M. Kabir

Antibacterial properties of essential oils and methanol extracts of sweet basil Ocimum basilicum occurring in Bangladesh

The antibacterial potential of essential oils and methanol extracts of sweet basil Ocimum basilicum L. (Lamiaceae) was evaluated for controlling the growth range of food-borne pathogenic bacteria. Essential oils extracted by hydrodistillation from the leaves and stems were analyzed by GC-MS. Fifty-seven compounds representing 94.9 and 96.1% of the total leaf and stem oils, respectively, were identified, of which methyl chavicol (36.7 and 29.9%), gitoxigenin (9.3 and 10.2%), trimethoquinol (10.3 and 8.4%), β-guaiene (3.7 and 4.1%), aciphyllene (3.4 and 3.0%), alizarin (3.2 and 4.4%), naphthaline (2.2 and 3.8%), (–)-caryophyllene (2.0 and 1.9%), and mequinol (1.6 and 1.8%) were the major compounds. The essential oils (10u2009μL/disc of 1:5, v/v dilution with methanol) and methanol extracts (300u2009μg/disc) of O. basilicum displayed a great potential of antibacterial activity against Bacillius cereus, B. subtilis, B. megaterium, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, Shigella boydii, S. dysenteriae, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, V. mimicus, and Salmonella typhi with their respective zones of inhibition of 11.2–21.1u2009mm and MIC values of 62.5–500u2009μg/mL. The results of this study suggest that the natural products derived from O. basilicum may have potential use in the food and/or pharmaceutical industries as antimicrobial agents.

Factors affecting desired family size in Bangladesh.

Factors affecting desired family size in rural Bangladesh are examined using data from contraceptive prevalence surveys conducted between 1983 and 1991. The analysis suggests that mothers having two sons and one daughter are more inclined to perceive their family as complete than those having three sons and no daughter. Logistic regression analysis indicates that important determinants of desire for more children are age of woman, current contraceptive use status, work status, and family planning workers visit. The policy implications of these findings are discussed.

The impact of mass media family planning programmes on current use of contraception in urban Bangladesh.

A sample of 871 currently married urban Bangladeshi women was used to assess the impact of mass media family planning programmes on current contraceptive use. The analyses suggested that radio had been playing a significant role in spreading family planning messages among eligible clients; 38% of women with access to a radio had heard of family planning messages while the figures for TV and newspaper were 18.5% and 8.5% respectively. Education, number of living children and current contraceptive use were important predictors of exposure to any mass media family planning messages. There was a negative relationship between breast-feeding and the current use of contraception indicating a low need for contraception among women who were breast-feeding.

Infant and child mortality levels and trends in Bangladesh

Infant and child mortality levels and trends in Bangladesh are examined using data from the 1989 Bangladesh Fertility Survey. Both infant and child mortality declined from the mid 1970s but infant mortality declined more quickly. The level of infant mortality in 1989 was around 100 per 1000 live births while child mortality (5q0) was 200 per 1000 live births. Life table analysis confirms the change in infant and child mortality. The decline in infant mortality is attributed to the introduction of improved public health measures and access to maternal and child health services.

Relationship between survival status of first child and subsequent child death.

This paper examines the association between infant mortality of the first born and subsequent children using data from rural Bangladesh collected during the period 1971-82. It shows that birth spacing and age of mother at the time of the second birth are important predictors of the survival status of the first child. The findings are discussed in terms of policy implications.

Influence of electrolytes/urea on the interaction of tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide and antibiotic levofloxacin hemihydrate drug

ABSTRACT A study of the interaction of tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide (TTAB) and levofloxacin hemihydrate (LFH) mixtures has been studied by conductivity measurement method in aqueous medium and in the presence of inorganic electrolyte (KNO3 and K2SO4)/urea at various temperatures (298.15−318.15 K) with typical gap of 5 K. For pure TTAB along with drug–TTAB mixture in aqueous as well as in salts/urea solution, a single critical micelle concentration (CMC) was noticed. The CMC values for LFH-TTAB mixtures in the presence of salts exhibited lower in magnitude as compared to aqueous solution. The ΔGm values were found to be negative in the entire cases signifying the spontaneous formation of micelles. Both ΔHm and ΔSm indicated that hydrophobic as well as electrostatic interactions were enhanced in the presence of electrolytes compared to an aqueous solution. Other thermodynamics variables such as transfer enthalpy (ΔHm.tr), transfer energy (ΔGm.tr), and transfer entropy (ΔS°m.tr) were evaluated and explained thoroughly.

Correction to: Determination of trace metal concentration in compost, DAP, and TSP fertilizers by neutron activation analysis (NAA) and insights from density functional theory calculations

The original version of this article unfortunately contained an error in the body text and in Tablesxa04 and 6. The corrected version of the sentences and Tables are given below.