Spatial pattern and land surface features associated with cloud-to-ground lightning in Bangladesh : an exploratory study

Severe weather events such as lightning appear to be a significant threat to humans and property in South Asia, an area known for intense convective activity directly related to the tropical climate of these areas. The current study was conducted in Bangladesh and examined the association between cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning and ground surface properties, with the aim of improving existing knowledge regarding this phenomenon. GLD360 data from 2015 to 2020 were used to describe the seasonal lightning climatology. Elevation, land use and land cover, vegetation and surface heat flux data were used to examine all land surface features possibly associated with CG lightning occurrence. Hot and cold spot spatial patterning was calculated using local indicators of spatial association. Results indicated a strong CG lightning seasonality. CG stroke density varied considerably across seasons with the pre-monsoon exhibiting the highest density. This was followed by occurrences in the monsoon season. The March–June period experienced 73% of the total observed. Elevation appeared to influence the post-monsoon CG stroke, however, its role in the other seasons was more difficult to define. The land cover/lightning index indicated that waterbodies and herbaceous wetlands had more influence than other land cover types, both during the day and at night, and it appeared that latent heat flux played a major role. The CG stroke hot and cold spot locations varied diurnally. The findings suggest that large-scale irrigation practices, especially during the pre-monsoon months, can influence the observed spatiotemporal pattern. The production of hotspot maps could be an initial step in the development of a reliable lightning monitoring system and play a part in increasing public awareness of this issue

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

High Carbohydrate High Fat Diet Induced Hepatic Steatosis and Dyslipidemia Were Ameliorated by Psidium guajava Leaf Powder Supplementation in Rats

Psidium guajava leaf is reported to contain many bioactive polyphenols which play an important role in the prevention and treatment of various diseases. Our investigation aimed to study the effect of Psidium guajava leaf powder supplementation on obesity and liver status by using experimental rats. To study the effects of guava leaf supplementation in high fat diet induced obesity, rats were randomly divided into four experimental groups (n=7), control (group I), control + guava leaf (group II), HCHF (group III), and HCHF + guava leaf (group IV). At the end of the experimental period (56 days), glucose intolerance, liver enzymes activities, antioxidant enzymes activities, and lipid and cholesterol profiles were evaluated. Our results revealed that guava leaf powder supplementation showed a significant reduction in fat deposition in obese rats. Moreover, liver enzyme functions were increased in high fat diet fed rats compared to the control rats significantly which were further ameliorated by guava leaf powder supplementation in high fat diet fed rats. High fat diet feeding also decreased the antioxidant enzyme functions and increased the lipid peroxidation products compared to the control rats. Guava leaf powder supplementation in high fat diet fed rats reduced the oxidative stress markers and reestablished antioxidant enzyme system in experimental animals. Guava leaf powder supplementation in high fat diet fed rats also showed a relative decrease in inflammatory cells infiltration and collagen deposition in the liver compared to the high fat diet fed rats. The present study suggests that the supplementation of guava leaf powder prevents obesity, improves glucose intolerance, and decreases inflammation and oxidative stress in liver of high carbohydrate high fat diet fed rats

Prevalence and determinants of initiation of breastfeeding within one hour of birth: An analysis of the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey, 2014.

BackgroundBreastfeeding within one hour of birth is a critical component of newborn care and is estimated to avert 22% of neonatal mortality globally. Understanding the determinants of early initiation of breastfeeding (EIBF) is essential for designing targeted and effective breastfeeding promotion programmes. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and determinants of early initiation of breastfeeding among Bangladeshi women.MethodsThis paper analyses the data from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey, 2014. Analysis was based on responses of women who had at least one live birth in the two years preceding the survey (n = 3,162) collected using a structured questionnaire. The primary outcome was breastfeeding initiation within one hour of birth ascertained by women's self-report. Explanatory variables included woman's age, education, religion, household wealth, place of residence and place of delivery, birth order, child's size, antenatal care (ANC), postnatal care (PNC) and skin-to-skin contact. Associations between variables were assessed by simple and multivariable logistic regressions.ResultsOf the 3,162 recently delivered mothers, 51% initiated breastfeeding within one hour of delivery. Prevalence of EIBF varied significantly between different types of mode of delivery, among different geographical regions and among women who had PNC with their newborn. Women who had caesarean section (C-section) were less likely to initiate breastfeeding early after birth than women who had normal vaginal delivery (NVD) (AOR: 0.32, 95% CI 0.23 0.43; p value ConclusionsFindings from this study suggest that investing more effort in ensuring immediate PNC of mother-newborn pair can increase EIBF. Solutions should be explored to increase EIBF among mothers who undergo C-section as C-section is rising rapidly in Bangladesh. Further research is needed to explore the regional differences in the country, including specific cultural practices that influence EIBF

