Students’ perceptions about the importance of Group Study in the tertiary educational institutions of Bangladesh

Many things, like the normal teacher-centered learning system in Bangladesh, can be used to make the education system better, especially student-centered learning. These include peer observation, group learning, classroom observation, group supervision, and more. The main goal of this study is to find out how students in higher education institutions in Bangladesh feel about how important group research is to their academic growth in the teaching and learning system. Honors students in a college under Bangladesh National University for four years were chosen by researchers. There are both qualitative and quantitative parts to this study. To get the process done, several questions and action plans need to be carefully thought through. Group work plays a crucial role in higher education, particularly in Bangladeshi religious studies classes. Implementing this collaborative system enhances student progress and academic performance, emphasizing the need for cooperation among students, instructors, and administration to achieve educational goals and contribute to national development. Banyak hal, seperti sistem pembelajaran berbasis guru yang umum digunakan di Bangladesh, dapat digunakan untuk meningkatkan sistem pendidikan, terutama pembelajaran berbasis siswa. Ini melibatkan pengamatan antar teman, pembelajaran kelompok, observasi kelas, supervisi kelompok, dan lain-lain. Tujuan utama dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui bagaimana para mahasiswa di institusi pendidikan tinggi di Bangladesh merasakan sejauh mana penelitian kelompok penting bagi perkembangan akademik mereka dalam sistem pengajaran dan pembelajaran. Para mahasiswa berprestasi di sebuah perguruan tinggi di bawah Universitas Nasional Bangladesh selama empat tahun dipilih oleh para peneliti. Penelitian ini memiliki bagian kualitatif dan kuantitatif. Untuk menyelesaikan proses ini, beberapa pertanyaan dan rencana tindakan perlu dipikirkan dengan cermat. Kerja kelompok memainkan peran penting dalam pendidikan tinggi, khususnya di kelas studi agama Bangladesh. Menerapkan sistem kolaboratif ini meningkatkan kemajuan siswa dan kinerja akademik, menekankan perlunya kerja sama antara siswa, instruktur, dan administrasi untuk mencapai tujuan pendidikan dan berkontribusi terhadap pembangunan nasional

Evaluating the effectiveness of Baker's procedure in restoring functionality in neglected Achilles tendon injuries

Background: Neglected Achilles tendon injuries present a significant challenge in orthopedic practice, often requiring complex surgical interventions for effective treatment. This study aims to evaluate the functional outcomes of patients with neglected Achilles tendon injuries treated using Baker's procedure, a surgical technique designed for complex cases. Methods: This prospective interventional study was conducted at multiple medical centers in Dhaka, Bangladesh, from January 1, 2012, to May 31, 2013. It included 42 patients aged 18 to 60 years with signs of old Tendo-Achilles rupture. Participants were selected based on specific inclusion and exclusion criteria and underwent Baker's Procedure. Postoperative assessments included pain levels, ankle stiffness, calf-muscle weakness, footwear restrictions, range of motion, and patient satisfaction, evaluated using the Juhana Leppilahti modified score. Result: The majority of patients (85.71%) reported no pain post-treatment, while 14.29% experienced mild pain. Ankle stiffness was absent in 71.43% of the patients and mild in 28.57%. Calf-muscle weakness varied, with 64.29% showing no weakness, 28.57% mild weakness, and 7.14% moderate weakness. Footwear restrictions were minimal, with 92.86% reporting no restrictions. Active range of motion was normal (≤5°) in 64.29% of patients and mildly limited (6-10°) in 35.71%. Patient satisfaction was high, with 71.43% being 'Very satisfied' with their treatment outcomes. Conclusions: The study demonstrates that Baker's Procedure is an effective surgical intervention for neglected Achilles tendon injuries, leading to significant pain relief, restored functional mobility, and high patient satisfaction. These findings suggest that with appropriate surgical and rehabilitative care, patients with complex Achilles tendon injuries can achieve favorable outcomes, emphasizing the importance of tailored surgical approaches in orthopedic practice

The Role of Corporate Workplace Inclusivity Policies, Brand Equity, and Innovation Intensity in Firm Profitability : A Moderated Mediational Approach

