Dataset of computer science course queries from students: Categorized and scored according to Bloom's taxonomy

"Why don't students learn?" is a common question that educators try to address. To encourage students to become more engaged in the learning process, we believe in fostering their natural curiosity by encouraging them to ask high-level questions. To support this approach, we have compiled a dataset of questions that we hope will aid in the training of artificial intelligence (AI) models and ultimately improve the learning experience for students. To develop our dataset, we collected anonymous student questioning data in the Summer 2023 semester, utilizing our online application named "Palta Question", resulting in a dataset of 8,811 unique questions. The dataset consists of students' inquiries which underwent basic question validation using a sophisticated keyword-based approach, manual categorization by topic and course content, as well as complexity assessment using Bloom's taxonomy keywords which have also been included in the dataset. To ensure question uniqueness, we implemented the Levenshtein distance algorithm to exclude questions with a high similarity rate. This dataset provides targeted insights into student inquiry patterns and knowledge gaps within the domain of 'Introduction to Computers and Research' and 'Data Structure' courses, originating from the students at Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB). While its scope is confined to a specific student group and academic context, limiting broader applicability, it remains valuable for detailed studies in these subjects and serves as a useful foundation for AI-based educational research tools. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the dataset, we also tested it to train the AI to perform basic tasks like sorting questions according to their courses and topics. However, we envision researchers utilizing it to enhance education and aid in students' learning.

RACares: a conceptual design to guide mHealth relational agent development based on a systematic review

Background

A relational agent (RA) is a digital tool tailored to communicate with users, aiming to establish a sense of social ease and emotional bond, particularly focusing on their health and well-being concerns. A mobile health (mHealth) RA is particularly crafted to communicate with users within their mobile devices. As healthcare becomes increasingly digital, these mHealth RAs can serve as personal health assistants, e.g., guiding users through medical regimens, offering reminders for medication, providing emotional support during health crises, or even aiding in mental well-being exercises. Their accessibility, especially for those in remote areas, can bridge the gap between patients and immediate health assistance, revolutionizing the way healthcare is approached and delivered.

Methods

In this paper, our primary focus is introducing a conceptual design for mHealth RAs with the aim of enhanced user engagement, personalized health interventions, consistent support, data collection and monitoring, and enhanced multimodal accessibility. To develop this conceptual design, we employed an inductive approach. This involved conducting a qualitative analysis on data gathered from a systematic literature review of RAs. Consequently, this analysis allowed us to identify a taxonomy of key design features essential for RAs.

Results

This paper provides a conceptual design of mHealth RAs which includes five stages: user input receiving stage, input processing stage, data analysis stage, output processing stage, and output generation stage. A stage is a logical assembly of interconnected functionalities (components) that work together to accomplish a certain objective or set of goals. Each stage's outputs are used as inputs in the stages that follow after it. There is also a Data and Personalization Controller for aiding the data analysis stage. The stages are logically arranged one after another as follows: input, process, analysis, and output.

Conclusions

The conceptual design aims to create RAs for various mHealth applications, including patient education, mental health counseling, and chronic disease management. This design is crucial in digital health research as it enhances patient-RA interactions, potentially improving health outcomes and experiences in non-life-threatening scenarios where RAs can be an alternative to human healthcare professionals (HCPs).

Assessment of Primary Hemostasis by Platelet Function Analyzer-100 and its Relation with TSH and FT₄ Levels in Newly Diagnosed Overt and Subclinical Hypothyroid Patients

Various abnormalities of coagulation such as primary hemostasis, secondary hemostasis and fibrinolysis have been reported in patients with subclinical and overt hypothyroidism. Platelets are major elements of primary hemostasis and endothelial repair. Platelet size, shape and number are the determinant of platelet function. The objective of this study was to assess primary hemostasis by PFA-100 (Platelet Function Analyzer-100) and its relation with TSH and FT₄ levels in newly diagnosed overt and subclinical hypothyroid patients. This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Physiology, Dhaka Medical College, Bangladesh from January 2016 to December 2016. Twenty overt and 20 subclinical hypothyroid patients with age ranging from 18 to 55 years were selected as study group and twenty age and sex matched healthy subjects were considered as control group. Patients were selected from Outpatients Department of Endocrinology and Nuclear Medicine & Allied Sciences of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Dhaka on the basis of exclusion and inclusion criteria. For assessment of primary hemostasis, PFA-100 was analyzed by SIEMENS-INNOVANCE-PFA-200. For statistical analysis Unpaired Student's 't' test, Chi square test and Pearson's correlation co-efficient (r) test were performed. PFA-100 was significantly higher (p<0.001) in overt and subclinical hypothyroid patients as compared to healthy adult subjects. In overt and subclinical hypothyroidism using PFA-100, we found that the existence of a hypocoagulable state is due to a defect in primary hemostasis. Moreover, PFA-100 may replace the in-vivo bleeding time as a screening test for primary hemostasis in routine clinical practice.

Inhibition of Sn2+ Oxidation in FASnI3 Perovskite Precursor Solution and Enhanced Stability of Perovskite Solar Cells by Reductive Additive

Tin-based halide perovskite solar cells (Sn-PSCs) have attracted a progressive amount of attention as a potential alternative to lead-based PSCs (Pb-PSCs). Sn-perovskite films are fabricated by a solution process spin-coating technique. However, the efficiency of these devices varies significantly with the different batches of precursor solution due to the poor chemical stability of SnI2-DMSO and the oxidation of Sn2+ to Sn4+. This study investigated the origin of Sn2+ oxidation before film formation, and it was identified that the ionization of SnI2 in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) causes the oxidation of free Sn2+ and I- ions. To address these issues, this study introduces the reductive additive 4-fluorophenylhydrazine hydrochloride (4F-PHCl) in the FASnI3 perovskite precursor solution. The hydrazine functional (-NH-NH2) group converted detrimental Sn4+ and I2 defects back to Sn2+ and I- in precursor solution while retaining the properties of the perovskite solution. Furthermore, the addition of 4F-PHCl in the precursor solution effectively slows the crystallization process, enhancing the crystallinity of FASnI3 perovskite films and guaranteeing the Sn2+/I- stoichiometric ratio, ultimately leading to a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 10.86%. The hydrophobic fluorinated benzene ring in 4F-PHCl ensures moisture stability in perovskite films, allowing unencapsulated PSCs to retain over 92% of their initial PCE in an N2-filled glovebox for 130 days. Moreover, the 4F-PHCl-modified encapsulated PSCs showed superior operational stability for 420 h and maintained 95% of their initial PCE for 300 h under maximum power point tracking at 1 sun continuous illumination. This study's findings provide a promising pathway to create a controlled Sn-based perovskite precursor solution for highly reproducible and stable Pb-free Sn-PSCs.

