and nail arsenic concentrations were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy. Hypertension was defined as a systolic blood pressure (SBP) value of ≥140 and a diastolic (DBP) value of ≥90 mmHg. Serum NO levels reflected by total serum nitrite concentrations were measured by immunoassay. A formal causal mediation analysis was used to assess NO as a mediator of the association between arsenic level and hypertension. RESULTS: Increasing concentrations of arsenic measured in drinking water, hair, and nails were associated with the increasing levels of SBP and DBP. The odds of hypertension were dose-dependently increased by arsenic even in participants exposed to relatively low to moderate levels (10-50µg/L) of water arsenic [odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs): 2.87 (95% CI: 1.28, 6.44), 2.67 (95% CI: 1.27, 5.60), and 5.04 (95% CI: 2.71, 9.35) for the 10-50µg/L, 50.01-150µg/L, and >150µg/L groups, respectively]. Causal mediation analysis showed a significant mediating effect of NO on arsenic-related SBP, DBP, and hypertension. CONCLUSION: Increasing exposure to arsenic was associated with increasing odds of hypertension. The association was mediated through the reduction of vascular NO bioavailability, suggesting that impaired NO bioavailability was a plausible underlying mechanism of arsenic-induced hypertension in this Bangladeshi population. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13018.

Robust QRS detection based on simulated degenerate optical parametric oscillator-assisted neural network.

Accurately detecting the depolarization QRS complex in the ventricles is a fundamental requirement for cardiovascular disease detection using electrocardiography (ECG). In contrast to traditional signal enhancement algorithms, emerging neural network approaches have shown promise for QRS detection because of their generalizability on complex data. However, the inevitable noise present during ECG recording leads to a decrease in the performance of neural networks. To enhance the robustness and performance of neural network-based QRS detectors, we propose a simulated degeneration unit (SDU)-assisted convolutional neural network (CNN). An SDU simulates the physical degeneration process of interfering optical pulses, which can effectively suppress in-band noise. Through comprehensive performance evaluations on three open-source databases, the SDU-enhanced CNN-based approach demonstrated better performance in detecting QRS complexes than other recently reported QRS detectors. Furthermore, real-world noise injection tests indicate that the optimal noise robustness boundary for the CNN equipped with SDU is 167-300% higher than that for the CNN without SDU.

Occurrence of microplastics in fish gastrointestinal tracts belongs to different feeding habits from the Bangladesh coast of the Bay of Bengal.

The Bay of Bengal (BoB) is home to a range of commercially important species with different food habits and feeding features. Microplastic (MP) contamination in the fish of BoB, like in many other marine environments, is a significant environmental concern. The study aimed to investigate the presence of microplastics (MPs) in the gastrointestinal tracts (GITs) of selected commercial marine fishes from the Bangladesh coast of the BoB. Six fish species (Escualosa thoracata, Tenualosa ilisha, Johnius belangerii, Trichiurus lepturus, Planiliza parsia, and Mystus gulio) were investigated (n = 120) following hydrogen peroxide digestion, and floatation (saline solution) protocols. After analyses, a total number of 696 MPs (dimension 0.3 to 5 mm) were identified. Moreover, the highest occurrence of MPs in fish GITs was found in planktivorous fish (average of 7.7 items/individual), followed by omnivorous (average of 5.2 items/individual), and carnivorous fish (average of 4.6 items/individual) (p < 0.001). However, planktivorous E. thoracata showed the highest number of MPs per g of GIT (average of 30.99 items/g GIT), whereas T. ilisha showed the lowest count (average of 0.77 items/g GIT). Different types of MPs (fibers (19 to 76%), fragments (6 to 61%), films (8 to 35%), microbeads (0 to 5%), and foams (0 to 2%)) were also observed. In terms of the color of MPs, the transparent, black, green, and blue types were the most common. Polymers were found as polyethylene (35 to 43%), polyethylene terephthalate (28 to 35%), polyamide (20 to 31%), and polystyrene (0 to 7%). The study provides a significant incidence of MPs in fish from the Bangladesh part of the BoB, which is very concerning. Therefore, long-term research is indispensable to ascertain the variables affecting the presence of MPs in fish, their origins, and their potential effects on the BoB fisheries. Stringent policies on plastic use and disposal should be strongly urged in this coastal region.