Firms are increasingly adopting pro-lesbian, -gay, -bisexual, -transgender, inclusivity and diversity (LGBT-ID) policies for workforce management. This study develops a parsimonious, albeit complex, moderated-mediated framework by employing a panel dataset combining data from archival sources and involving a sample of predominantly large and publicly held firms from the USA between 2002 and 2018. The number of observations varied across variables with a minimum of 414 observations (corporate brand equity) and a maximum of 3,566 observations (self-reported LGBT-ID policy). This treatise demonstrates that adopting LGBT-ID policies positively impacts firms’ profitability. Moreover, pro-LGBT-ID policies during this specific period have a positive effect on corporate brand equity, which in turn affects firm profitability, indicating that brand equity plays a mediating role in the nexus between pro-LGBT-ID policies and firms’ financial performance. Furthermore, innovation intensity strengthens the relationship between pro-LGBT-ID policies and brand equity during the sample period of the study.© The Author(s) 2023. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits any use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access page (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

Manufacturing of agricultural machinery in Bangladesh: opportunities and constraints

Despite numerous limitations, agricultural machinery (AM) manufacturing sub-sector inBangladeshis growing quite satisfactorily and has potential to make substantial contribution to much needed non-farm economic growth, employment generation, mechanization of on and off-farm agricultural activities, and as a whole orientation in the national development.  This study made an attempt to take account of AM manufacturers, importers, traders/wholesalers and retailers, their associations, assess market potential and identify serious bottlenecks associated with this sub-sector.  Stratified random sampling technique was used for identifying respondents in quantitative survey, while focus group discussions (FGDs) and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) were conducted for qualitative investigation.  In recent years, there are about 70 foundries, 800 agricultural machinery manufacturing industries and workshops, 1,500 spare parts manufacturing workshops, and about 20,000 repair and maintenance workshops are engaged in AM sub-sector of the country.  The annual estimated market size of AM and spare parts in the country is about US$802.3 million with an US$ 105.2 million annual repair and maintenance service market, estimating an annual total AM market size of about US$907.5 million of which local production market share is about     US$ 402.7 million.  The spare parts market size in the country is about US$309.3 million of which domestic production of spare parts is estimated US$ 237.9 million.  The significant shift in the supply of spare parts in the country underlines the growth potential of the local spare parts manufacturing sub-sector and potential for substitution of imported spare parts.  Bogra has emerged as the center of manufacturing AM and spare parts especially for irrigation pumps, threshers, maize shellers, piston, liner and numerous spare parts of small diesel engines and machines, casting of machine components etc. and contributing about 80% of the local production in the country.  However, infrastructures for production of AM and spare parts in Bogra and elsewhere in the country are still inadequate. The study recommends declaration of Borga and Jessore as ‘Agri-machinery districts’ and establishment of special ‘Agri-machinery Production Zones (APZ)’ in these areas.  To promote export market to Indian subcontinent and other developing countries, tariff and non-tariff restrictions would be waved on AM through bilateral negotiations and border markets (hats) withIndiato be allowed for AM sales. 

Analysis of Steam Line Break Accident Using PCTRAN Model of VVER-1200 NPP

The investigation of thermal-hydraulic parameters during steam-line break (SLB) accidents is performed by applying the personal computer transient analyzer (PCTRAN) simulator model of the VVER-1200 nuclear power plant (NPP). Five cases, namely, 0.005 m2 (Case-1), 0.01 m2 break (Case-2), 0.02 m2 break (Case-3), 0.04 m2 (Case-4), and 0.08 m2 (case-5) of SLB accident inside containment with the concurrent loss of AC power have been simulated. There was no variation in the timing of the trip of the reactor coolant pumps, the main feedwater pumps, or the turbine in any of the five SLB accidents. However, the reactor scram's onset time varies slightly between the five scenarios. Pressure and temperature in the reactor coolant system (RCS) quickly reached a peak following the start of the SLB accident, fell shortly after the reactor scram, and eventually stabilized in all cases. In comparison to the larger breaks in the SLB accident, the smaller breaks result in a higher RCS temperature and pressure. After the SLB accident, the pressurizer's liquid level rises and then quickly drops in all cases. The break mass flow rate from the steam line rapidly increases until the occurrence of the reactor scram and then decreases to a stabilized value. Steam generator A has a faster rate of heat removal rate than steam generator B, and its pressure and liquid level decrease more quickly than those of steam generator B. The thermal power of the reactor, peak cladding temperature, and fuel temperature showed a rapid drop after the initiation of the SLB accident. There was no increase in these parameters from the initial state of the simulation. The radiation in the air of the reactor building and steam line was very low during the simulation period. Therefore, there was no violation of the safety aspects of the SLB accident of the PCTRAN simulation of the VVER-1200 NPP model

