Day of the Week Effect on Stock Return and Volatility: Evidence from Chittagong Stock Exchange

The study focuses on examining the stochastic process of return distribution in the Chittagong stock exchange (CSE) to deliver persistency of weak form of efficiency and time varying risk -return association for an emerging country like Bangladesh. This study used daily series of market index (CASPI) data over the period from January 1st 2004 to September 30th 2014.The OLS, GARCH (1, 1) regression and GARCH (1, 1) with dummy variable models are employed to identify the existence of the day-of-the-week effect on stock market returns and volatility. The empirical findings attained from the models verified that the day-of-the-week effects on stock returns and volatility are persistent in the stock market. Specifically, a negative effect is observed for Sunday while a positive effect occurs on Thursday. Moreover, the highest volatility occurs on Sunday and lowest volatility found in Thursday. All statistically significant results confirm the absence of weak form of efficiency in Chittagong stock exchange in Bangladesh. Key word: Day-of-the-week effect, stock returns, volatility, GARC

Prevalence of MRSA in Rawal Institute of Health Sciences Islamabad & its Antibiotic Susceptibility Pattern

Objective: To determine the prevalence of MRSA infection and its antibiotic susceptibility pattern in patients undergoing abdominal and vaginal surgeries. Material and Method: A retrospective observational study was conducted at Rawal General & Dental Hospital, Islamabad from September 2017 to September 2018 and data of approximately 300 patients were retrieved which included culture and sensitivity reports of wound and vaginal swabs of patients undergoing abdominal and vaginal surgeries to see prevalence of MRSA and antibiotics to which it is susceptible .Obesity was a risk factor and patients with immune-compromised status were not included. Result: Female patients were most affected 87%. Of the total cases, patients between ages 21 to 30 years were more frequent. The rate of MRSA was 37.0% in this study. There were 63% patients who showed methecilline resistance. Linezolid was more effective in MRSA and was sensitive in 81%. &nbsp

Clinicopathological significance of preoperative thrombocytosis in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer

Background: Reactive thrombocytosis is reported in a variety of solid tumors. A few studies have documented preoperative thrombocytosis in ovarian cancer. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in the Department of Gynaecological Oncology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh, during January to December 2019. A total of 94 patients with epithelial ovarian cancer between 18-70 years of age who underwent primary surgical treatment were included in this study. Chi-square tests were done to see the significance of differences between the two groups where p<0.05 considered as the level of significance with 95% CI. Results: The mean age was 45.39±13.23 years in the thrombocytosis and 48.98±15.46 years in without thrombocytosis group with a range of 18 to 70 years (p=0.231). The difference in education and occupation were statistically significant (p<0.05) between the two groups. The mean Hb% was 10.02±1.47 (gm/dl) in thrombocytosis and 11.15±1.52 (gm/dl) without thrombocytosis group. The difference was statistically significant (p<0.001) between two groups. The study showed that 30 (75.0%) patient’s serum CA-125 was >500 in the thrombocytosis group and 9 (16.7%) in the without thrombocytosis group (p=0,001), OR=15.0, 95.0% CI=4.92 to 47.72, p=0.001. Optimal cytoreduction between two groups were observed statistically significant (p=0.004), OR=3.49, 95.0% CI=1.33 to 9.28. The difference of grade of tumor observed statistically significant between the groups (p=0.022). The 11 (27.5%) patients had lymph node metastasis in thrombocytosis group and 6 (11.1%) in without thrombocytosis, OR=3.03, 95.0% CI=0.91 to 10.48, p=0.022. The OR of developing lymph node metastasis was 3.03 times higher in the thrombocytosis group. Conclusions: Thrombocytosis was commonly detected in preoperative evaluation of women diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer. Anemia, higher serum CA-125 level >500, sub-optimal cytoreduction, advanced stage disease, higher grade tumor, and lymphnode metastasis were significantly more frequent in patients with thrombocytosis

Production and quality assessment of fish burger from the grass carp, Ctenopharyngodon idella (Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1844)