Different RT-PCR Protocol used in SARS-Cov2 PCR Laboratory of Mymensingh Medical College, Bangladesh

The novel corona virus (SARS CoV-2) was first detected on Wuhan, China. After that it spread worldwide and has caused many deaths till now. This virus is also known as novel corona virus because of being newly discovered. Scientifically it is named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It has positive-single stranded RNA and several proteins such as spike (S), envelope (E), membrane (M), nucleocapsid (N) and the other helper proteins. On the basis of phylogenic evidence, it is the new member of beta corona viruses and this group of viruses causes respiratory illness in human. This virus is detected in laboratory by using RT-PCR, by which different target gene such as E gene, S gene, N gene and RdRP (ORF1a-ORF1b) etc. are detected. This study was carried out at Mymensingh Medical College from April 2020 to December 2020. Around 65000 samples (nasopharyngeal swab) were tested during this period by three PCR protocols. By Sansure PCR kit N and ORF1a target genes were detected, Basphore's target genes were E and ORF and by Neoplex PCR kit N and RdRp genes were detected. Most of samples were tested by Sansure kit (62500), 2000 samples were screened by Bosphore kit and 500 samples by Neoplex. Among them, 6876(11.0%) samples were positive by Sansure, 120(6.0%) by Bosphore and 66(13.2%) by Neoplex. Among the positive samples, N gene 6188(90.0%) was mostly found by Sansure kit, whereas ORF was 120(100.0%) mostly found by Bosphore.

A qualitative investigation of stressful life events and mental health disorders: The views of patients and caregivers in Bangladesh

BACKGROUND

Mounting mental health disorders among students has become a significant challenge in producing quality graduates with bright minds. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate the underlying causes of students' mental health-related problems and their experiences while living with mental health disorders. This study investigates the causes and exposures of mental health problems among university students in Bangladesh. For this purpose, a qualitative method was used, and an unstructured in-depth interview schedule was used to collect data from students and caregivers. The students were selected from Khulna University, and data were collected in two consecutive months, i.e., November and December 2021. Using a convenient sampling technique, eight (8) students with mental health issues and five (5) caregivers were interviewed to obtain the necessary data.

RESULTS

The findings showed that the intertwined social circumstances led to mental health problems among university students. The students experienced deep depression following a breakup of their romantic affairs/relationships. The prolonged isolation or social distancing due to the government-imposed strict lockdown during the COVID-19 also produced frustration regarding the possible loss of both academic and professional careers. Furthermore, the growing academic pressure in a form of an unfamiliar approach to teaching and learning-online education-also compelled students to complain about depression and suicidal tendencies as parts of their experiences.

CONCLUSIONS

This study recommends that the government and policymakers prioritize mental health issues in educational institutions, and they should enforce specific strategies, such as introducing age-specific mental health services and student counseling at educational institutions to reduce growing mental health issues. Furthermore, a positive approach from the family and community is also required to battle against mental health disorders. Besides, nationally representative empirical research is recommended to comprehend the growing mental health issues among students in the 21st century to figure out solutions for the present and the future.

Outcome of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) Patients in the Intensive Care Unit of Enam Medical College & Hospital During the Period of July 2018 to May 2019

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a public health issue associated with multiple clinical conditions which may occur due to slight elevation in serum creatinine to anuric renal failure with electrolytes and acid-base imbalance, chronic kidney diseases, end-stage renal diseases, impaired innate immunity associated with higher infection rate, and increased duration of hospital stay with higher cost. Sometimes severe AKI patients may need intensive care support and renal replacement therapy. Severe sepsis is the most common cause of ICU admission. Materials and Methods: This observational study was conducted during the period of July 2018 to May 2019 in the Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Unit of Enam Medical College & Hospital, Savar Dhaka. A total of 87 AKI patients were selected among which 48 were male and 39 were female. Acute kidney injury was selected with an increase in serum creatinine >0.3 mg /dL within 48 hours or ≥1.5 mg /dL from the base line within prior 7 days or urine volume <0.5mL/kg/hour. The last recorded lowest value or value within 24 hrs before admission was considered as baseline S. creatinine. Staging was done according to the KDIGO classification. Chronic Kidney Diseases (CKD) patients and acute on chronic kidney diseases patients aged <18 years were excluded from our study. Results: Highest age group was between 41 to 60 years. According to KDIGO definition 27.58% fell in stage-I, 39.8% in Stage-II and 33.33% in Stage-III. Hypertension (34.48%) and diabetes (24.18%) were found common co-morbid conditions. The most common indication for admission in ICU was septicemia (21.83%). Other causes include pneumonia and other respiratory illness (18.39%), gynae and obstetrical cases (16.09%) AGE (acute gastroenteritis) 13.79%, poisoning 9.19%, polytrauma 8.0%, cardiac diseases 6.89%, cerebrovascular diseases 3.44%, malignancy 2.29%. Total 62.06% (54) patients needed ionotropic support, 55.17% (48) needed artificial ventilation. 26.4% patients needed renal replacement therapy (8.04% HD, 12.64% SLED, 5.74% CRRT). Finally, 66 (75.86%) patients survived among which 59 (67.81%) recovered completely from AKI, 7 (8.04%) turned into CKD and 21 (24.13%) expired. Conclusion: Early detection and extensive ICU management may lead to full recovery of renal function which ultimately reduces adverse outcomes, renal replacement therapy and AKI-related morbidity and mortality. J Enam Med Col 2021; 11(1): 24-33

Promising Nitrogen-Doped Graphene Derivatives; A Case Study for Preparations, Fabrication Mechanisms, and Applications in Perovskite Solar Cells

Graphene (G) has been a game-changer for conductive optical devices and has shown promising aspects for its implementation in the power industry due to its diverse structures. Graphene has played an essential role as electrodes, hole transport layers (HTLs), electron transport layers (ETLs), and a chemical modulator for perovskite layers in perovskite solar cells (PSCs) over the past decade. Nitrogen-doped graphene (N-DG) derivatives are frequently evaluated among the existing derivatives of graphene because of their versatility of design, easy synthesis process, and high throughput. This review presents a state-of-the-art overview of N-DG preparation methods, including wet chemical process, bombardment, and high thermal treatment methods. Furthermore, it focuses on different structures of N-DG derivatives and their various applications in PSC applications. Finally, the challenges and opportunities for N-DG derivatives for the continuous performance improvement of PSCs have been highlighted.

