Molecular characterization and resistance profile of nosocomial Acinetobacter baumannii in intensive care unit of tertiary care hospital in Bangladesh

This study was designed to investigate the resistance profile along with the genetic background of resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics among the nosocomial A. baumannii in Bangladesh. A. baumannii was confirmed by detecting blaOXA-51-like. Antibiotic susceptibility was determined by disk diffusion method. Agar dilution method was used to determine MIC of ceftazidime and imipenem. All A. baumannii were phenotypically screened for ampC, ESBL and MBL production. Genetic markers of antibiotic resistance such as blaampC, blaOXA-51, 23, 40, 58 and 143, blaKPC, blaIMP, blaVIM and blaNDM-1, genetic environment around blaADC and ISAba1 upstream of blaOXAs were evaluated by PCR. Twenty-four (96%) A. baumannii were considered as MDR. 96% A. baumannii were resistant to amoxiclav, ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin and cefoxitin, 92% to cefotaxime and piperacillin-tazobactam, 88% to cefepime, amikacin and imipenem, 52% to sulbactam-cefoperazone and 40% were resistant to aztreonam. All were sensitive to colistin. The distribution of several beta-lactamase genes such as blaOXA-51 (100%), blaADC-like (92%), blaNDM-1 (92%), EBC group (84%), blaOXA-23 (76%), blaVIM (72%), blaKPC (44%), DHA group (24%), blaOXA-58 (16%), ACC group (8%) and CIT group (4%) were observed among the 25 A. baumannii. This is the first reported plasmid mediated ampC beta-lactamases in A. baumannii. blaOXA-51 was positive in 100%, blaNDM-1 in 95.45%, blaOXA-23 in 77.27%, blaVIM in 72.73%, blaKPC in 50% and blaOXA-58 in 18.18% of imipenem resistant isolates. MDR profile of nosocomial A. baumannii would highlight the importance of standard guideline of antimicrobials use and infection control policy in the hospitals of Bangladesh.</jats:p

Evaluation of chickpea lines/mutants for high growth and yield attributes.

A study was undertaken to evaluate the performance of 23 advanced chickpea mutants/lines along with two check varieties Binasola-3 and Binasola-4 at the farmer’s field in Godagari under Rajshahi district during 2006-2007. There was a significant genotypic difference with respect to morphological, physiological, phenological characters, and yield and yield components. Seed yield was positively correlated with plant height, primary and secondary branches, total dry matter (TDM) and number of pods per plant but negatively correlated with days to flowering, days to maturity and protein content. Four mutants/lines viz., CPC-814, CPC-830, CPM-825 (gr) and CPM-834 showed early maturity, higher number of pods and seed yield per plant than all the studied entries, which might be selected for further trials. The highest seed yield (6.93 g plant-1) was recorded in CPC-830. The line CPC-814 produced the highest number of filled pods per plant and the mutant CPM-834 took the shortest days to maturity. Only the mutant CPM-825 (gr) had distinct greenish seed coat color, which could be a genetic marker for identification of developed chickpea genotypes. It was evident that taller plants with higher number of branches and TDM per plant produced higher number of pods per plant as well as seed yield

EFFECT OF YARN COUNT & STITCH LENGTH ON SHRINKAGE, GSM AND SPIRALITY OF SINGLE JERSY COTTON KNIT FABRIC

Single jersey cotton weft knitted fabrics tend to undergo a certain dimensional changes due to different yarn parameters and knitting parameters. The investigation was carried out to compare the effect of different yarn counts &amp; stitch lengths on the spirality, GSM and shrinkage of knitted fabric. In this study the experimental results show that when yarn count is fixed, the increment of stitch length results decrement of spirality, increment of shrinkage and decrement of GSM. On the contrary, when stitch length is fixed, the increment of yarn count results increment of spirality, decrement of shrinkage and decrement of GSM. Some exceptions were also experienced

The extended loops of ribosomal proteins uL4 and uL22 of Escherichia coli contribute to ribosome assembly and protein translation

Nearly half of ribosomal proteins are composed of a domain on the ribosome surface and a loop or extension that penetrates into the organelle's RNA core. Our previous work showed that ribosomes lacking the loops of ribosomal proteins uL4 or uL22 are still capable of entering polysomes. However, in those experiments we could not address the formation of mutant ribosomes, because we used strains that also expressed wild-type uL4 and uL22. Here, we have focused on ribosome assembly and function in strains in which loop deletion mutant genes are the only sources of uL4 or uL22 protein. The uL4 and uL22 loop deletions have different effects, but both mutations result in accumulation of immature particles that do not accumulate in detectable amounts in wild-type strains. Thus, our results suggest that deleting the loops creates kinetic barriers in the normal assembly pathway, possibly resulting in assembly via alternate pathway(s). Furthermore, deletion of the uL4 loop results in cold-sensitive ribosome assembly and function. Finally, ribosomes carrying either of the loop-deleted proteins responded normally to the secM translation pausing peptide, but the uL4 mutant responded very inefficiently to the cmlAcrb pause peptide

Effects of nitrification inhibitor with organic manure and urea on protein and mineral contents in grain of Oryza sativa cv. MR219 cultivated in acid sulphate soil