Fish burger was produced from grass carp (Ctenophygodon idella) to assess the feasibility of value addition to this low priced fish in Bangladesh. Different food additives (25% mashed potato, 2% NaCl, 2% soybean oil, 2% spices and 0.6% sugar) were used to enhance the consumer’s acceptance of the fishery product. Consumers' acceptance of the fish burger was determined by sensory evaluation based on its color, flavor, softness or firmness (S/F), chewy/rubbery (C/R) using 10 point scoring system by a group of 10 untrained judges (20-50 years old). The results were found as follows: color (7.25±1.15), flavor (6.67±1.17), S/F (8.47±1.20) and C/R (7.83±1.23). Evaluation of proximate composition showed that the moisture and protein contents in grass carp mince were 79.15±1.16 % and 18.01±0.44 % respectively which were higher than that of fish burger, 69.46±0.89 % and 16.42±0.57 %, respectively. Lipid (6.64±0.15 %) and ash (2.98±0.09 %) contents in fish burger were also higher than fish mince. The pH of fish mince and fish burger was 6.8±0.11 and 6.6±0.05 respectively. Therefore, from simple cost-profit analysis, it can be assumed that business of fish burger in Bangladesh has a very good prospect and it would be profitable

Exploration of Endophytic Fungi and Their Bioactive Potential Isolated from the Medicinal Plant Adhatoda vasica

Background and objective: The plants with pharmacological potential host potential endophytic fungi having metabolic interaction. Adhatoda vasica Nees, a well-reputed medicinal plant in Asia, has very few investigations on the plant's endophytic fungi available. This study reports the isolation, identification, and bioactive potential determination of the endophytes from the leaf and stem of the plant growing in Bangladesh. Methods: A protocol for fungus isolation was followed, including the significant steps: sample collection, surface sterilization, cultivation, preliminary selection, and purification. The fungal species were identified by morphological and molecular features, and then, small-scale cultivation followed solvent treatment (chloroform) to extract secondary metabolites. The extract's cytotoxic, antimicrobial, and antioxidant activities were determined by brine shrimp lethality bioassay, disc diffusion method, and DPPH free radical scavenging activity, respectively. Results: Eight endophytic fungi were isolated and identified: four Fusarium sp., two Colletotrichum sp., one Phacidiopycnis sp., one Lasiodiplodia sp. Genome sequence confirmed two novel fungi from the plant: Fusarium solani (OR414980) and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (OR420097). In bioactivity testing, the fungi from the stem exhibited better activity than the leaf fungi. Among the eight fungi, Lasiodiplodia sp. showed the highest and most significant potential in each bioactivity test. Its extract (100 µg/disc) was approximately 80% susceptible against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and a fungus A. flavus compared to references (30 µg/disc). The fungus's LC50 (4 h) was 0.45 µg/mL, whereas vincristin sulfate showed nearly half.  Conclusion: The study recorded uncommon fungi of four genera from A. vasica; some showed remarkable bioactivity

A critical exploration of existing laws, policies and practices pertaining to gender vulnerability, gender mainstreaming and disaster management: a case study of Bangladesh

Theoretical thesis.Bibliography: pages 206-225.Chapter 1: Introduction -- Chapter 2: Theoretical framework -- Chapter 3: Dimensions and causes of women's vulnerability in cyclones - participants' concerns -- Chapter 4: Women's vulnerability and disaster laws, orders, policies and programs in Bangladesh -- Chapter 5: International initiatives and women's vulnerability in disasters -- Chapter 6: Best practice, findings and recommendations -- Chapter 7: Conclusion -- References -- Appendices.It has been recognized that the existing laws, policies and program of disaster risk reduction have failed to address adequately the differential impact of natural disasters on women. This research has explored the extent to which the vulnerabilities of women are addressed in the existing disaster risk reduction approach in Bangladesh. In doing so, it divides women's experiences in natural disasters into five broad categories and identifies how far these are reflected in the existing disaster-related regulatory framework in Bangladesh and international treaties, which influence the Government's interventions. Five broad categories (biological, economic, socio-cultural, political and organisational) were used to identify the most frequently mentioned causes of vulnerabilities. To develop a more practical approach, the biological dimension of women's vulnerability requires focusing more on increasing the self-consciousness of women, while the economic dimension of women's vulnerability is influenced by lack of access to economic resources, particularly access to the public domain and marketplaces. Ameliorating the political dimension of vulnerability requires focus on capacity building for women as decision makers and leaders at the household, community and national levels. Additionally, the socio-cultural dimension of vulnerability highlighted that the existing disaster management approach should stress changing the attitudes of the community to develop a more women-friendly environment. Finally, the organisational dimension of vulnerability involves developing a more gender-sensitive approach and the successful implementation of the existing gender-sensitive approach to disaster risk reduction. This thesis argues that understanding these dimensions is useful in reducing disaster impacts on women and ensuring gender equality. As these dimensions of vulnerabilities are based on pre-existing variables, which may vary from society to society and culture to culture, it is significant to understand these dimensions to choose better policy options. Moreover, these pre-existing variables are so ingrained and widespread that improving women's situation demands a deeper understanding and a multi-dimensional approach based on the multi-disciplines and multi-stakeholders involved -- abstract.Mode of access: Internet.1 online resource (xvi, 324 pages