Identification of visible colored dissolved organic matter in biological and tertiary municipal effluents using multiple approaches including PARAFAC analysis

This study provided insights into the persistent yellowish color in biological and tertiary effluents of municipal wastewater through a multi-characterization approach and fluorescence excitation-emission matrix-parallel factor (EEM-PARAFAC) analysis. The characterization was performed on three to five full-scale municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), including differential log-transformed absorbance (DLnA) spectroscopy, resin fractionation, size-exclusion chromatography for apparent molecular weight analysis (SEC-AMW), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. Hydrophobic acids (HPOA) were abundant in visible colored dissolved organic matter (DOM). The SEC-AMW result showed that the molecular weight of the colored substances in the secondary effluents is mainly distributed in the range of 2-3 kDa. Through XPS analysis, C-O/C-N and pyrrolic/pyridonic (N-5) were found to be positively correlated with chroma. PARAFAC component models were built on biological (two components) and tertiary effluent (three components) and the correlation analysis revealed that PARAFAC component 2 in biological effluent (BE-C2) and component 1 in tertiary effluent (TE-C1), which were ascribed to Hydrophobic acids and Humic acid-like, were the responsible visible colored DOM components cause yellowish color. In addition, component similarity testing found that the identified visible colored DOM PARAFAC BE-C2, and PARAFAC TE-C1 were identical (0.96) in physicochemical properties, with 4% removal efficacy on average, compared with 11% for invisible colored DOM. This implied that tertiary effluents containing colorants (TE-C1) were resistant to degradation/removal using different disinfection and filtration processes in advanced treatments. This sheds light on many physicochemical aspects of PARAFAC-identified visible colored DOM components and provides spectral data to build an online monitoring system.

'He was a brilliant student but became mad like his grandfather': an exploratory investigation on the social perception and stigma against individuals living with mental health problems in Bangladesh

BACKGROUND

Worldwide, mental health issues constitute a substantial threat to people's social, economic, and mental well-being and contribute significantly to many fatalities each year. In Bangladesh, people with mental health issues typically delay contacting health professionals because they prefer traditional or religious healers. Moreover, the situation is exacerbated by a lack of awareness, social stigma, and negative perception of sufferers of mental health issues on the part of families and the community. Therefore, this paper investigates the social perception and stigmatization of individuals living with mental health problems and their caregivers in Khulna, Bangladesh.

METHODS

Data were collected from university students with concurring mental health issues as well as their closest caregivers, who had in-depth knowledge of the problem and a willingness to take care of the individuals with mental health issues. Following the criteria for data collection, eight individuals living with mental health problems and five caregivers were purposively selected for this research. A semi-structured in-depth interview guide was used for the confidential data collection process, which took place in November and December 2021, and each interview lasted 40-50 min on average.

RESULTS

This study used thematic analysis to present the results; the findings showed that: individuals afflicted with mental health problems sought both medical and spiritual support to recover. Those with mental health issues who received positive family support recovered relatively faster than those who did not. However, negative social perception and stigmatization were the key impediments for individuals suffering from mental health problems and their families, as they found it difficult to discuss their issues with relatives and communities when attempting to access support or seek remedies. Moreover, the commonality of social stigmas, such as labeling mental health problems as equal to 'madness,' hindered disclosure to family members, peers, and the community.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

In Bangladesh, the majority of individuals living with mental health problems are stigmatized and do not receive emotional support. Hence, we suggest nationwide community-based awareness-building programs to promote more positive perceptions of the fight against mental health disorders. Furthermore, counseling and awareness-building programs for effective discouragement of non-scientific remedies such as spiritual healing, as well as diagnosis and medication at the primary stage of sickness, are recommended for early detection and better medical assistance.

A Mobile Application-Based Relational Agent as a Health Professional for COVID-19 Patients: Design, Approach, and Implications

Relational Agents' (RAs) ability to maintain socio-emotional relationships with users can be an asset to COVID-19 patients. The goal of this research was to identify principles for designing an RA that can act as a health professional for a COVID-19 patient. We first identified tasks that such an RA can provide by interviewing 33 individuals, who had recovered from COVID-19. The transcribed interviews were analyzed using qualitative thematic analysis. Based on the findings, four sets of hypothetical conversations were handcrafted to illustrate how the proposed RA will execute the identified tasks. These conversations were then evaluated by 43 healthcare professionals in a qualitative study. Thematic analysis was again used to identify characteristics that would be suitable for the proposed RA. The results suggest that the RA must: model clinical protocols; incorporate evidence-based interventions; inform, educate, and remind patients; build trusting relationships, and support their socio-emotional needs. The findings have implications for designing RAs for other healthcare contexts beyond the pandemic.

Distribution and Pattern of Anti-Tubercular Drug Resistance in Patients with Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Mymensingh Region of Bangladesh

Globally, the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is an increasing problem that adversely affects patient care and public health. This cross sectional descriptive study was carried out in the Department of Microbiology, Mymensingh Medical College from January 2010 to December 2010 to isolate M. tuberculosis from smear-positive sputum samples by Lowenstein-Jensen (L-J) media and investigate the drug resistance pattern. Among 101 smear-positive cases 80(79.20%) yielded growth of Mycobacteria, 5(4.95%) were contaminated and 16(15.84%) showed no growth. Among 80 isolates 76(95.0%) were M. tuberculosis and the remaining 4(5.0%) were Non-tuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM). Out of 76 M. tuberculosis 27(35.52%) were resistant to at least one drug, 4(5.26%) to Isoniazid (INH), 1(1.32%) to Rifampicin (RMP), 8(10.53%) to Streptomycin (SM) and 0(0.0%) to Ethambutol (EMB) and multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) was 9(11.84%). The present study creates the impression that fairly high rate of anti-tuberculosis drug resistance among the tuberculosis cases and also high MDR-TB (Resistant to both Rifampicin and Isoniazide). The emergence of MDR-TB poses significant trouble to TB control activities throughout the world. The complexity of MDR-TB operation makes it essential to produce new skills to design, plan, application and monitor interventions for the management of MDR-TB. More surveillance and immediate remedial interventions should be performed to combat the trouble of MDR-TB to the general population.

