In-Vitro Study of Low Viscosity, and High Viscosity Direct Compression and conventional Grade Hypromellose for Modified Release Gliclazide tablets

Six different low to high viscosity hypromellose were used with lower soluble Gliclazide, alone to investigate the dissolution study and flow property. Dissolution behavior of formulated tablets was tested to identify the better efficacy. Dose dumping, pH dependency also was examined. Anti-diabetic Gliclazide tablets were prepared by direct compression method and the results of dissolution was found good in Methocel K100M DC for 73.25%. Tablets showed uniform weight, thickness, and lower percent ( 0.5%) friability. Result of Carrs index and Hausner ratio indicated good flow properties of powder granules. The percent release of the Gliclazide was analyzed by kinetic models. Release of the drug was higher using the higher viscosity grade. Gliclazide tablets were determined with the goodness of fit test of kinetic models. The release showed linearity in Higuchi Model with correlation coefficient value of R 2 = 0.973. In-vitro study demonstrated improved release profile using DC grade than CR grade alone

Effects of Irrigation Regimes and Rice Varieties on Methane Emissions and Yield of Dry Season Rice in Bangladesh

Adoption of the right rice variety and water-saving irrigation method could reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in lowland rice cultivation. A study was conducted at the research farm of Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh, in 2019 during the Boro (dry) season to determine the impacts of different rice varieties (BRRI dhan29, BRRI dhan47, BRRI dhan69, Binadhan-8, Binadhan-10, and Binadhan-17) on methane (CH4) emissions under two irrigation methods, i.e., alternate wetting and drying (AWD) and continuous flooding (CF). The treatments were laid out in a split-plot design, considering water regime as the main plots and rice variety as the sub-plots. The emission rates of CH4 were determined by collecting air samples using the closed chamber technique and measuring the concentrations using a gas chromatograph. CH4 emission rates varied with the growth and development of the rice varieties. The lowest cumulative CH4 emission rate was observed in Binadhan-17, particularly under AWD irrigation. Across the rice varieties, AWD irrigation significantly reduced the cumulative CH4 emissions by about 35% compared with CF. No significant variation in rice yield was observed between AWD (5.38 t ha−1) and CF (5.16 t ha−1). This study suggests that the cultivation of Binadhan-17 under AWD irrigation could be effective at reducing the carbon footprint of lowland rice fields

Protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial of LPG cookstoves compared to usual cooking practices to reduce perinatal mortality and morbidity in rural Bangladesh called Poriborton : the CHANge trial

Background: Household air pollution is a leading health risk for global morbidity and mortality and a major health risk in South Asia. However, there are no prospective investigations of the impact of household air pollution on perinatal morbidity and mortality. Our trial aims to assess the impact of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for cooking to reduce household air pollution exposure on perinatal morbidity and mortality compared to usual cooking practices in Bangladesh. Hypothesis: In a community-based cluster randomised controlled trial of pregnant women cooking with LPG throughout pregnancy, perinatal mortality will be reduced by 35% compared with usual cooking practices in a rural community in Bangladesh. Methods: A two-arm community-based cluster randomised controlled trial will be conducted in the Sherpur district, Bangladesh. In the intervention arm, pregnant women receive an LPG cookstove and LPG in cylinders supplied throughout pregnancy until birth. In the control or usual practice arm, pregnant women continue their usual cooking practices, predominately traditional stoves with biomass fuel. Eligible women are pregnant women with a gestational age of 40–120 days, aged between 15 and 49 years, and permanent residents of the study area. The primary outcome is the difference in perinatal mortality between the LPG arm and the usual cooking arm. Secondary outcomes include (i) preterm birth and low birth weight, (ii) personal level exposure to household air pollution, (iii) satisfaction and acceptability of the LPG stove and stove use, and (iv) cost-effectiveness and cost-utility in reducing perinatal morbidity and mortality. We follow up all women and infants to 45 days after the birth. Personal exposure to household air pollution is assessed at three-time points in a sub-sample of the study population using the MicroPEM™. The total required sample size is 4944 pregnant women. Discussion: This trial will produce evidence of the effectiveness of reduced exposure to household air pollution through LPG cooking to reduce perinatal morbidity and mortality compared to usual cooking practices. This evidence will inform policies for the adoption of clean fuel in Bangladesh and other similar settings

Effects of prenatal food and micronutrient supplementation on child growth from birth to 54 months of age: a randomized trial in Bangladesh

