Covariates of Neonatal and Post-Neonatal Mortality in Bangladesh

This paper investigates covariates of neonatal and post-neonatal mortality in Bangladesh The study uses the data extracted from the 2007 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey BDHS Multivariate proportional hazards models are employed to study the determinants of neonatal and post-neonatal mortality The results show that father s education place of residence housing materials number of children under five years of age and previous death of sibling have significant influence on neonatal mortality The findings also indicate that mother s education toilet facility number of children under five and breastfeeding have significant effect on post-neonatal mortality in Banglades

Study of Characteristics Curves Top-Gated Graphene FET Using SILVACO TCAD

This work presents a SILVACO TCAD based fabrication and device simulation of a top-gated graphene field-effect transistor. Effects of channel length and channel doping concentrations on the characteristics curves (transfer and output characteristics) of the GFET are also investigated and analyzed physically to obtain more physical insight

Implementation of Work Sharing Technique to Improve Line Efficiency in Sewing Section: A Case Study

This paper focuses on analyzing the garment processes and operation bulletin for a particular sewing line in Mahadi Fashion (PVT) Limited. The production rate of the existing layout was not close to the target. The target was 175 pieces per hour but actual production was 138 pieces per hour. So we analyzed the layout and found out the bottleneck area. Then we rearranged the workload by work sharing and reduced manpower. By doing so, actual production was 160 pieces per hour, which is near to the target, and line efficiency increased to 77%, where the existing sewing line layout was 55%. After reducing the bottleneck in sewing line capacity, we achieved 160 pieces per hour against the 138 pieces in the existing layout

Correlation of troponin-I level with left ventricular systolic dysfunction after first attack of non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction

Background: Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is the most common category of the heart disease and is found to be the single most important cause that leads to premature death in the developed world. Recognizing a patient with ACS is important because the diagnosis triggers both triage and management. cTnI is 100% tissue-specific for the myocardium and it has shown itself as a very sensitive and specific marker for AMI. Ventricular function is the best predictor of death after an ACS. It serves as a marker of myocardial damage and provides information on systolic function as well as diagnosis and prognosis. The study aimed at investigating the impact of LVEF on elevated troponin-I level in patients with first attack of NSTEMI.Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in the department of cardiology in Mymensingh Medical College Hospital from December, 2015 to November, 2016. Total 130 first attack of NSTEMI patients were included considering inclusion and exclusion criteria. The sample population was divided into two groups: Group-I: Patients with first attack of NSTEMI with LVEF: ≥55%. Group-II: Patients with first attack of NSTEMI with LVEF: <55%. Then LVEF and troponin-I levels were correlated using Pearson’s correlation coefficient test.Results: In this study mean troponin-I of group-I and group-II were 5.53±7.43 and 16.46±15.79ng/ml respectively. It was statistically significant (p<0.05). The mean LVEF value of groups were 65.31±10.30% and 40.17±4.62% respectively. It was statistically significant (p<0.05). The echocardiography showed that patients with high troponin-I level had low LVEF and patients with low troponin-I level had preserved LVEF. Analysis showed that patients with highest level of troponin-I had severe left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVEF <35%) and vice versa-the patients with the lowest levels of troponin-I had preserved systolic function (LVEF ≥55%). In our study, it also showed that the levels of troponin-I had negative correlation with LVEF levels with medium strength of association (r= -0.5394, p=0.001). Our study also discovered that Troponin-I level ≥6.6ng/ml is a very sensitive and specific marker for LV systolic dysfunction.Conclusions: The study has enabled the research team to conclude that the higher is the Troponin-I level the lower is the LVEF level and thus more severe is the LV systolic dysfunction in first attack of NSTEMI patients

A modified routine analysis of arsenic content in drinking-water in Bangladesh by hydride generation-atomic absorption spectrophotometry.

