Feasibility of Replacing Chemical Fertilizer by Organic Fertilizer in Maize (Zea mays L.) Production in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Present research work conducted at the experimental field of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka, Bangladesh during the period from November 2011 to April 2012 to study the feasibility of replacing chemical fertilizer by organic fertilizer in maize production. The experiment comprised of 10 treatments with organic manure and inorganic fertilizer viz., T0: Control (without any fertilizer), T1: All chemical fertilizers (recommended dose), T2: Cowdung (Recommended dose), T3: Compost (recommended dose), T4: ½ Compost + 1/2 Cowdung, T 5: Full cow dung + Full compost, T6: Full cow dung + 1/2 Chemical fertilizer, T7: Full compost + ½ Chemical fertilizer, T8: Full cow dung + Full compost + 1/2 Chemical fertilizer, T9: 1/2 Cowdung + 1/2 Compost + 1/2 Chemical fertilizer. Maize variety of BARI hybrid bhutta 9 was the test crop. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Results indicated that the highest cobs plant-1 (1.67), cob length (22.27 cm), cob diameter (14.12 cm), grains cob-1 (531.90), weight of 1000 grain (305.30 g), grain yield (11.75 t ha-1) and stover yield (13.97 t ha-1) was obtained from T1. Treatments T7, T8 and T9 gave statistically similar values in respect of yield and yield contributing characters. Treatment T9 (1/2 Cowdung + 1/2 Compost + 1/2 Chemical fertilizers) could be ideal fertilizer management for maize cultivation keeping chemical pollution minimum with improved soil condition and increased grain yield

Antibiotics in the Community During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study to Understand Users’ Perspectives of Antibiotic Seeking and Consumption Behaviors in Bangladesh

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic is thought to have led to increased “inappropriate” or “unjustified” seeking and consumption of antibiotics by individuals in the community. However, little reference has been made to antibiotic seeking and using behaviors from the perspectives of users in Bangladesh during this health crisis. PURPOSE: This study seeks to document how antibiotic medicines are sought and used during a complex health crisis, and, within different contexts, what are the nuanced reasons why patients may utilize these medicines sub-optimally. METHODS: We used an exploratory, qualitative design. Forty semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with people diagnosed with COVID-19 (n=20), who had symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 (n=20), and who had received care at home in two cities between May and June 2021 in Bangladesh. In this study, an inductive thematic analysis was performed. RESULTS: The analysis highlighted the interlinked relationships of antibiotic seeking and consumption behaviors with the diversity of information disseminated during a health crisis. Antibiotic-seeking behaviors are related to previous experience of use, perceived severity of illness, perceived vulnerability, risk of infection, management of an “unknown” illness and anxiety, distrust of expert advice, and intrinsic agency on antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Suboptimal adherence, such as modifying treatment regimes and using medication prescribed for others, were found to be part of care strategies used when proven therapeutics were unavailable to treat COVID-19. Early cessation of therapy was found to be a rational practice to avoid side effects and unknown risks. CONCLUSION: Based on the results, we highly recommend the take up of a pandemic specific antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) program in the community. To deliver better outcomes of AMS, incorporating users’ perspectives could be a critical strategy. Therefore, a co-produced AMS intervention that is appropriate for a specific cultural context is an essential requirement to reduce the overuse of antibiotics during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

Being the Developers' Friend: Our Experience Developing a High-Precision Tool for Secure Coding

We discuss the needs and challenges of deployable security research by sharing our experience designing CryptoGuard, a high-precision tool for detecting cryptographic application programming interface misuses. Our project has produced multiple benchmarks as well as measurement results on state-of-the-art solutions. © 2003-2012 IEEE.Open access articleThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

A dynamic CD2 rich compartment at the outer edge of the immunological synapse boosts and integrates signals

The CD2–CD58 recognition system promotes adhesion and signaling and counters exhaustion in human T cells. We found that CD2 localized to the outer edge of the mature immunological synapse, with cellular or artificial APC, in a pattern we refer to as a ‘CD2 corolla’. The corolla captured engaged CD28, ICOS, CD226 and SLAM-F1 co-stimulators. The corolla amplified active phosphorylated Src-family kinases (pSFK), LAT and PLC-γ over T cell receptor (TCR) alone. CD2–CD58 interactions in the corolla boosted signaling by 77% as compared with central CD2–CD58 interactions. Engaged PD-1 invaded the CD2 corolla and buffered CD2-mediated amplification of TCR signaling. CD2 numbers and motifs in its cytoplasmic tail controlled corolla formation. CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes displayed low expression of CD2 in the majority of people with colorectal, endometrial or ovarian cancer. CD2 downregulation may attenuate antitumor T cell responses, with implications for checkpoint immunotherapies