Band gap engineering in lead free halide cubic perovskites GaGeX3 (X = Cl, Br, and I) based on first-principles calculations.

Lead-free inorganic Ge-based perovskites GaGeX3 (X = Cl, Br, and I) are promising candidates for solar cell applications due to their structural, mechanical, electrical, and optical properties. In this work, we performed density functional theory (DFT) calculations using the CASTEP module to investigate these properties in detail. We found that the lattice parameters and cell volumes increase with the size of the halogen atoms, and that all the compounds are stable and ductile. GaGeBr3 has the highest ductility, machinability, and lowest hardness, while GaGeCl3 has the highest anisotropy. The band gap values, calculated using the GGA-PBE and HSE06 functionals, show a direct band gap at the R-R point, ranging from 0.779 eV and 1.632 eV for GaGeCl3 to 0.330 eV and 1.140 eV for GaGeI3. The optical properties, such as absorption coefficient, conductivity, reflectivity, refractive index, extinction coefficient, and dielectric function, are also computed and discussed. We observed that the optical properties improve with the redshift of the band gap as Cl is replaced by Br and I. GaGeI3 has the highest dielectric constant, indicating the lowest recombination rate of electron-hole pairs. Our results suggest that GaGeX3 (X = Cl, Br, and I) can be used as effective and non-toxic materials for multijunction solar cells and other semiconductor devices.

Nanopore sequencing for identification and characterization of antimicrobial-resistant Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. from tilapia and shrimp sold at wet markets in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Wet markets in low-and middle-income countries are often reported to have inadequate sanitation resulting in fecal contamination of sold produce. Consumption of contaminated wet market-sourced foods has been linked to individual illness and disease outbreaks. This pilot study, conducted in two major wet markets in Dhaka city, Bangladesh during a 4-month period in 2021 aimed to assess the occurrence and characteristics of Escherichia coli and non-typhoidal Salmonella spp. (NTS) from tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and shrimp (Penaeus monodon). Fifty-four individuals of each species were collected. The identity of the bacterial isolates was confirmed by PCR and their susceptibility toward 15 antimicrobials was tested by disk diffusion. The whole genome of 15 E. coli and nine Salmonella spp. were sequenced using Oxford Nanopore Technology. E. coli was present in 60-74% of tilapia muscle tissue and 41-44% of shrimp muscle tissue. Salmonella spp. was found in skin (29%) and gills (26%) of tilapia, and occasionally in muscle and intestinal samples of shrimp. The E. coli had several Multilocus sequence typing and serotypes and limited antimicrobial resistance (AMR) determinants, such as point mutations on glpT and pmrB. One E. coli (BD17) from tilapia carried resistance genes for beta-lactams, quinolones, and tetracycline. All the E. coli belonged to commensal phylogroups B1 and A and showed no Shiga-toxin and other virulence genes, confirming their commensal non-pathogenic status. Among the Salmonella isolates, five belonged to Kentucky serovar and had similar AMR genes and phenotypic resistance patterns. Three strains of this serovar were ST198, often associated with human disease, carried the same resistance genes, and were genetically related to strains from the region. The two undetermined sequence types of S. Kentucky were distantly related and positioned in a separate phylogenetic clade. Two Brunei serovar isolates, one Augustenborg isolate, and one Hartford isolate showed different resistance profiles. This study revealed high fecal contamination levels in tilapia and shrimp sold at two main wet markets in Dhaka. Together with the occurrence of Salmonella spp., including S. Kentucky ST198, a well-known human pathogen, these results stress the need to improve hygienic practices and sanitation standards at markets to improve food safety and protect consumer health.

Withanone as an Emerging Anticancer Agent and Understanding Its Molecular Mechanisms: Experimental and Computational Evidence.