The high prevalence of elevated levels of arsenic in drinking-water in many countries, including Bangladesh, has necessitated the development of reliable and rapid methods for the determination of a wide range of arsenic concentrations in water. A simple hydride generation-atomic absorption spectrometry (HG-AAS) method for the determination of arsenic in the range of microg/L to mg/L concentrations in water is reported here. The method showed linearity over concentrations ranging from 1 to 30 microg/L, but requires dilution of samples with higher concentrations. The detection limit ranged from 0.3 to 0.5 microg/L. Evaluation of the method, using internal quality-control (QC) samples (pooled water samples) and spiked internal QC samples throughout the study, and Standard Reference Material in certain lots, showed good accuracy and precision. Analysis of duplicate water samples at another laboratory also showed good agreement. In total, 13,286 tubewell water samples from Matlab, a rural area in Bangladesh, were analyzed. Thirty-seven percent of the water samples had concentrations below 50 microg/L, 29% below the WHO guideline value of 10 microg/L, and 17% below 1 microg/L. The HG-AAS was found to be a precise, sensitive, and reasonably fast and simple method for analysis of arsenic concentrations in water samples

Micronutrients and Anaemia

Micronutrient deficiencies and anaemia remain as major health concerns for children in Bangladesh. Among the micronutrient interventions, supplementation with vitamin A to children aged less than five years has been the most successful, especially after distribution of vitamin A was combined with National Immunization Days. Although salt sold in Bangladesh is intended to contain iodine, much of the salt does not contain iodine, and iodine deficiency continues to be common. Anaemia similarly is common among all population groups and has shown no sign of improvement even when iron-supplementation programmes have been attempted. It appears that many other causes contribute to anaemia in addition to iron deficiency. Zinc deficiency is a key micronutrient deficiency and is covered in a separate paper because of its importance among new child-health interventions

MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES OF ADULTS WITH COMORBIDITY AND CHRONIC DISEASES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A MATCHED CASE-CONTROL STUDY

Background: Individuals with certain pre-existing chronic health conditions have been identified as a high-risk group for fatalities of COVID-19. Therefore, it is likely that individuals with chronic diseases may worry during this pandemic to the detriment of their mental health. This study compares the mental health of Bangladeshi adults affected by chronic disease to a healthy, matched control group during the COVID-19 pandemic. Subjects and methods: A matched case-control analysis was performed with data collected from 395 respondents with chronic diseases and 395 controls matched for age, gender, and residence. Inclusion criteria for cases were respondents who self reported having asthma, cardiovascular disease symptoms and/or diabetes. Respondents were recruited using an online survey, which included the DASS-21 measure to assess symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression. Chi-square test, t-test, Fisher’s exact test and a conditional logistic regression were performed to examine associations among variables. Results: The prevalence of anxiety symptoms and depression symptoms and the level of stress were significantly higher among cases (59%; 71.6%; 73.7%, respectively) than among controls (25.6%; 31.1%; 43.3%, respectively). Chi-square and t-test showed significant associations and differences between having chronic diseases and mental health outcomes. A conditional logistic regression showed that respondents with asthma, diabetes, cardiovascular disease symptoms, or any combination of these diseases had higher odds of exhibiting symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression than healthy individuals. Conclusion: These results underscore a subpopulation vulnerable to mental health consequences during this pandemic and indicate the need for additional mental health resources to be available to those with chronic diseases

Micronutrients and Anaemia

Micronutrient deficiencies and anaemia remain as major health concerns for children in Bangladesh. Among the micronutrient interventions, supplementation with vitamin A to children aged less than five years has been the most successful, especially after distribution of vitamin A was combined with National Immunization Days. Although salt sold in Bangladesh is intended to contain iodine, much of the salt does not contain iodine, and iodine deficiency continues to be common. Anaemia similarly is common among all population groups and has shown no sign of improvement even when iron-supplementation programmes have been attempted. It appears that many other causes contribute to anaemia in addition to iron deficiency. Zinc deficiency is a key micronutrient deficiency and is covered in a separate paper because of its importance among new child-health interventions

Protection induced by a glycoprotein E-deleted bovine herpesvirus type 1 marker strain used either as an inactivated or live attenuated vaccine in cattle