A Relational Agent for the COVID-19 Patients: Design, Approach, and Implications

BACKGROUND

Relational agents (RAs) have shown effectiveness in various health interventions with and without doctors and hospital facilities. We suggest that in situations such as a pandemic like the COVID-19 when healthcare professionals (HCPs) and facilities are unable to cope with increased demands, RAs can play a major role in ameliorating the situation.

OBJECTIVE

The goal of this research was to seek design validation on a prototypical RA to address healthcare needs of the COVID-19 patients.

METHODS

Therefore, RAs can deliver health interventions during COVID-19 pandemic, but they have not been well-explored in this domain. To address this gap, a prototypical RA is iteratively designed and developed in collaboration with infected patients (n=21) and two groups of HCPs (n=19 and n=16 respectively) to aid COVID-19 patients at various stages by performing four main tasks: testing guidance, support during self-isolation, handling emergency situations, and promoting post-recovery mental well-being.

RESULTS

A survey with 98 individuals was used to evaluate the usability of the prototype by system usability scale (SUS) and it received an average score of 58.82. Moreover, participants indicated perceived usefulness and acceptability of the system on Likert Scales where 89.65% perceived it to be helpful, 68.97% accepted it as a viable alternative to HCPs.

CONCLUSIONS

The prototypical RA received favorable feedback from the participants and they were inclined to accept it as an alternative to HCPs in non-life-threatening scenarios despite the usability rating falling below the acceptable threshold. Based on participants' feedback, we recommend further development of the RA with improved automation and emotional support, ability to provide information, tracking, and specific recommendations.

Sero-prevalence and risk factors for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 infection in women and children in a rural district of Bangladesh: A cohort study

Background

Bangladesh reported its first COVID-19 case on March 8, 2020. Despite lockdowns and promoting behavioural interventions, as of December 31, 2021, Bangladesh reported 1.5 million confirmed cases and 27 904 COVID-19-related deaths. To understand the course of the pandemic and identify risk factors for SARs-Cov-2 infection, we conducted a cohort study from November 2020 to December 2021 in rural Bangladesh.

Methods

After obtaining informed consent and collecting baseline data on COVID-19 knowledge, comorbidities, socioeconomic status, and lifestyle, we collected data on COVID-like illness and care-seeking weekly for 54 weeks for women (n = 2683) and their children (n = 2433). Between March and July 2021, we tested all participants for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies using ROCHE's Elecsys® test kit. We calculated seropositivity rates and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) separately for women and children. In addition, we calculated unadjusted and adjusted relative risk (RR) and 95% CI of seropositivity for different age and risk groups using log-binomial regression models.

Results

Overall, about one-third of women (35.8%, 95% CI = 33.7-37.9) and one-fifth of children (21.3%, 95% CI = 19.2-23.6) were seropositive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The seroprevalence rate doubled for women and tripled for children between March 2021 and July 2021. Compared to women and children with the highest household wealth (HHW) tertile, both women and children from poorer households had a lower risk of infection (RR, 95% CI for lowest HHW tertile women (0.83 (0.71-0.97)) and children (0.75 (0.57-0.98)). Most infections were asymptomatic or mild. In addition, the risk of infection among women was higher if she reported chewing tobacco (RR = 1.19,95% CI = 1.03-1.38) and if her husband had an occupation requiring him to work indoors (RR = 1.16,  95% CI = 1.02-1.32). The risk of infection was higher among children if paternal education was >5 years (RR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.10-1.71) than in children with a paternal education of ≤5 years.

Conclusions

We provided prospectively collected population-based data, which could contribute to designing feasible strategies against COVID-19 tailored to high-risk groups. The most feasible strategy may be promoting preventive care practices; however, collecting data on reported practices is inadequate. More in-depth understanding of the factors related to adoption and adherence to the practices is essential.

Correlation among the structural, electric and magnetic properties of Al3+ substituted Ni-Zn-Co ferrites

This study explored the structural, electrical, and magnetic properties of diamagnetic aluminium (Al³⁺) substituted nickel-zinc-cobalt (Ni–Zn–Co) mixed spinel ferrites, though the research on this area is in the infancy stage. Single-phase cubic spinel structures with the Fd3̄m space group of the synthesized Ni_0.4Zn_0.35Co_0.25Fe_(2−x)Al_xO₄ (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.12) ferrite samples were confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The average particle size ranged from 0.67 to 0.39 μm. Selected area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns were indexed according to the space group Fd3m, representing the particle's crystallinity. The optical band gaps ranged from 4.784 eV to 4.766 eV. Frequency-dependent dielectric constants and ac conductivity measurement suggested that the prepared ferrites were highly resistive. Relaxation times were reduced to a low value from 45.45 μs to 1.54 μs with the composition x. The Curie temperatures (T_c) were 615–623 K for all samples. Real part permeabilities (μ^/) were relatively stable up to an extended frequency range of 10⁶ Hz with relative quality factors (RQF) of around 10³. Tuning of the properties indicates that the fabricated ferrites may be promising for high-frequency electronic devices.

This study explored the structural, electrical, and magnetic properties of diamagnetic aluminium (Al³⁺) substituted nickel–zinc–cobalt (Ni–Zn–Co) mixed spinel ferrites, though the research on this area is in the infancy stage.

The use of viral vectors to promote repair after spinal cord injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating event that can permanently disrupt multiple modalities. Unfortunately, the combination of the inhibitory environment at a central nervous system (CNS) injury site and the diminished intrinsic capacity of adult axons for growth results in the failure for robust axonal regeneration, limiting the ability for repair. Delivering genetic material that can either positively or negatively modulate gene expression has the potential to counter the obstacles that hinder axon growth within the spinal cord after injury. A popular gene therapy method is to deliver the genetic material using viral vectors. There are considerations when deciding on a viral vector approach for a particular application, including the type of vector, as well as serotypes, and promoters. In this review, we will discuss some of the aspects to consider when utilizing a viral vector approach to as a therapy for SCI. Additionally, we will discuss some recent applications of gene therapy to target extrinsic and/or intrinsic barriers to promote axon regeneration after SCI in preclinical models. While still in early stages, this approach has potential to treat those living with SCI.

