Contact transmission of influenza virus between ferrets imposes a looser bottleneck than respiratory droplet transmission allowing propagation of antiviral resistance

Influenza viruses cause annual seasonal epidemics and occasional pandemics. It is important to elucidate the stringency of bottlenecks during transmission to shed light on mechanisms that underlie the evolution and propagation of antigenic drift, host range switching or drug resistance. The virus spreads between people by different routes, including through the air in droplets and aerosols, and by direct contact. By housing ferrets under different conditions, it is possible to mimic various routes of transmission. Here, we inoculated donor animals with a mixture of two viruses whose genomes differed by one or two reverse engineered synonymous mutations, and measured the transmission of the mixture to exposed sentinel animals. Transmission through the air imposed a tight bottleneck since most recipient animals became infected by only one virus. In contrast, a direct contact transmission chain propagated a mixture of viruses suggesting the dose transferred by this route was higher. From animals with a mixed infection of viruses that were resistant and sensitive to the antiviral drug oseltamivir, resistance was propagated through contact transmission but not by air. These data imply that transmission events with a looser bottleneck can propagate minority variants and may be an important route for influenza evolution

Photo-Induced Spin Dynamics in Semiconductor Quantum Wells

We experimentally investigate the dynamics of spins in GaAs quantum wells under applied electric bias by photoluminescence (PL) measurements excited with circularly polarized light. The bias-dependent circular polarization of PL (PPL) with and without magnetic field is studied. ThePPLwithout magnetic field is found to be decayed with an enhancement of increasing the strength of the negative bias. However,PPLin a transverse magnetic field shows oscillations under an electric bias, indicating that the precession of electron spin occurs in quantum wells. The results are discussed based on the electron–hole exchange interaction in the electric field

ANCA-negative Churg-Strauss Syndrome

A rare and a disease of unknown etiology, Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) is a granulomatous necrotizing small vessel vasculitis characterized by the presence of asthma, sinusitis, and hypereosinophilia, which is initially described by Churg and Strauss in 1951. Because of its clinical and pathological features that overlap with those of the other anti-neutrophil antibody (ANCA)-associated systemic vasculitides (AASVs) and now the disease is classified as AASVs. The ANCA status may dictate the clinical phenotype. ANCA-positive patients are significantly more likely to have disease manifesta­tions associated with small-vessel vasculitis, including oecrotising glomemlonephritis, mononeuritis and purpura, whereas ANCA-negative cases predominantly likely to have cardiac and lung involvement. The objective of this case report is to point out the possibility of vasculitic rash in ANCA-negative CSS in a 35-year-old man and the disease rarely occurs in Bangladeshi population. We analyze the history, clinical examinations and relevant investigations related to the patient to establish the diagnosis in our department. The clinical scenario and biopsy help us to attain the diagnosis. But due to unavailability of patients' cohort we have limitations of comparison of ANCA status in Bangladeshi populations. Though ANCA-positive and ANCA-negative CSS differ phenotypically, primary therapy for both the conditions is systemic glucocorticoids. Additional immunosuppressive agents like cyclophosphamide, mycophenolate mofetil, azathioprine, rituxin1ab are occasionally added in patients with more advanced or refractory disease

Assessment of the Maize Situation, Outlook and Opportunities in Asia

Maize is the second most important crop in Asia. China is the biggest maize producer and consumer of maize in Asia. Maize is the second most important crop in China and the demand for its domestic consumption is very high; therefore China is the biggest importer of maize in Asia. There is a very huge investment opportunity in China for maize R&D and its expansion to reduce the import dependency of such an important crop. In India, maize is the third most important crop after wheat and rice. However, India followed China in terms of maize production and consumption. It is a net exporter of maize. Increased domestic consumption, coupled with export prospects, place India in a unique place to catalyse investment in maize R&D. Indonesia followed India in production and consumption, with the third-highest area and production levels in Asia. Demand for maize in Indonesia is again, very high; it cannot produce the required quantity, therefore, it imports maize as was the case of China. Bangladesh is the first, in terms of growth rate in area and production of maize, but the total size of the production is comparatively, very low. However, the increasing demand for poultry and livestock products keeps maize demand, in Bangladesh, very high which is met though imports. Therefore, investing in R&D and extension of maize area and production would be a better option for Bangladesh. In Pakistan, maize area and production has also shown an increasing trend. Present demand of maize is being met though domestic production and surplus is exported. Under the increasing demand for maize in feed and processing industry in Pakistan and relatively higher cost of production, higher investment in maize R&D is required along the whole maize value chain for export of value added maize products to increase competitiveness. There is a lot of scope of investment in maize sector in these Asian countries. Governments of these countries need to focus on this aspect along with having a regional cooperation both in R&D, expansion and trade