Despite decades of research and effort, treating cancer is still a challenging task. Current conventional treatments are still unsatisfactory to fully eliminate and prevent re-emergence or relapses, and targeted or personalised therapy, which are more effective in managing cancer, may be unattainable or inaccessible for some. In the past, research in natural products have yielded some of the most commonly used cancer treatment drugs known today. Hence it is possible more are awaiting to be discovered. Withanone, a common withanolide found in the Ayurvedic herb Withania somnifera, has been claimed to possess multiple benefits capable of treating cancer. This review focuses on the potential of withanone as a safe cancer treatment drug based on the pharmacokinetic profile and molecular mechanisms of actions of withanone. Through these in silico and in vitro studies discussed in this review, withanone showspotent anticancer activities and interactions with molecular targets involved in cancer progression. Furthermore, some evidences also show the selective killing property of withanone, which highlights the safety and specificity of withanone in targeting cancer cell. By compiling these evidences, this review hopes to spark interest for future research to be conducted in more extensive studies involving withanone to generate more data, especially involving in vivo experiments and toxicity evaluation of withanone.

Integrative approaches to urban resilience: Evaluating the efficacy of resilience strategies in mitigating climate change vulnerabilities.

The successful implementation of urban resilience strategies is of utmost importance in order to reduce susceptibility and bolster resilience in the face of climate change consequences. The current understanding of the efficacy of different resilience strategies in mitigating vulnerability and bolstering urban resilience is lacking, despite its significance. This study assesses the efficacy of resilience strategies in mitigating vulnerability and enhancing urban resilience. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of scholarly literature published in English following PRISMA criteria from January 2001 to July 2023. Finally, 116 articles met the inclusion criteria and were selected for in-depth analysis. Results indicate that while resilience strategies have the potential to reduce susceptibility and enhance urban resilience, the effectiveness of resilience techniques is contingent upon various factors, such as the type of hazard, urban setting, and implementation process. The study also highlights the significance of stakeholder involvement, community participation, and adaptive management as essential components for effectively implementing resilience measures. Integrating physical, social, and institutional components in resilience practices demonstrated notable effectiveness. This study also reveals that improving the physical resilience of urban areas and strengthening their social and institutional capabilities to address and learn from disruptive events and pressures can decrease their vulnerability. The research also exposes those strategies focusing solely on mitigating a single issue, such as physical infrastructure, while neglecting social or institutional elements, which prove less effective. A comprehensive approach, incorporating institutional, social, and physical measures, should be designed to achieve maximal efficacy in mitigating vulnerability and strengthening urban resilience.

Assessment of water, hygiene, and sanitation practice and associated factors among Bihari refugee camp in Bangladesh: A cross-sectional study.

Background and Aims: The global significance of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) cannot be overstated, extending far beyond the confines of developing nations and encompassing even the most developed ones. This study, rooted in the Bihari refugee camp in Bangladesh, seeks to underscore the universality of WASH concerns. Methods: Using a cross-sectional design and a structured questionnaire, we conducted a meticulous evaluation of WASH practices with 313 participants selected through random sampling. Results: Findings shows the water practice, among all of them, only 4.8% of the respondents were very happy with the water supply system and 16.0% of the respondents were happy with this. A total of 29.7% of the respondents were satisfied with safe drinking water and only 4.8% of the respondents were very satisfied with safe drinking water. Regarding the hygiene practice, among all respondents, 10.2% of them were satisfied with using the same bathroom by multiple people. Only 5.4% respondents were happy in their living environment. Regarding sanitation practice, only 31.3% had private toilet facilities. Among all of the respondents, 13.7% of the respondents were satisfied with using the same toilet by multiple people. Respondents who were illiterate (p < 0.01) and self-employed (p < 0.04) were satisfied with the water supply. Similarly, respondents who were illiterate (p < 0.03) and self-employed (p < 0.00) were satisfied with safe drinking water. Respondents who were illiterate (p < 0.02) and whose monthly income was below 8000 BDT (p < 0.00) were satisfied using same bathroom by multiple people. Respondents who were self-employed (p < 0.01), whose monthly income 8000-12,000 BDT (p < 0.01) and having single room (p < 0.00) were satisfied using the same toilet by multiple people. Conclusion: Enhanced access to safe WASH facilities, coupled with a comprehensive understanding of the study's findings, have the potential to serve as vital signposts for the development and implementation of policies and interventions.

A model for evaluating the performance of compulsory education inputs in ethnic areas in China.