Antioxidant, anticholinesterase and neurotrophic potentials of indigenous medicinal herbs of Bangladesh

In Ayurvedic system of medicine, a variety of medicinal herbs are being prescribed for brain disorders, including mental dysfunction, indifference, and memory impairment. Neuropharmacological mechanisms of these herbs are poorly understood. A total of nineteen indigenous medicinal herbs of Bangladesh were investigated for their neuropharmacological potentials, including antioxidant, anticholinesterase, and neurotrophic activities. The antioxidant activity of plant ethanolic extracts was determined based on their DPPH free radical scavenging capacity. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity was determined by the colorimetric assay based on Ellman’s method. The neurotrophic activity of plant extracts was measured based on their capacity to promote neurite outgrowth in a primary culture of hippocampal neurons. Of the herbs, Camellia sinensis, Terminalia chebula, Cinnamomum tamala, Terminalia bellirica, Phyllanthus emblica, and Curcuma longa exhibited remarkable antioxidant activity with IC50 values of <100 µg/mL. The highest anticholinesterase activity was shown by C. longa (IC50 9.37 µg/mL) followed by C. sinensis (IC50 86.01 µg/mL) and C. tamala (IC50 86.37 µg/mL). Notably, C. tamala showed the highest neurotrophic activity (an increase in the length of primary neurites by 82% compared to control), whereas C. sinensis and C. longa showed moderate activities. The neurotrophic activity of C. tamala was reported for the first time. The present findings indicate that these indigenous herbs, particularly C. tamala, C. sinensis, and C. longa possess a remarkable neuropharmacological potential and suggest that these neuroactive herbs could be used in disease-modifying therapies for brain disorders.

Immunobiology of cancer-associated fibroblasts in the context of radiotherapy

Radiotherapy (RT) still represents a mainstay of treatment in clinical oncology. Traditionally, the effectiveness of radiotherapy has been attributed to the killing potential of ionizing radiation (IR) over malignant cells, however, it has become clear that therapeutic efficacy of RT also involves activation of innate and adaptive anti-tumor immune responses. Therapeutic irradiation of the tumor microenvironment (TME) provokes profound cellular and biological reconfigurations which ultimately may influence immune recognition. As one of the major constituents of the TME, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play central roles in cancer development at all stages and are recognized contributors of tumor immune evasion. While some studies argue that RT affects CAFs negatively through growth arrest and impaired motility, others claim that exposure of fibroblasts to RT promotes their conversion into a more activated phenotype. Nevertheless, despite the well-described immunoregulatory functions assigned to CAFs, little is known about the interplay between CAFs and immune cells in the context of RT. In this review, we go over current literature on the effects of radiation on CAFs and the influence that CAFs have on radiotherapy outcomes, and we summarize present knowledge on the transformed cellular crosstalk between CAFs and immune cells after radiation.

Occurrence, fates, and carcinogenic risks of substituted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in two coking wastewater treatment systems

This paper reports for the first time the occurrence, fates, and carcinogenic risks of 20 substituted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (SPAHs) and 16 priority PAH species in two coking wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) (plant E and central WWTP). The measured total concentrations of PAHs and SPAHs in raw wastewater of coking plant E were 3700 and 1200 μg·L^-1, respectively, with naphthalene (1400 μg·L^-1), and fluoranthene (353 μg·L^-1) as dominant PAH species and 2-methylnaphthalene (167 μg·L^-1), anthraquinone (133 μg·L^-1), and 1-methylnaphthalene (132 μg·L^-1) as dominant SPAHs. For the 11 methyl-PAHs (MPAHs), 4 oxygenated-PAHs (OPAHs), and 5 nitrated-PAHs (NPAHs) investigated, the biological wastewater treatment process removed 98.6% MPAHs, 83.9% OPAHs, and 89.1% NPAHs. Mass balance analysis result revealed that transformation was the major mechanism to remove low-molecular-weight (LMW) MPAHs (59.9-77.3%), a large part of OPAHs, including anthraquinone, methylanthraquinone, and 9-fluorenone (46.7-49.6%), and some NPAHs, including 2-nitrofluorene and 9-nitroanthrancene (52.9-59.1%). Adsorption by activated sludge mainly accounted for removing high-molecular-weight (HMW) SPAHs (59.6-71.01%). The relatively high concentrations of SPAHs in excess sludge (15,000 μg·g^-1) and treated effluent (104 μg·L^-1) are of great concern for their potential adverse ecological impacts. SPAHS exhibited similar behaviors in central WWTP, though the influent concentrations were much lower. The concentration levels of SPAHs in the ambient air of coking plant E and central WWTP may also pose potential lung cancer risks (LCR) to the workers through inhalation, where all studied SPAHs except 3-nitrofluoranthene and 7-nitrobenz[a]anthracene exceeded the acceptable cancer risk standards (>10^-6) recommended by U.S EPA. This study could help identify the ecological and healthy risks during coking wastewater treatment and provide useful information for policy-making.

Towards Designs of Workplace Stress Management Mobile Apps for Frontline Health Workers during COVID-19 and Beyond: A Qualitative Study

Background

In recent years, mobile apps have been developed to prevent burnout, promote anxiety management, and provide health education to workers in various workplace settings. However, there remains a paucity of such apps for frontline health workers (FHWs), even though FHWs are the most susceptible to stress due to the nature of their jobs.

Objective

The goal of this study was to provide suggestions for designing stress management apps to address workplace stressors of FHWs based on the understanding of their needs from FHWs’ own perspectives and theories of stress.

Methods

A mixed methods qualitative study was conducted. Using a variety of search strings, we first collected 41 relevant web-based news articles published between December 2019 and May 2020 through the Google search engine. We then conducted a cross-sectional survey with 20 FHWs. Two researchers independently conducted qualitative analysis of all the collected data using a deductive followed by an inductive approach.