Several approaches to improve grain nutritive values involve in increasing seed accumulation of protein and micronutrients in rice. Therefore, a study was conducted to select a suitable combination of dicyandiamide (DCD) with organic manure (OM) and urea to improve protein and mineral content in rice grain of MR219. The protein (9.07-12.50%) and Ca, Mg, Zn, Cu, Fe and Mn concentrations increased from 1.92 to 21.05, 3.56 to 18.25, 2.25 to 20.22, 9.14 to 25.66, 3.34 to 27.20 and 5.17 to 23.86%, respectively due to the application of DCD with urea and OM. Moreover, the highest content of protein in grain was obtained for the application of DCD with urea and oil palm compost (OPC). Iron and Mn contents were also highest for DCD with urea and OPC, but Ca, Mg, Zn and Cu contents were highest for DCD with urea and poultry dung (PD) and kept similarity with DCD with urea and OPC

Cadmium availability and uptake by rice from lime, cow-dung and poultry manure amended Ca-contaminated paddy soil

Industrial wastes and effluents are being discharged directly to soils, canals and rivers, which may contain a lot of toxic heavy metals like cadmium (Cd). Thus, the polluted soils need to be amended for crop production. With this idea in mind,pot experiments were conducted at Bangladesh Agricultural University to examine the effect of organic and inorganic amendments on growth, yield and Cd concentrations in rice grown in polluted soils. The addition of cow-dung (CD), poultry manure(PM) and lime significantly increased the grain and straw yields of rice, reduced Cd concentration and uptake of Cd in grain and straw compared with control. However, the addition of PM increased more rice yields, reduced more Cd concentration and uptake and decrease the heavy metal phytoavailability

Risk of Nosocomial Transmission of Nipah Virus in a Bangladesh Hospital

We conducted a seroprevalence study and exposure survey of healthcare workers to assess the risk of nosocomial transmission of Nipah virus during an outbreak in Bangladesh in 2004. No evidence of recent Nipah virus infection was detected despite substantial exposures and minimal use of personal protective equipmen

Sedge weeds control in tropical turf using sea water

Research was designed to reduce herbicide use by replacing post emergence herbicides with readily available sea water to control tropical weeds. Results showed that 5 species viz., Cyperus compressus L., Cyperus iria L., Fimbristylis miliaceae Vahl., Fimbristylis ovata J. Kern. and Scirpus juncoides Roxb. were very susceptible and effectively controlled (100%) with 72 dS/m salinity treatment, but. 2 species viz. Cyperus aromaticus Ridley. and Cyperus rotundus L. were extremely tolerant to the salinity level of 72 dS/m

Physiological and morphological response of three potential salt tolerant turfgrass species to salinity stress

In the present research, the growth responses and quality of turfgrass species were studied under salinity stress. Chlorophyll content, relative water content, proline accumulation, and mineral content analysis used in this study were highly related with one another, indicating their mutual effectiveness in predicting relative salinity tolerance. Relative water and chlorophyll content were found high in Paspalum vaginatum Sw., Zoysia matrella L., and Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. 'satiri', whereas, proline content was low. These three species were less affected by selectivity of saline ion (Na) uptake. Physiological parameters, indicating that P. vaginatum, Z. matrella and C. dactylon 'satiri' are more salt tolerant than C. dactylon 'tifdwarf'. The SEM micrograph showed salt gland excretion presence on Z. matrella, C. dactylon 'satiri' and C. dactylon 'tifdwarf' leaves. Roots cortex cell collapsed on C. dactylon 'tifdwarf' was greater compared to other three species

Residual effects of organic manures with different levels of chemical fertilizers on rice

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the residual effects of organic manures and different level of recommended fertilizer dose (RFD) on the yield and nutrient uptake of BBRI dhan29 at the Soil Science Field Laboratory of Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh. The experiment containing seven treatments were laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The treatments were T0 (Control), T1 (100% RFD), T2 (75% RFD + residual effect of CD 5 t ha-1), T3 (75% RFD + residual effect of PM 3 t ha-1), T4 (75% RFD + residual effect of residual effect of Com. 5 t ha-1), T5 (75% RFD + residual effect of CD 2.5 t ha-1, PM 1.5 t ha-1, and Com 2.5 t ha-1) and T6 (50% RFD + residual effect of CD 2.5 t ha-1, PM 1.5 t ha-1, and Com. 2.5 t ha-1). The manures viz. cowdung (CD), poultry manure (PD) and compost (Com.) was applied to the previous crop (T. Aman rice). The recommended doses of fertilizers were used to supply N, P, K and S @ 140, 15, 60 and 15 kg ha-1, respectively to the present crop. Residual effects of organic manure with inorganic fertilizers significantly increased the yield attributes as well as grain and straw yields of rice. Treatment T6 (50% RFD + residual effect of CD 2.5 t ha-1, PM 1.5 t ha-1, and Com. 2.5 t ha-1) produced the highest grain yield (6.87 t ha-1) and straw yield (7.24 t ha-1). The lowest grain yield (3.22 t ha-1) and straw yield (4.55 t ha-1) were found in T0 (Control) treatment. Further, it was observed that T2 (75% RFD + CD 5 t ha-1) performed better compared to T3 (75% RFD + PM 3 t ha-1) and T4 (75% RFD + Com 5 t ha-1) in exerting residual effects. The NPKS contents and uptake were markedly influenced by residual effects of manures and fertilizers. Therefore, treatment T6 receiving 50% RFD along with the residual effect of 2.5 t ha-1 cowdung, 1.5 t ha-1 poultry manure and 2.5 t ha-1 compost was found to be the best combination of organic and inorganic fertilizers for obtaining the maximum yield of BRRI dhan29