Poly(Caprolactone)/chitosan-based scaffold using freeze drying technique for bone tissue engineering application

Highly porous 3Dimensional (3D) scaffold becomes a promising alternative approach for bone repairing. The aim of this research was to fabricate Polycaprolactone (PCL) blended with chitosan 3D-porous scaffold with improved hydrophilic behavior for bone tissue engineering applications. An effective technique, freeze drying technique was chosen to produce the sponge-like porous 3D scaffolds of 10%w/v pure PCL and 12%w/v blended PCL/Chitosan. Several characterizations such as Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR)-Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) were carried out to examine the morphologies and the chemical bonding of the scaffolds while water contact angle and water uptake experiment were done to investigate the hydrophilicity of the fabricated scaffolds. SEM observation revealed that the pure PCL and the blended PCL/Chitosan scaffolds had highly porous structure with average pore size of 73.6 μm and 74.9 μm which is in the optimum range of pore size for bone ingrowth. The results of ATR-FTIR showed that chitosan was successfully blended into PCL scaffold. The PCL/Chitosan blended scaffold fabricated in this study possessed homogeneous porous structures with improved hydrophilic properties. This PCL/Chitosan blended scaffold may have a high potential for the bone tissue engineering application

Poly(caprolactone)/chitosan-based scaffold using freeze drying technique for bone tissue engineering application

Highly porous 3Dimensional (3D) scaffold becomes a promising alternative approach for bone repairing. The aim of this research was to fabricate Polycaprolactone (PCL) blended with chitosan 3D-porous scaffold with improved hydrophilic behavior for bone tissue engineering applications. An effective technique, freeze drying technique was chosen to produce the sponge-like porous 3D scaffolds of 10%w/v pure PCL and 12%w/v blended PCL/Chitosan. Several characterizations such as Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR)-Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) were carried out to examine the morphologies and the chemical bonding of the scaffolds while water contact angle and water uptake experiment were done to investigate the hydrophilicity of the fabricated scaffolds. SEM observation revealed that the pure PCL and the blended PCL/Chitosan scaffolds had highly porous structure with average pore size of 73.6 μm and 74.9 μm which is in the optimum range of pore size for bone ingrowth. The results of ATR-FTIR showed that chitosan was successfully blended into PCL scaffold. The PCL/Chitosan blended scaffold fabricated in this study possessed homogeneous porous structures with improved hydrophilic properties. This PCL/Chitosan blended scaffold may have a high potential for the bone tissue engineering application

Production and quality assessment of fish burger from the grass carp, Ctenopharyngodon idella (Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1844)

Fish burger was produced from grass carp (Ctenophygodon idella) to assess the feasibility of value addition to this low priced fish in Bangladesh. Different food additives (25% mashed potato, 2% NaCl, 2% soybean oil, 2% spices and 0.6% sugar) were used to enhance the consumer’s acceptance of the fishery product. Consumers' acceptance of the fish burger was determined by sensory evaluation based on its color, flavor, softness or firmness (S/F), chewy/rubbery (C/R) using 10 point scoring system by a group of 10 untrained judges (20-50 years old). The results were found as follows: color (7.25±1.15), flavor (6.67±1.17), S/F (8.47±1.20) and C/R (7.83±1.23). Evaluation of proximate composition showed that the moisture and protein contents in grass carp mince were 79.15±1.16 % and 18.01±0.44 % respectively which were higher than that of fish burger, 69.46±0.89 % and 16.42±0.57 %, respectively. Lipid (6.64±0.15 %) and ash (2.98±0.09 %) contents in fish burger were also higher than fish mince. The pH of fish mince and fish burger was 6.8±0.11 and 6.6±0.05 respectively. Therefore, from simple cost-profit analysis, it can be assumed that business of fish burger in Bangladesh has a very good prospect and it would be profitable