Results

Prevailing uncertainty and fear of contracting the infection was causing stress among FHWs. Moral injury associated with seeing patients die from lack of care and lack of experience in handling various circumstances were other sources of stress. FHWs mentioned 4 coping strategies. Quick coping strategies such as walking away from stressful situations, entertainment, and exercise were the most common ways to mitigate the impact of stress at work. Peer support and counseling services were other popular methods. Building resilience and driving oneself forward using internal motivation were also meaningful ways of overcoming stressful situations. Time constraints and limited management support prevented FHWs from engaging in stress management activities.

Conclusions

Our study identified stressors, coping strategies, and challenges with applying coping strategies that can guide the design of stress management apps for FHWs. Given that the pandemic is ongoing and health care crises continue, FHWs remain a vulnerable population in need of attention.

Converting an Anti-Mouse CD4 Monoclonal Antibody into an scFv Positron Emission Tomography Imaging Agent for Longitudinal Monitoring of CD4+ T Cells

Immuno-positron emission tomography (PET), a noninvasive imaging modality, can provide a dynamic approach for longitudinal assessment of cell populations of interest. Transformation of mAbs into single-chain variable fragment (scFv)-based PET imaging agents would allow noninvasive tracking in vivo of a wide range of possible targets. We used sortase-mediated enzymatic labeling in combination with PEGylation to develop an anti-mouse CD4 scFv-based PET imaging agent constructed from an anti-mouse CD4 mAb. This anti-CD4 scFv can monitor the in vivo distribution of CD4+ T cells by immuno-PET. We tracked CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in wild-type mice, in immunodeficient recipients reconstituted with monoclonal populations of OT-II and OT-I T cells, and in a B16 melanoma model. Anti-CD4 and -CD8 immuno-PET showed that the persistence of both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells transferred into immunodeficient mice improved when recipients were immunized with OVA in CFA. In tumor-bearing animals, infiltration of both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells increased as the tumor grew. The approach described in this study should be readily applicable to convert clinically useful Abs into the corresponding scFv PET imaging agents.

Self-Assembled Hierarchical Cu x O@C18H36O2 Nanoflakes for Superior Fenton-like Catalysis over a Wide Range of pH

A novel copper-based catalyst supported by a long-chain hydrocarbon stearic acid (Cu _x O@C₁₈H₃₆O₂) was synthesized by a hydrothermal method and double replacement reactions. The as-prepared catalyst is shown as self-assembled hierarchical nanoflakes with an average size of ∼22 nm and a specific surface area of 51.4 m² g^-1. The catalyst has a good performance on adsorption as well as Fenton-like catalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB). The catalyst (10 mg/L) showed an excellent adsorption efficiency toward RhB (20 mg/L) for pH ranging from 5 to 13, with the highest adsorption rate (99%) exhibited at pH 13. The Fenton-like catalytic degradation reaction of RhB (20 mg/L) by Cu _x O@C₁₈H₃₆O₂ nanoflakes was effective over a wide range of pH of 3-11, and ^•OH radicals were generated via Cu₂O/H₂O₂ interactions in acidic conditions and CuO/H₂O₂ reactions in a neutral solution. The highest efficiency catalytic degradation of RhB (20 mg/L) was 99.2% under acidic conditions (pH = 3, H₂O₂ = 0.05 M), with an excellent reusability of 96% at the 6th cycle. The results demonstrated that the as-prepared Cu _x O@C₁₈H₃₆O₂ nanoflakes are an efficient candidate for wastewater treatment, with excellent adsorption capacity and superior Fenton-like catalytic efficiency and stability for RhB.

Separation and characterization of refractory colored dissolved effluent organic matter in a full-scale industrial park wastewater treatment plant

Colored dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a significant indicator of refractory DOM in wastewaters, and fluorescent DOM is an essential part indicating colorants. However, little is known about the composition and contribution of colored DOM to wastewater. This study provided some insights on the persistent yellowish color in biological effluent through use of a multi-characterization approach, and evaluated the effect of two advanced treatments (O₃ and granular active carbon (GAC)) in a full-scale wastewater treatment plant. The multi-characterization technique incorporated resin fractionation, excitation-emission matrix spectroscopy (EEM) combined with fluorescence regional integration (FRI), size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. The fractionation results showed that hydrophobic acid (HPOA) and hydrophilic (HPI) substances are abundant in colorants, and HPI-type colorants are comparatively resistant or unable to be removed through GAC and O₃ individually. FRI-based EEMs showed that F₃ (fulvic acid-like organics) and F₅ (humic acid-like organics) mainly account for the yellowish color, and their combined fractions of total colorants are 50%, 31%, and 48% in biological, biological + O₃, and biological + GAC effluents, respectively. SEC for measurement of the apparent molecular weight revealed that these colorants may have molecular weights in the range 2-5 kDa. The XPS analysis indicated that these colorants possess ether or hydroxyl and nitro (C-O/C-N) chromophoric groups with conjugated aromatic structures. For C-O/C-N, O₃ showed good removal efficiency overall. GAC showed exceptionally high efficiency for HPOA but very low efficacy toward HPI-type colorants in terms of C-O/C-N chromophoric functional group removal.

Diagnostic Value of Clinical Profile and Proposed a Clinical Diagnostic Criterion of Enteric Fever

Enteric fever is a common bacterial infection in the tropics and endemic to Bangladesh. The volatile manifestations of enteric fever construct this disease a true diagnostic confrontation. There are limited current objective data on the value of individual clinical features of enteric fever in the diagnosis of enteric fever. The aim of the study was analysis of clinical features and also proposed a clinical diagnostic criterion of enteric fever among adult in Bangladesh. This cross-sectional comparative study was performed among which of fifty confirmed enteric fever and hundred non enteric febrile adult patients in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh from January 2015 to December 2015. Purposive sampling technique was implied for convenience of the study. In this study, history of step ladder fever, diarrhoea and relative bradycardia, ceacal gurgle, abdominal distension were proved to be powerful markers of enteric fever with high specificity (100.0%, 90.0%, 95.0%, 92.0% and 95.0% respectively). Tender right iliac fossa (RIF) and coated tongue, hepatomegaly were moderately powerful with 86.0%, 88.0%, 89.0% specificity respectively. Positive predictive value (PPV) was highest for step ladder fever (100%) and negative predictive value (NPV) was highest for headache (92.5%). Highest sensitivity, PPV and NPV were found for relative bradycardia and tender RIF but most of the signs had good specificity. Regarding accuracy it was highest for step ladder fever (91.3%), relative bradycardia (94%), tender RIF (87%), coated tongue (82%) and splenomegaly (84%). Therefore, a clinical diagnostic criterion was submitted with diagnostic accuracy more than 70% were taken into deliberation. The Major criteria were considered step ladder fever, relative bradycardia, tender RIF with diagnostic accuracy 91.0%, 94.0% and 87.0% respectively. Minor criteria included splenomegaly, diarrhoea, coated tongue, ceacal gurgle, chills with diagnostic accuracy 85.0%, 85.0%, 82.0%, 76.0%, 72.0% respectively and after amalgamation of various major and minor criteria a final diagnostic criterion was submitted having accuracy more than 60.0%. In conclusion the clinical profile of enteric fever in culture proven patients with a view to highlight the predictive value of those features which would help general practitioners in the diagnosis and empiric treatment.