Developing targeted client communication messages to pregnant women in Bangladesh: a qualitative study

AbstractBackground:Timely and appropriate evidence-based practices during antenatal care improve maternal andneonatal health. There is a lack of information on how pregnant women and families perceive antenatal care inBangladesh. The aim of our study was to develop targeted client communication via text messages for increasingantenatal care utilization, as part of an implementation of an electronic registry for maternal and child health.Methods:Using a phenomenological approach, we conducted this qualitative study from May to June 2017 in two sub-districts of Chandpur district, Bangladesh. We selected study participants by purposive sampling. A total of 24 in-depthinterviews were conductedwithpregnantwomen(n= 10), lactating women (n=5),husbands(n= 5), and mothers-in-law(n= 4). The Health Belief Model (HBM) was used to guide the datacollection. Thematic analysis was carried out manuallyaccording to the HBM constructs. We used behavior change techniques to inform the development of targeted clientcommunication based on the thematic results.Results:Almost no respondents mentioned antenatal care as a preventive form of care, and only perceived it as necessary ifany complications developed during pregnancy. Knowledge of the content of antenatal care (ANC) and pregnancycomplications was low. Women reported avariety of reasons for not attending ANC, including the lack of information onthe timing of ANC; lack of decision-making power; long-distance to access care; being busy with household chores, and notbeing satisfied with the treatment by health care providers. Study participants recommended phone calls as their preferredcommunication strategy when asked to choose between thephone call and text message, but saw text messages as afeasible option. Based on the findings, we developed a library of 43 automatically customizable text messages to increaseANC utilization.Conclusions:Pregnant women and family members had limited knowledge about antenatal care and pregnancycomplications. Effective health information through text messages could increase awareness of antenatal careamong the pregnant women in Bangladesh. This study presents an example of designing targeted clientcommunication to increase antenatal care utilization within formal scientific frameworks, including a taxonomy ofbehavior change techniques.publishedVersio

An Electronic Registry for Improving the Quality of Antenatal Care in Rural Bangladesh (eRegMat): Protocol for a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Digital health interventions (DHIs) can alleviate several barriers to achieving better maternal and child health. The World Health Organization’s guideline recommendations for DHIs emphasize the need to integrate multiple DHIs for maximizing impact. The complex health system of Bangladesh provides a unique setting for evaluating and understanding the role of an electronic registry (eRegistry) for antenatal care, with multiple integrated DHIs for strengthening the health system as well as improving the quality and utilization of the public health care system. Objective: The aim of this study is to assess the effect of an eRegistry with DHIs compared with a simple digital data entry tool without DHIs in the community and frontline health facilities. Methods: The eRegMat is a cluster-randomized controlled trial conducted in the Matlab North and Matlab South subdistricts in the Chandpur district, Bangladesh, where health facilities are currently using the eRegistry for digital tracking of the health status of pregnant women longitudinally. The intervention arm received 3 superimposed data-driven DHIs: health worker clinical decision support, health worker feedback dashboards with action items, and targeted client communication to pregnant women. The primary outcomes are appropriate screening as well as management of hypertension during pregnancy and timely antenatal care attendance. The secondary outcomes include morbidity and mortality in the perinatal period as well as timely first antenatal care visit; successful referrals for anemia, diabetes, or hypertension during pregnancy; and facility delivery. Results: The eRegistry and DHIs were co-designed with end users between 2016 and 2018. The eRegistry was implemented in the study area in July 2018. Recruitment for the trial started in October 2018 and ended in June 2020, followed by an 8-month follow-up period to capture outcome data until February 2021. Trial results will be available for publication in June 2021. Conclusions: This trial allows the simultaneous assessment of multiple integrated DHIs for strengthening the health system and aims to provide evidence for its implementation. The study design and outcomes are geared toward informing the living review process of the guidelines for implementing DHIs.publishedVersio