A scientific performance evaluation model is necessary to establish a performance evaluation index system for compulsory education in ethnic areas and to conduct objective and impartial evaluations. After conducting theoretical analysis and reviewing literature, it was determined that existing educational input performance evaluation models are general and fail to reflect the unique characteristics of compulsory education development in ethnic areas of China. Therefore, this study intends to improve their self-adaptability and degree of fit. Based on the features of China's ethnic areas and the current situation of compulsory education development, a trinity evaluation model of compulsory education input performance in ethnic regions was constructed using the classical performance evaluation theoretical framework. This model includes the "implementation topic - target concept - performance dimension." The government is the main organization responsible for organizing and implementing the entire performance evaluation, with publicness and responsiveness as the value idea of evaluation. The "4E″ of enough, equity, efficiency, and effectiveness are the evaluation objectives, and input, allocation, output, and effect are the dimensions of the building of the performance evaluation index system. The "4E″ evaluation objectives are integrated into the performance evaluation dimensions and index system. The reconstructed theoretical model of performance evaluation combines universality and specificity, highlights the dual attributes of "tool-value," realizes the organic combination of internal and external performance evaluation, illustrates the overall performance evaluation process and ensures objective, fair, and accurate performance evaluation results. It provides useful guidelines for further optimizing compulsory education investment policies and promoting high-quality and well-balanced compulsory education in China's ethnic areas.

Individual- and community-level factors associated with the presence of adequate iodized salt in households in Bangladesh: a multilevel modelling approach.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to estimate the factors at both the individual and community levels related to the adequacy of iodized salt in households in Bangladesh. METHODS: For this study we utilized the 2019 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey data. A total of 61 242 households were chosen as samples from Bangladesh. In our study of socio-economic disparities, we applied a concentration indexing method. To identify the factors associated with the adequacy of iodine in salt at both the individual and community levels, we employed multilevel logistic regression. Aside from the multilevel regression used in the study, we also applied spatial analysis. RESULTS: The results indicated that the prevalence of iodine adequacy in household salt was found to be 57.8% (95% confidence interval 57.4 to 58.2). Rural areas have a higher concentration of iodine than urban areas. According to the multilevel model, younger women (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.70), Muslim women (aOR 0.89), illiterate women (aOR 0.80) and those from poor households (aOR 0.33) were found to be less likely to consume iodine in concentrated salt compared with their counterparts. Disabled women and those with low media exposure have a lower likelihood of iodine adequacy in salt compared to their reference group. Furthermore, households in urban areas exhibited higher odds of having iodine adequacy in salt compared with households in rural areas. Barisal, Chattogram, Dhaka, Khulna, Mymensingh, Rajshahi and Rangpur Divisions have lower iodine adequacy in salt compared with Sylhet Division. CONCLUSIONS: The findings reveal that religion, physical disability and exposure to media exert an equal influence on the presence of iodized salt intake. Moreover, women's age, wealth status, education level and the educational background of the household head positively contribute to the adequacy of iodine in household salt. In light of these results, policymakers are advised to prioritize efforts aimed at enhancing iodine concentration, with a particular focus on mass media advertising, especially in rural areas (excluding Sylhet Division).

Corrigendum to "Enrichment, sources, and distributions of toxic elements in the farming land's topsoil near a heavily industrialized area of central Bangladesh, and associated risks assessment" [Heliyon 9 (4) 2023 e15078].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15078.].

Determinants of household adoption of clean energy with its rural-urban disparities in Bangladesh.

This study aims to investigate factors influencing the adoption of clean energy among households in Bangladesh, using Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition and extended probit regression model with data from the 2019 Bangladesh multiple indicator cluster survey. Small households, primarily Muslim and urban dwellers, who speak the Bengali language and are Internet and mobile users, were likelier to adopt cleaner fuels than their counterparts. On the contrary, households residing in the Barisal, Khulna, Rajshahi, and Rangpur divisions, belonging to poor and middle-class households, with household heads aged 15-64 and without formal education, were less likely to adopt cleaner fuels than their counterparts. The concentration curve revealed socioeconomic inequality in the adoption of clean energy, particularly favouring richer households in urban and rural areas. Further analysis using the Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition showed that urban residents showed a higher probability of adopting clean energy, with a significant difference of 0.508 compared to rural areas. Regarding the endowment effect, poor wealth quintile contributed the most, followed by the ownership of rented dwellings and the middle wealth quintile. The Bengali differential effect made the largest contribution to this aspect of the disparity, followed by the exposure of the Internet and the influence of the Dhaka and Chattogram divisions. The detailed analysis provides valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners on the issue of disparities in the adoption of clean energy between urban and rural areas in Bangladesh.