The COVID-19 Pandemic in South Asia: A Comprehensive Review of the Genomic Variations, Epidemiological Features, Diagnosis, Treatment and Preventive Schemes

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to outline the genomic and epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 in South Asian countries as well as the diagnosis, treatments, and prevention approaches undertaken by these countries to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/Methodology/Approach: We searched electronic databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, and Scopus as well as various national and international COVID-19 websites, WHO databases, and electronic media. Total 63 articles were selected from databases and 34 articles from various other sources. Findings: Scientists observed genomic variations including common mutations in ORF1ab, ORF1a, ORF3a, and S genes, while several unique mutations exist in most isolates from these countries. Demographic analysis showed that the majority of the infected individuals were male and younger adults (20 to 40 years). India had both the highest number of deaths and incidents while Afghanistan had the highest fatality rate (4.37%). Various molecular assay (rRT-PCR), antigen, and antibody-based assays have been developed to facilitate early screening due to the unavailability of any effective treatments. Although every country tried to undertake imperative preventive measures along with vaccination drives, many of them still face grave repercussions due to scarcity of health facilities, under-developed infrastructures, and improvident government policies. Originality/value: To our knowledge, this is the first review appraising various features of the virus and the disease that persists in South Asia, and actions undertaken by authorities of the countries. This review will facilitate timely interventions for future novel outbreaks in the region

Prediction of novel miRNA biomarker candidates for diagnostic and prognostic analysis of STAD and LIHC: An integrated in silico approach

Background: miRNAs are endogenous, non-coding and evolutionarily conserved RNA molecules. They have been found to be involved in the progression and proliferation of various cancers due to their contribution in post-transcriptional regulation. Stomach Adenocarcinoma (STAD) and Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma (LIHC) are the two most common cancers of the upper intestinal tract. Our study aimed to evaluate the circulating miRNAs from both STAD and LIHC samples and to identify commonly dysregulated miRNAs as biomarkers to detect both cancers at the same time. Methods and materials: Common differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) from GEO and Bioexpress datasets were considered for initial processing in the analysis. Pathway analysis of the selected miRNAs through DIANA-miRpath tool, followed by survival analysis based on prognostic values through OncoLnc server led to the final biomarker candidates for diagnosis and prognosis of STAD and LIHC. An elaborate miRNA-gene-cancer network was set up for a specialized understanding of the selected DEMs corresponding to the specifically unique target genes and the cancer types. The gene ontology analysis was performed using BINGO to determine functional connotations of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Results: After a thorough analysis, we found that the 4 miRNAs: miR-183-5p, miR-203-3p, miR-126-3p and miR-25-3p could be potential prognostic biomarkers against both STAD and LIHC. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) for these miRNAs were inferred through GEPIA and miRwalk v2.0. The miRNA-gene-cancer network revealed that the commonly deregulated miRNAs could influence the same genes and pathways altered by multiple cancers at the same time-in our case, STAD and LIHC. To support our claim, we showed the gene ontology analysis by BINGO, attesting the functional assignment of the DEGs behind metastasis and development of both the cancers. Conclusion: Our study evaluated a particularly effective avenue of identifying novel miRNA for both early diagnostic and prognostic purposes against more than one cancer

HDAC6 inhibition as a mechanism to prevent neurodegeneration in the mSOD1G93A mouse model of ALS

The loss of upper and lower motor neurons, and their axons is central to the loss of motor function and death in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Due to the diverse range of genetic and environmental factors that contribute to the pathogenesis of ALS, there have been difficulties in developing effective therapies for ALS. One emerging dichotomy is that protection of the neuronal cell soma does not prevent axonal vulnerability and degeneration, suggesting the need for targeted therapeutics to prevent axon degeneration. Post-translational modifications of protein acetylation can alter the function, stability and half-life of individual proteins, and can be enzymatically modified by histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and histone deacetyltransferases (HDACs), which add, or remove acetyl groups, respectively. Maintenance of post-translational microtubule acetylation has been suggested as a mechanism to stabilize axons, prevent axonal loss and neurodegeneration in ALS. This study used an orally dosed potent HDAC6 inhibitor, ACY-738, prevent deacetylation and stabilize microtubules in the mSOD1G93A mouse model of ALS. Co-treatment with riluzole was performed to determine any effects or drug interactions and potentially enhance preclinical research translation. This study shows ACY-738 treatment increased acetylation of microtubules in the spinal cord of mSOD1G93A mice, reduced lower motor neuron degeneration in female mice, ameliorated reduction in peripheral nerve axon puncta size, but did not prevent overt motor function decline. The current study also shows peripheral nerve axon puncta size to be partially restored after treatment with riluzole and highlights the importance of co-treatment to measure the potential effects of therapeutics in ALS