Frequency of Eosinophilic Esophagitis among Patients with Gastroesophageal Reflux Symptoms in an Academic Hospital of Bangladesh: A Cross Sectional Study

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a disease of modern era. It was first described 40 years back. Since then it has drawn an immense interest among the clinicians. It is diagnosed by the presence of eosinophils count ≥15/HPF on esophageal biopsied mucosa in patients with symptoms of esopohageal dysfunction. It is more prevalent among patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease. As its symptoms overlap with that of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), it is frequently overlooked & misdiagnosed which increases patients' sufferings. No data is available in Bangladesh. The objective of the study was to find out the frequency of eosinophilic esophagitis among patients with gastroesophageal reflux symptoms. The study was conducted at the Outpatient department of the department of Gastroenterology of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh from September 2018 to April 2019. One hundred and thirty three (133) consecutive patients with symptoms suggestive of gastroesophageal reflux disease based on validated questionnaire underwent upper GI endoscopy. Biopsies were taken from proximal and distal esophagus as well as any other endoscopically abnormal esophageal mucosal lesion. Among 133 patients with gastroesophageal reflux symptoms, 7 patients (5.3%) were found to be positive for eosinophilic esophagitis. Mean age at diagnosis was 37.28±13.38 years. It was more common in younger age group. Female patients (56%) were more than male patients (44%). Heart burn was the major symptom followed by acid regurgitation. Nocturnal cough showed statistically significant relationship with eosinophilic esophagitis. Although the frequency is low, it may be considered as a differential diagnosis among patients with GERD.

Evaluation of medication adherence among patients with chronic diseases in Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND

Medication adherence in chronic diseases patients is a worldwide concern. Not achieving the goal of treatments because of non-adherence will lead to more complications and eventually may lead to death. In Saudi Arabia, we have insufficient data for interpretation. Hence, this study aims to have a better perspective at the number of the non-adherent patients with chronic diseases to their medications and its associated factors.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

Cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted among chronic diseases patients living in Saudi Arabia throughout social media and hospital visits from August 2018 to April 2019. A three-section questionnaire consists of patient's health, medications and adherence characteristics. Adherence to Refills and Medication Scale (ARMS) was used to identify the level of adherence among chronic diseases patients. Univariate descriptive statistics and independent sample t-test with one-way ANOVA were used as bivariate analysis. Finally, significant predictors of medical adherence with adjusted coefficient were determined by multivariable linear regression.

RESULTS

A total of 385 patients were included in the analysis for the current study. Overall, 96.62% (n = 372) were non-adherent to their medications according to ARMS scale. Multiple linear regression model found types of co-morbidities, medication dosage form and dosage regimen to be independent predictors of medical adherence.

CONCLUSION

Medication adherence is alarmingly low among chronic disease patients in Saudi Arabia. There is a clear need for in-depth understanding for barriers. It is therefore important to conduct a qualitative study. What's known Medication adherence is a critical factor in treatment success. Low adherence to the medication is a common problem among chronic disease patients. Moreover, the majority of the studies in Saudi Arabia showed low adherence rate, and it focused in one single chronic disease only despite that patient may have more. What's new Most patients had more than one single chronic disease, so this study aims to take a snapshot to capture the adherence rate among patients who are suffering from chronic disease Saudi Arabia and its associated factors. This can help in understanding medication adherence behavior in clinical practice.

Secretion rates and protein composition of extracellular vesicles released by cancer-associated fibroblasts after radiation

Reciprocal communication between the malignant and non-malignant cellular elements in tumors is essential for cancer sustainability and plays an important role in the response of cancers to treatments. Some of this cellular crosstalk takes place via secretion of vesicles that are actively released into the extracellular space by most cell types in tumors. Recent studies have demonstrated radiation-induced changes in the secretion rate and composition of extracellular vesicles (EVs), with impact on radiation-related cellular communication. However, little is known about the effects of different radiation regimens on the release of EVs by cells of the tumor microenvironment. In this study, we provide a comprehensive molecular characterization of EVs released by cultured primary lung tumor fibroblasts. We explore the quantitative and morphological changes triggered by ionizing radiation (IR), delivered as a single dose of 18 Gy or three consecutive daily medium-doses of 6 Gy. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) secrete EVs with sizes ranging from 80 to 200 nm, expressing some of the classical exosome markers. Exposing CAFs to a single-high radiation dose (1 × 18 Gy) or fractionated medium-dose did not alter the release of CAF-EVs. The protein composition of CAF-EVs was analyzed by LC-MS/MS proteomics and revealed that CAF-EVs are enriched with heat shock proteins, integrins, tetraspanins, proteinases, collagens, growth factors and an array of molecules involved in the regulation of cell migration and the immune system. Quantitative proteomic analyses revealed minor changes in the protein composition of CAF-EVs after radiation exposure. Taken together, this study presents original data on lung tumor CAF-EV composition and reveals that release and protein cargo of CAF-EVs are largely unaltered after exposing CAFs to IR.

405 Radiological Analysis of Gentamicin Eluting Synthetic Bone Graft Substitute Used in The Management of Gustilo IIIB Open Fractures

Background

Management of traumatic bone void associated with Gustilo IIIB open fractures is challenging. Gentamicin eluting synthetic bone graft substitute (Cerament-G) had been recently utilised for the management of patients with these injuries. This study aims to assess radiological signs of Cerament-G remodelling.