Combat against antibiotic resistance is a challenge in Bangladesh

To the Editor, Antibiotics are a class of drug used to treat or prevent infections caused by bacteria; they function by either eradicating the organism or stopping its growth. Penicillin, cephalosporins, macrolides, fluoroquinolones, and urinary anti-infectives are examples of common antibiotics. To effectively treat the illness, it's critical to take antibiotics as directed by a physician and to finish the entire course of treatment. Antibiotic resistance is a serious issue in Bangladesh as a result of subpar healthcare practices, antibiotic abuse, and overuse. Antibiotic resistance is the result of bacteria changing and becoming resistant to an antibiotic's effects. Moreover, one of Bangladesh's biggest challenges is the fight against antibiotic resistance. Therefore, the purpose of this letter is to raise awareness of the antibiotic resistance in Bangladesh

Record dengue deaths in Bangladesh as disease patterns change

The worst dengue outbreak to ever strike Bangladesh was in 2023, caused by the DENV-2 strain. The Directorate General of Health Service (DGHS) estimated case fatality rate of 0.53 % in 2023 based on a total of 32,1179 laboratory-confirmed cases and 17,05 associated fatalities. The outbreak has spread to all eight divisions of the nation and displayed unique seasonality as well as an early, dramatic rise in case count, peaking in late June. Along with regional diversity in the epidemic loads, the outbreak has also shown differences in morbidity and death associated with age and gender. The government has stepped up its anti-dengue campaign in response to the crisis, including initiatives to increase public awareness and manage the mosquito population

Concerns regarding SARS-CoV-2 JN.1 mutations should be raised

JN.1 is a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 which is a subvariant of Omicron (BA.2.86) was first discovered in the USA in September 2023. The virus’s capacity to spread and elude the immune system may be impacted by a single alteration in the spike protein, which serves as its distinguishing feature. JN.1 has been classified as an interesting variety by the World Health Organisation. JN.1 might lead to a rise in infections, or its possible influence on public health is yet premature. Current immunisations, examinations, and therapies are still anticipated to combat JN.1

Strategic & Applied Research & Coordination in Action: Climate Services for Resilient Development (CSRD) in South Asia

A global partnership that is aligned with the Global Framework for Climate Services, Climate Services for Resilient Development (CSRD) works to link climate science, data streams, decision support tools, and training with decision-makers in developing countries. CSRD is led by the United States Government and is supported by the UK Government Department for International Development (DFID), UK Meteorological Office, ESRI, Google, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and the American Red Cross. Led by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), the CSRD initiative in South Asia works with partners to conduct applied research and facilitate the use of climate information to reduce risk for smallholder farmers. This report details activities of the CSRD project in South Asia during 2018, with emphasis on the second half of 201

Mobile, wearable and ingestible health technologies : towards a critical research agenda

In this article, we review critical research on mobile and wearable health technologies focused on the promotion of ‘healthy lifestyles’. We begin by discussing key governmental and policy interests which indicate a shift towards greater digital integration in health care. Subsequently, we review relevant research literature, which highlights concerns about inclusion, social justice, and ownership of mobile health data, which we argue, provoke a series of key sociological questions that are in need of additional investigation. We examine the expansion of what counts as health data, as a basis for advocating the need for greater research into this area. Finally, we consider how digital devices raise questions about the reconfiguration of relationships, behaviours, and concepts of individuality