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

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

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

Trends and clinico-epidemiological features of human rabies cases in Bangladesh 2006–2018

Vaccinating dogs against rabies is an effective means of reducing human rabies. We subjected 1327 clinically diagnosed human rabies death and mass dog vaccination (MDV) data during 2006–2018 to quantify the impacts of MDV on human rabies incidence in Bangladesh and a subset of rabies death data (422) for clinico-epidemiological analysis. A positive and increasing trend of MDV (p = 0.01 and tau = 0.71) and a negative and declining trend (p < 0.001 and tau = −0.88) of human rabies cases (Correlation coefficient: −0.82) have been observed. Among 422 deaths, the majority (78%) of the victims sought treatment from traditional healers, and 12% received post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). The mean incubation period of rabies in cases with exposure sites on the head & neck (35 days) was shorter than the upper limb (mean = 64 days, p = 0.02) and lower limb (mean = 89 days, p < 0.01). MDV has been found to be effective for reducing human rabies cases in Bangladesh. Creating awareness among the animal bite victims to stop reliance on traditional healers rather seeking PEP, addressing the role of traditional healers through awareness education programme with respect to the treatment of dog bites, ensuring availability of PEP, and continuing to scale up MDV may help to prevent human rabies deaths

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

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

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

Growth response of salt tolerant turfgrass species to salinity stress

To select the most suitable salt tolerant turfgrass species, an experiment with five salt water concentrations viz., 0, 12, 24, 36 and 48 dS/m was carried out. The result of this experiment revealed that relative shoot growth of Paspalum vaginatum Sw., Zoysia matrella (L.) Merr. and Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. 'satiri' were 80, 68 and 67%, respectively over the control at the highest salinity level (48 dS/m). Paspalum vaginatum produced the highest shoot density in every salinity levels among the tested species. Turf quality ratings followed the same trend as leaf firing and turf colour index, which were the best in P. vaginatum and Z. matrella across all salinity levels, but quality ratings were slightly better in P. vaginatum due to higher shoot densities at all salinity levels compared to Z. matrella and C. dactylon 'satiri'. Therefore, P. vaginatum was found to be the most suitable salt tolerant species compared to Z. matrella and C. dactylon 'satiri'

Impact of nitrification inhibitor with organic manure and urea on nitrogen use efficiency and yield performance of MR219 rice in acid sulphate soil

A glasshouse experiment was designed to study the effects of nitrification inhibitor (Dicyandiamide; DCD) with organic manure and urea on nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), growth performance and yield of MR219 rice. DCD along with N source increased NUE and apparent N recovery over that of sole application of urea. Application of DCD along with urea and oil palm compost (OPC) resulted in the highest NUE (25.94 kg/ha) and fertilizer N recovery by rice (61.75%) together with the highest increase of panicles/hill (17.43%) and filled grains/panicle (9.42%) over urea alone. The highest grain (21.95%) and straw (13.86%) yield increase over control was achieved from DCD with urea and OPC reflecting as the most potential combination to improve NUE and rice yield in acid sulphate soil