Method

Retrospective data analysis of all patients admitted to our unit with IIIB open fractures who had Cerament-G applied as avoid filler. Postoperative radiographic images of the fracture site at 6-weeks, 3-months, 6-months and at the last follow-up were reviewed. The radiological signs of Cerament-G integration, percent of void healing, and bone cortical thickness at the final follow-up were assessed.

Results

34 patients met our inclusion criteria, mean age: 42 years. Mean follow-up time was 20 months. 59% of patients had excellent (&gt;90%) void filling, 26.4% of patients had 50-90% void filling, and 14.6% had &lt; 50% void filling. Normal bone cortical thickness was restored on AP and Lateral views in 55.8% of patients. No residual Cerement-G was seen on X-rays at the final follow-up in any of the patients.

Conclusions

Our results showed successful integration of Cerament-G with excellent void filling and normal cortical thickness achieved in more than half of the patients.

Chemical passivation of the under coordinated Pb2+ defects in inverted planar perovskite solar cells via β-diketone Lewis base additives

Hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are promising new generations of solar cells, which is low in cost with high power conversion efficiency (PCE). However, PSCs suffer from structural defects generated from the under coordinated ions at the surface, which limits their photovoltaic performances. Herein we report, two β-diketone Lewis base additives 2,4-pentanedione and 3-methyl-2,4-nonanedione within the chlorobenzene anti-solvent to passivate the surface defects generated from the under coordinated Pb²⁺ ions in CH₃NH₃PbI₃ perovskite films. The incorporation of the two β-diketone passivators could successfully enhance the open-circuit voltage of the PSCs by 52 mV and 17 mV for 3-methyl-2,4-nonanedione and 2,4-pentanedione, respectively, with improved PCE by 45% for 3-methyl-2,4-nonanedione compared to the pristine PSC. This enhancement in the photovoltaic performance of the PSCs can be attributed to passivation of the defects through the interaction between two carbonyl groups of the β-diketone Lewis base additives and the under coordinated Pb²⁺ defects in the perovskite film, which improved the PSCs PCE and stability.

Nanobodies as in vivo, non-invasive, imaging agents

In vivo imaging has become in recent years an incredible tool to study biological events and has found critical applications in diagnostic medicine. Although a lot of efforts and applications have been achieved using monoclonal antibodies, other types of delivery agents are being developed. Among them, VHHs, antigen binding fragments derived from camelid heavy chain-only antibodies, also known as nanobodies, have particularly attracted attention. Indeed, their stability, fast clearance, good tissue penetration, high solubility, simple cloning and recombinant production make them attractive targeting agents for imaging modalities such as PET, SPECT or Infra-Red. In this review, we discuss the pioneering work that has been carried out using VHHs and summarize the recent developments that have been made using nanobodies for in vivo, non-invasive, imaging.

Irradiated Tumor Fibroblasts Avoid Immune Recognition and Retain Immunosuppressive Functions Over Natural Killer Cells

Recent studies have demonstrated that radiotherapy is able to induce anti-tumor immune responses in addition to mediating direct cytotoxic effects. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are central constituents of the tumor stroma and participate actively in tumor immunoregulation. However, the capacity of CAFs to influence immune responses in the context of radiotherapy is still poorly understood. This study was undertaken to determine whether ionizing radiation alters the CAF-mediated immunoregulatory effects on natural killer (NK) cells. CAFs were isolated from freshly resected non-small cell lung cancer tissues, while NK cells were prepared from peripheral blood of healthy donors. Functional assays to study NK cell immune activation included proliferation rates, expression of cell surface markers, secretion of immunomodulators, cytotoxic assays, as well as production of intracellular activation markers such as perforin and granzyme B. Our data show that CAFs inhibit NK cell activation by reducing their proliferation rates, the cytotoxic capacity, the extent of degranulation, and the surface expression of stimulatory receptors, while concomitantly enhancing surface expression of inhibitory receptors. Radiation delivered as single high-dose or in fractioned regimens did not reverse the immunosuppressive features exerted by CAFs over NK cells in vitro, despite triggering enhanced surface expression of several checkpoint ligands on irradiated CAFs. In summary, CAFs mediate noticeable immune inhibitory effects on cytokine-activated NK cells during co-culture in a donor-independent manner. However, ionizing radiation does not interfere with the CAF-mediated immunosuppressive effects.

Level of Serum Vitamin D, To Which People Are at Risk of Developing Acute Myocardial Infarction in Bangladesh

Incidence of Myocardial Infarction is increasing day by day in developing countries. Most of the patients who sustain myocardial infarction have coronary atherosclerosis. There are several risk factors for the development of atherosclerosis. Among all the risk factors, vitamin D deficiency has been proposed to play an important role in the development of atherosclerosis. With this aim, a case-control study was carried out to explore the association of serum vitamin D with acute myocardial infarction. The enrolled study subjects were categorized into Group A which comprised of STEMI, Group B, comprised of NSTEMI and Group C comprised of age and sex matched individuals free from acute myocardial infarction. The mean values of serum vitamin D (in ng/ml) were 20.17, 20.8 and 24.77 respectively in STEMI, NSTEMI and control groups. It differed significantly among groups (p<0.001) and it was significantly low in STEMI and NSTEMI groups compared to control group (p<0.001 and p=0.004). From this study it can be concluded that low serum vitamin D is an independent risk factor for developing acute myocardial infarction. Individuals with serum vitamin D <20ng/ml have higher chance of developing acute myocardial infarction compared to those with serum vitamin D >20ng/ml.

Hemoprotozoa and Anaplasma spp. in rodents and shrews of Bangladesh

Hemoprotozoans are important pathogens of animals and humans, among which some species have zoonotic significance. The prevalence of different hemoprotozoa and Anaplasma spp. in larger mammals have been reported from different regions of the world. But, very few studies have been conducted to estimate the prevalence of hemoprotozoa in rodents and shrews of South-East Asia. The study assessed the prevalence of hemoprotozoa and Anaplasma spp. in rodents and shrews of Bangladesh. Blood samples (n=451) were collected from rodents and shrews between June 2011 and June 2013 and July-December 2015 from 4 land gradients of Bangladesh. Giemsa-stained blood smears revealed that 13% of animals were harboring hemoprotozoa (4.7% Babesia spp., 0.67% Plasmodium spp.), and Anaplasma spp. (7.5%). The study may serve as a guide for future hemoparasitic research of rodents and shrews.