Antiphospholipid antibody positivity in early systemic lupus erythematosus is associated with subsequent vascular events

OBJECTIVE: Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) are found in the blood of 20-30% of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Although aPL cause vascular thrombosis in the antiphospholipid syndrome it is not clear whether positive aPL levels in early SLE increase risk of subsequent vascular events (VE). In a previous analysis of 276 patients with SLE, we found that early positivity for ≥2 of IgG anti-cardiolipin (anti-CL), IgG anti-beta2glycoprotein I (anti-β2GPI) and anti-Domain I of beta2glycoprotein I (anti-DI) showed a possible association with VE. Here we have extended that analysis. METHODS: Serum samples taken from 501 patients with SLE early in their disease had been tested for IgG anti-CL, anti-β2GPI and anti-DI by ELISA. Complete VE history was available for 423 patients of whom 23 were excluded because VE occurred before the diagnosis of SLE. For the remaining 400 patients we carried out Kaplan-Meier survival analysis to define groups at higher risk of VE. RESULTS: Of 400 patients, 154 (38.5%) were positive for one or more aPL; 27 (6.8%) were double/triple-positive and 127 (31.8%) were single-positive. There were 91 VE in 77 patients, of whom 42 were aPL-positive in early disease. VE were significantly increased in aPL-positive versus aPL-negative patients (p= 0.041) and in double/triple-positive versus single-positive versus aPL-negative patients (p= 0.0057).Omission of the IgG anti-DI assay would have missed 14 double/triple-positive patients of whom 6 had VE. CONCLUSION: Double/triple-positivity for IgG anti-CL, anti- anti-β2GPI and anti-DI in early SLE identifies a population at higher risk of subsequent VE

Effects of alternating current voltage amplitude and oxide capacitance on mid-gap interface state defect density extractions in In0.53Ga 0.47As capacitors

This work looks at the effect on mid-gap interface state defect density estimates for In0.53Ga0.47As semiconductor capacitors when different AC voltage amplitudes are selected for a fixed voltage bias step size (100 mV) during room temperature only electrical characterization. Results are presented for Au/Ni/Al2O3/In0.53Ga0.47As/InP metal–oxide–semiconductor capacitors with (1) n-type and p-type semiconductors, (2) different Al2O3 thicknesses, (3) different In0.53Ga0.47As surface passivation concentrations of ammonium sulphide, and (4) different transfer times to the atomic layer deposition chamber after passivation treatment on the semiconductor surface—thereby demonstrating a cross-section of device characteristics. The authors set out to determine the importance of the AC voltage amplitude selection on the interface state defect density extractions and whether this selection has a combined effect with the oxide capacitance. These capacitors are prototypical of the type of gate oxide material stacks that could form equivalent metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistors beyond the 32 nm technology node. The authors do not attempt to achieve the best scaled equivalent oxide thickness in this work, as our focus is on accurately extracting device properties that will allow the investigation and reduction of interface state defect densities at the high-k/III–V semiconductor interface. The operating voltage for future devices will be reduced, potentially leading to an associated reduction in the AC voltage amplitude, which will force a decrease in the signal-to-noise ratio of electrical responses and could therefore result in less accurate impedance measurements. A concern thus arises regarding the accuracy of the electrical property extractions using such impedance measurements for future devices, particularly in relation to the mid-gap interface state defect density estimated from the conductance method and from the combined high–low frequency capacitance–voltage method. The authors apply a fixed voltage step of 100 mV for all voltage sweep measurements at each AC frequency. Each of these measurements is repeated 15 times for the equidistant AC voltage amplitudes between 10 mV and 150 mV. This provides the desired AC voltage amplitude to step size ratios from 1:10 to 3:2. Our results indicate that, although the selection of the oxide capacitance is important both to the success and accuracy of the extraction method, the mid-gap interface state defect density extractions are not overly sensitive to the AC voltage amplitude employed regardless of what oxide capacitance is used in the extractions, particularly in the range from 50% below the voltage sweep step size to 50% above it. Therefore, the use of larger AC voltage amplitudes in this range to achieve a better signal-to-noise ratio during impedance measurements for future low operating voltage devices will not distort the extracted interface state defect density