Antioxidant activity study and GC-MS profiling of Camellia sinensis Linn.

The antioxidant activity of tea leaves extract is a widely researched topic. Tea leaves, particularly those from the Camellia sinensis Linn plant, have garnered attention due to their potential health benefits attributed to their antioxidant properties. Antioxidants are compounds that can neutralize harmful free radicals in the body, which can damage cells and contribute to various health issues, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and aging. In this research, the matured tea leaves which has been considered as agricultural waste in Moulovibazar area of Bangladesh have been investigated as a potential source of antioxidant. Methanol was used as solvent for the extraction of antioxidant. DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl) scavenging free radical assay method was used to assess the antioxidant activity of the extracts and ascorbic acid was used as positive control. Gas chromatography with mass spectrometric (GC-MS) analysis method was conducted on this extract to investigate the principal components. The half inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of methanol extract and ascorbic acid were found to be 69.51 µg/mL and 10.70 µg/mL, respectively. Caffeine is the main compound (74.47%) among the eight bioactive compounds was identify and quantified by GC-MS.

Animal, human, and environmental perspectives on anthrax in Bangladesh.

Background: In Bangladesh, the zoonotic transmission of anthrax from animals to humans poses substantial challenges for prevention and control programs, especially in resource-constrained settings. A comprehensive literature review was conducted focusing on anthrax infections in animals, humans, and the environment to enable better design of prevention and control strategies. Materials and methods: We followed PRISMA guidelines to collect data on anthrax infection in animals and humans from reports between 1980 and January 2023. We used a standardized data extraction template to collect data on study location, year, hosts, deaths and risk factors responsible for anthrax occurrences at the animal, human and environmental sectors. Subsequently, we conducted a thorough analysis of the data gathered to identify the factors responsible for anthrax occurrences and to propose updated strategies for anthrax prevention and control. Results: Of the 27 articles analyzed, 20 focused on animal or human anthrax, while seven addressed environmental contaminations. A total of 6354 cases of anthrax infection in animals were recorded, with 998 fatalities and an overall case fatality of 15.7 %. In humans, inadequate knowledge about anthrax and its transmission was a significant factor. Risk factors for human cutaneous anthrax included activities such as slaughtering diseased animals and contact with contaminated raw meat or blood. Risky practices such as disposal of animal carcasses in floodwaters or water bodies were observed in some areas, contributing to the persistence of the anthrax pathogen in the environment. Conclusions: Our study highlights the necessity of a multisectoral One Health approach to effectively control and prevent anthrax outbreaks in both animals and humans. This approach should include comprehensive vaccination programs, social and behavioral change activities, environmental management, and the establishment of surveillance systems. Implementing these recommendations will be crucial in addressing the complex challenges posed by anthrax in low-resource settings.

The link between Facebook addiction and depression among university students: Evidence from a lower-middle income country.

Background and Aims: Among all the social media, Facebook is the most popular social networking site among students. That raises a chance of excessive Facebook usage being a form of addiction to hamper students' mental health. The primary goal of this study was to find the association of Facebook addiction with the depression level of university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: Four hundred ten university students from Bangladesh were selected randomly as samples for this investigation. In this study, the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale and nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire were used to assess the level of Facebook Addiction and depression status of the students, respectively. Ordered probit models were employed to identify the connection between Facebook addiction and depression. Ordinary least square models were utilized further to check the robustness of the findings. Results: Ordered probit results confirm that Facebook addiction increases the likelihood of having heightened depression among university students. Besides, sex, household income, and history of being infected by COVID-19 also appeared to be correlated with the depression level of the students. Conclusion: Creating opportunities for students to participate in more physically demanding outdoor activities should be prioritized as it could ultimately enhance their capacity to mitigate depression. Appropriate measures must be taken to increase the number of recreational facilities on the campus for students, considering their age, gender, and preferences.