Noakhali Science and Technology University

Providencia stuartii is emerging as an Extensively Drug-Resistant (XDR) pathogen commonly found in animals, insects, and in burned and immunocompromised conditions. The misuse of antibiotics in poultry feed causes the emergence of XDR bacteria in the poultry industry. The knowledge of zoonotic transmissibility of poultry-derived P. stuartii remains elusive in Noakhali, Bangladesh. Poultry fecal and rectal swab samples were collected from selected farms in Noakhali, Bangladesh. Bacterial isolation and identification were performed using MacConkey agar, biochemical tests, and 16S rRNA Sanger sequencing. Antimicrobial susceptibility was assessed by the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method, and isolates with high multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) indices were selected for whole-genome sequencing (WGS). Quality control, genome assembly, annotation, gene identification, pan-genome analysis, pathogenicity profiling, and comparative proteome analyses were subsequently conducted. Antibiogram analysis showed that ps_nstu_001 and ps_nstu_002 were resistant to 17 and 13 tested antibiotics, respectively. Furthermore, whole-genome sequencing revealed that both strains harbored resistance determinants to aminoglycosides, tetracyclines, sulfonamides, cephalosporins, β-lactams, and carbapenems. Additionally, mobile genetic elements (MGEs) and plasmids were identified, which represent the horizontal gene transfer capability. Moreover, pangenome analysis revealed ongoing gene acquisition and substantial genomic diversity among the isolates. The isolate ps_nstu_001 was identified as a putative human pathogen and clustered closely with a clinical strain isolated in the United States. In contrast, ps_nstu_002 was predicted to be a non-human pathogen; however, it exhibited a clear evolutionary relationship with a clinical isolate obtained from a diarrheal patient in Bangladesh, suggesting potential pathogenic relevance. Global pathogenic potential of the studied strains and key proteomic similarities between pathogenic and non-pathogenic strains revealed by pathogenicity profiling and proteome comparison. To conclude, these XDR isolates indicate the potential for zoonotic transmission and the spread of resistant genes to other animals, posing a significant public health risk.

Biosensors are transformative tools in the medical and biomedical fields, enabling precise, efficient, and real-time detection of analytes critical for diagnostics and therapeutic monitoring. This review explores five key biosensor types - nanomaterial-based, enzyme-based, antibody-based, aptamer-based, and cell-based - focusing on their working principles, detection ranges, detection limits, and methodologies. Nanomaterial-based biosensors harness nanomaterials’ unique properties for unparalleled sensitivity, while enzyme-based systems ensure catalytic precision and stability. Exceptional specificity is achieved through antibody-based systems for detecting protein biomarkers, and aptamer-based designs add programmability, enabling selective binding to diverse targets such as small molecules and nucleic acids. Additionally, cell-based biosensors replicate complex biological systems, facilitating dynamic, real-time analysis of intricate processes, making these technologies indispensable across diverse biomedical applications. Collectively, these biosensors leverage distinct mechanisms to address diverse biomedical challenges. By analyzing their operational features, strengths, limitations, and innovation potential, this review underscores their vital role in advancing precision medicine and biomedical research, inspiring new solutions to emerging healthcare challenges.

Bangladesh’s rapid economic transformation over the past three decades has been shaped by structural reforms, digital advancements, energy infrastructure expansion, and trade liberalisation. However, sustaining inclusive growth requires a deeper understanding of how these drivers, particularly internet usage, electricity usage, trade openness, and institutional quality, influence economic performance. This study, therefore, investigates the dynamic relationships among these variables and economic growth in Bangladesh. Utilising both the ARDL bounds testing approach and VECM, the analysis explores both short-run and long-run interactions, along with Granger causality and stability diagnostics. The empirical results reveal that electricity consumption has a strong and statistically significant positive effect on economic growth in both the short and long run, confirming the energy-led growth hypothesis. Control of corruption also exerts a long-run positive impact, suggesting institutional quality is critical for sustainable development. While trade openness negatively affects growth in the long term, likely due to structural trade imbalances, it demonstrates a strong short-term influence on the GDP. Internet usage, though theoretically important, shows no statistically significant long-run impact, potentially reflecting infrastructural gaps or delayed adoption effects. Strengthening digital and energy infrastructure, improving governance, and addressing structural weaknesses in trade policy are essential for promoting sustained economic growth.