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There is a lack of information on the optimal timing of food supplementation to malnourished pregnant women and possible combined effects of food and multiple micronutrient supplementations (MMS) on their offspring's growth. We evaluated the effects of prenatal food and micronutrient interventions on postnatal child growth. The hypothesis was that prenatal MMS and early invitation to food supplementation would increase physical growth in the offspring during 0-54 months and a combination of these interventions would further improve these outcomes.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In the large, randomized MINIMat trial (Maternal and Infant Nutrition Interventions in Matlab), Bangladesh, 4436 pregnant women were enrolled between November 2001 and October 2003 and their children were followed until March 2009. Participants were randomized into six groups comprising 30 mg Fe and 400 μg folic acid (Fe30F), 60 mg Fe and 400 μg folic acid (Fe60F) or MMS combined with either an early (immediately after identification of pregnancy) or a later usual (at the time of their choosing, i.e., usual care in this community) program invitation to food supplementation. The anthropometry of 3267 children was followed from birth to 54 months, and 2735 children were available for analysis at 54 months.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There were no differences in characteristics of mothers and households among the different intervention groups. The average birth weight was 2694 g and birth length was 47.7 cm, with no difference among intervention groups. Early invitation to food supplementation (in comparison with usual invitation) reduced the proportion of stunting from early infancy up to 54 months for boys (p = 0.01), but not for girls (p = 0.31). MMS resulted in more stunting than standard Fe60F (p = 0.02). There was no interaction between the food and micronutrient supplementation on the growth outcome.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Early food supplementation in pregnancy reduced the occurrence of stunting during 0-54 months in boys, but not in girls, and prenatal MMS increased the proportion of stunting in boys. These effects on postnatal growth suggest programming effects in early fetal life.</p> <p>Trial registration number</p> <p>ISRCTN: <a href="http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN16581394">ISRCTN16581394</a></p

A practical guide to single-cell RNA-sequencing for biomedical research and clinical applications.

RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) is a genomic approach for the detection and quantitative analysis of messenger RNA molecules in a biological sample and is useful for studying cellular responses. RNA-seq has fueled much discovery and innovation in medicine over recent years. For practical reasons, the technique is usually conducted on samples comprising thousands to millions of cells. However, this has hindered direct assessment of the fundamental unit of biology-the cell. Since the first single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) study was published in 2009, many more have been conducted, mostly by specialist laboratories with unique skills in wet-lab single-cell genomics, bioinformatics, and computation. However, with the increasing commercial availability of scRNA-seq platforms, and the rapid ongoing maturation of bioinformatics approaches, a point has been reached where any biomedical researcher or clinician can use scRNA-seq to make exciting discoveries. In this review, we present a practical guide to help researchers design their first scRNA-seq studies, including introductory information on experimental hardware, protocol choice, quality control, data analysis and biological interpretation

Coastal multi-hazard vulnerability assessment along the Ganges deltaic coast of Bangladesh - A geospatial approach

It is ironic that countries that are least responsible for or insignificant contributors to global climate change, are in fact, the most susceptible to its harmful impact. The Ganges deltaic coast, one of the largest sediment depocentres with the ~286 km long coastline of Bangladesh, faces a potentially multi-hazard threat due to climatic change. This study attempts to develop a coastal vulnerability index (CVI) by using seven physical parameters namely: (a) geomorphology; (b) coastal slope; (c) shoreline change rate; (d) rate of sea level change; (e) mean tide range; (f) bathymetry; and (g) storm surge height. These variables are considered as relative risk parameters and integrated through geospatial techniques (i.e., remote sensing and GIS), and then ranked to estimate the degree of coastline vulnerability to sea level rise. The entire coastline is ranked in accordance with multi-hazard vulnerability and the results reveal that 20.1% of the shoreline (57.9 km of total coastline in the Ganges delta) is very highly vulnerable, whilst 17.5% of shoreline (50.0 km) is estimated to be highly vulnerable. In contrast, 21.5% of the entire shoreline (61.3 km) is moderately vulnerable, whereas approximately 56.6 km (19.7%) and 60.4 km (21.2%) of the total shorelines are in low and very low vulnerability categories, respectively. The results of the CVI are expected to provide a clear picture for predicting future recession of shorelines; hence the outcome of this study can be used as an important tool by coastal managers for developing sustainable resources management practices. Furthermore, this study also offers a framework for prioritizing actions to enhance a community's resilience or to assist in developing appropriate adaptive measures as part of disaster risk reduction initiative