BACKGROUND: Bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BoHV-1) is the causative agent of respiratory and genital tract infections; causing a high economic loss in all continents. Use of marker vaccines in IBR eradication programs is widely accepted since it allows for protection of the animals against the disease while adding the possibility of differentiating vaccinated from infected animals.The aim of the present study was the development and evaluation of safety and efficacy of a glycoprotein E-deleted (gE-) BoHV-1 marker vaccine strain (BoHV-1ΔgEβgal) generated by homologous recombination, replacing the viral gE gene with the β-galactosidase (βgal) gene. RESULTS: In vitro growth kinetics of the BoHV-1ΔgEβgal virus was similar to BoHV-1 LA. The immune response triggered by the new recombinant strain in cattle was characterized both as live attenuated vaccine (LAV) and as an inactivated vaccine. BoHV-1ΔgEβgal was highly immunogenic in both formulations, inducing specific humoral and cellular immune responses. Antibody titers found in animals vaccinated with the inactivated vaccine based on BoHV-1ΔgEβgal was similar to the titers found for the control vaccine (BoHV-1 LA). In the same way, titers of inactivated vaccine groups were significantly higher than any of the LAV immunized groups, independently of the inoculation route (p < 0.001). Levels of IFN-γ were significantly higher (p < 0.001) in those animals that received the LAV compared to those that received the inactivated vaccine. BoHV-1ΔgEβgal exhibited an evident attenuation when administered as a LAV; no virus was detected in nasal secretions of vaccinated or sentinel animals during the post-vaccination period. BoHV-1ΔgEβgal, when used in either formulation, elicited an efficient immune response that protected animals against challenge with virulent wild-type BoHV-1. Also, the deletion of the gE gene served as an immunological marker to differentiate vaccinated animals from infected animals. All animals vaccinated with the BoHV-1ΔgE βgal strain were protected against disease after challenge and shed significantly less virus than control calves, regardless of the route and formulation they were inoculated. CONCLUSIONS: Based on its attenuation, immunogenicity and protective effect after challenge, BoHV-1ΔgEβgal virus is an efficient and safe vaccine candidate when used either as inactivated or as live attenuated forms.Fil: Romera, Sonia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria. Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Centro de Investigación de Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronomicas; Argentina. Universidad del Salvador; ArgentinaFil: Puntel, Mariana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquimicas de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Fundación Instituto Leloir; ArgentinaFil: Quattrocchi, Valeria. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria. Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Centro de Investigación de Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronomicas; ArgentinaFil: del Medico Zajac, Maria Paula. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria. Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Centro de Investigación de Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronomicas; ArgentinaFil: Zamorano, Patricia Ines. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria. Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Centro de Investigación de Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronomicas; Argentina. Universidad del Salvador; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Blanco Viera, Javier. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria. Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Centro de Investigación de Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronomicas; ArgentinaFil: Carrillo, Consuelo. USDA. Plum Island Animal Disease Center; Estados UnidosFil: Chowdhury, Shafiqul. Louisiana State University. Department of Pathobiological Sciences; Estados UnidosFil: Borca, Manuel V.. USDA. Plum Island Animal Disease Center; Estados UnidosFil: Sadir, Ana M.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria. Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Centro de Investigación de Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronomicas; Argentina. Universidad del Salvador; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

A Modified Routine Analysis of Arsenic Content in Drinking-water in Bangladesh by Hydride Generation-Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry

The high prevalence of elevated levels of arsenic in drinking-water in many countries, including Bangladesh, has necessitated the development of reliable and rapid methods for the determination of a wide range of arsenic concentrations in water. A simple hydride generation-atomic absorption spectrometry (HG-AAS) method for the determination of arsenic in the range of \u3bcg/L to mg/L concentrations in water is reported here. The method showed linearity over concentrations ranging from 1 to 30 \u3bcg/L, but requires dilution of samples with higher concentrations. The detection limit ranged from 0.3 to 0.5 \u3bcg/L. Evaluation of the method, using internal quality-control (QC) samples (pooled water samples) and spiked internal QC samples throughout the study, and Standard Reference Material in certain lots, showed good accuracy and precision. Analysis of duplicate water samples at another laboratory also showed good agreement. In total, 13,286 tubewell water samples from Matlab, a rural area in Bangladesh, were analyzed. Thirty-seven percent of the water samples had concentrations below 50 \u3bcg/L, 29% below the WHO guideline value of 10 \u3bcg/L, and 17% below 1 \u3bcg/L. The HG-AAS was found to be a precise, sensitive, and reasonably fast and simple method for analysis of arsenic concentrations in water samples