Acute respiratory infection (ARI) is a major health problem in Bangladesh but limited evidence exists on its prevalence, determinants, and mediating factors among under-five children using nationally representative data. Using data from the 2019 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), this study analyzed ARI prevalence among 24,686 children aged 0–59 months (under five years). Multilevel logistic regression was employed to identify ARI determinants while accounting for the hierarchical data structure. Furthermore, mediation analysis was conducted to evaluate the mediating roles of maternal education, stunting, and kitchen location in the association between the wealth index and ARI. The prevalence of ARI was 7.54%. The mean age of the children was 2.02 years (SD: 1.42 years), and among respondents 51.5% were male and 48.5% were female. The prevalence of ARI was higher among male (56.3%) children than female (43.7%) children. Chi-square tests showed that gender, age, parental age, wealth index, kitchen location, and stunting were significantly associated with ARI (p < 0.05). Multilevel logistic regression revealed that females (AOR: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.72–0.88) and older children aged 24–59 months (AOR: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.55–0.68) had significantly lower ARI risk. Conversely, separate (AOR: 1.28) or outdoor kitchens (AOR: 1.22) and stunting (AOR: 1.19) were associated with increased risk. Compared to Barishal, the ARI risk was lower in Dhaka (AOR: 0.54) but higher in Mymensingh (AOR: 1.87). Mediation analysis showed that kitchen location (30.5%) and stunting (14.7%) mediated the relationship between the wealth index and ARI prevalence. In addition to treatment, nutrition improvement, safe cooking environment, and regional planning are essential. Promoting and strengthening health education could further help in reducing ARI. These interventions are also aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 3: good health and well-being), and could contribute to achieving national and global health targets.

Heat stress is a key environmental factor that adversely affects plant growth, development, and productivity. Nitrate reductase (NR), encoded by AtNIA1 and AtNIA2, plays a crucial role in nitric oxide (NO) biosynthesis, which mediates stress responses in plants. In this study, we investigated the roles of AtNIA1 and AtNIA2 in regulating plant heat stress tolerance. Under heat stress conditions, Arabidopsis thaliana plants maintained higher relative water content and chlorophyll levels, whereas atnia1 and atnia2 mutants exhibited greater physiological damage. Oxidative stress markers such as MDA and H2O2 accumulated to higher levels in nitrate reductase mutants than in Col-0, indicating increased heat sensitivity. Gene expression analysis further revealed a pronounced late-phase induction of MBF1c in atnia2 plants, accompanied by altered expression of heat shock proteins. These results suggest that nitrate reductase-dependent pathways contribute to heat stress tolerance by regulating water status, membrane stability, ROS detoxification, and heat shock gene expression. This study provides new insights into NR-mediated NO signaling in thermotolerance and highlights potential targets for improving crop resilience under rising temperatures.

Microplastics (MPs), both conventional and biodegradable, are emerging contaminants of significant concern in marine ecosystems. While biodegradable plastics such as polylactic acid (PLA) and polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT) are marketed as eco-friendly alternatives, growing evidence suggests that their degradation products may exhibit comparable toxicity to conventional polymers like polyethylene (PE) and polystyrene (PS). This review critically examines the physicochemical properties, degradation behavior, and ecotoxicological impacts of both biodegradable and conventional MPs on the marine microalga Chlorella vulgaris. The analysis highlights that both MP types inhibit algal growth, disrupt photosynthesis, and induce oxidative stress through reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, enzymatic imbalance, and cellular membrane damage. Mechanistic pathways involve particle aggregation, surface adsorption, and the release of toxic leachates and nano-sized derivatives, amplifying their ecological risks. Furthermore, biodegradable MPs often fragment faster, increasing MP particle counts and pollutant adsorption potential. The findings challenge the perceived environmental safety of “biodegradable” plastics and underscore the need for realistic field-based assessments. Understanding MP-algae interactions is crucial, as disruptions at this trophic level may cascade through marine food webs, affecting productivity and biogeochemical cycling. The review calls for comprehensive ecotoxicological frameworks to guide sustainable polymer design and effective marine pollution management.