Recent Research in Science and Technology

Mass media utilization to promote public behavior change during COVID-19 situation: A population survey of Dhaka city

Sun, 30 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0530

A huge amount of information associated with the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak was circulated by mass media in Bangladesh. There has been a rare example so far of how media intervention during the epidemic can affect the public behaviour of Bangladesh. We aimed to assess mass media's influence on changing public behaviour during the second wave of COVID-19. An online cross-sectional survey among 416 Bangladeshi respondents was conducted between August and September 2021. Besides descriptive statistics, datasets were analyzed through a set of statistical methods such as Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and stepwise multiple regression model. The results showed that knowledge level change towards COVID-19 (10 items) had the highest association with behaviour change towards COVID-19 (16 items), indicating a high adoption of public behavior change. There was a positive significant relationship between the behaviour change towards COVID-19 (16 items) with the media's role in making awareness regarding COVID-19 (r= 0.342, p < .001), while there was a negative relationship between the behaviour change towards COVID-19 (16 items) of the respondents with age of participants (r= -.234, p < .001). The results also disclosed that knowledge level, media credibility, and media check-in had the largest contribution to influence the public behavior change. We also found that social media was highly used media as expected during the COVID-19 outbreak. The outcomes of the survey have vital implications for public behavior change and may support infectious disease suppression and control. Our outcomes also stress the significance of the reliability of information shared via mass media outlets and practical strategies to counter misinformation during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Corrigendum to “Augmented reality marker-based technology for augmenting newspaper advertisement"

Thu, 24 Feb 2022 00:00:00 +0530

Recent Research in Science and Technology, 2021, 13, 13–18. https://doi.org/10.25081/rrst.2021.13.7005
One of the authors’ (Md. Imdadul Hoque³) affiliations was mentioned incorrectly. It should be read as follows:

³Department of Computer Science and Telecommunication Engineering, Noakhali Science and
Technology University, Noakhali – 3814, Bangladesh

Preliminary studies on predatory potential of Australian ladybird beetle, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant against Mealybug, Planococcus lilacinus Cockerell

A. Karthikeyan, G. Lavanya, K. Naveena, P. Mangayarkarasi — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0530

Mealybug Planococcus lilacinus Cockerell (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) damages Cocoa, Guava, Citrus, Cotton and other plant families. Besides causing direct loss to the plants they also reduce the market value of infested fruits. The extent of the damage may go up to 70 percent in a severe infestation. An Australian ladybird beetle, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) introduced from Australia is a potential bio-control agent and is being utilized on many crops in Southern India. Mealybugs or scale insects constitute the natural food of certain ladybird beetles. The adult beetles as well as their larvae (grubs) seek the pests and feed voraciously on all stages. They often wipe out the entire pest colonies. The ladybird beetles are being used for suppression of mealy bugs in citrus, coffee, grapes, guava, ornamental and a variety of other crops. The feeding potential of different development stages of C. montrouzieri, a biological control agent against mealybugs, was investigated on P. lilacinus. Fourth instar grubs and adults of C. montrouzieri were the most voracious feeders of mealybug. The number of mealybug consumed by 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th instar larvae and adult beetles of C. montrouzieri was 20, 33.30, 37.50, 40 and 66.60 percent respectively. The results indicate that C. montrouzieri has the potential to be exploited as a bio-control agent. Inoculative releases of 4^th instar larvae and adults may provide instant control of P. lilacinus. Field experiments should be conducted to determine the efficiency of the ladybird beetle on this mealybug.

A confirmatory death case of human rabies in Bangladesh

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0530

In the present study clinical profile with specific attention to typical clinical presentation and deficiencies/lacunae in post-exposure prophylactic management as per WHO guidelines in adult rabies patients. An observational analysis was performed on a clinically suspected human rabies case, whose samples were gathered at a rabies diagnostic laboratory at Infectious Disease Hospital, Dhaka (IDH) over the course of three days (20/09/2021 to 23/09/2021). The patient’s clinical and demographic information was acquired. The clinical specimens involved cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), saliva, nuchal skin biopsy and serum collected antemortem, and brain tissue obtained post-mortem. A variety of laboratory tests were used to make the diagnosis. The patient died in hospital 3 days after hospitalization (20 days after the occurrence of animal bite). After referring the patient to the IDH, a lumbar puncture was administered, and PCR tests for rabies were forwarded to the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum. The serum & CSF have indicated antibodies with rabies. The fluorescence microscopy screening program for rabies was positive in the brainstem, cerebral cortex, cerebellum, and cerebrum. The patient’s samples of saliva (0.5-1 mL) and skin were also sent to PCR for rabies. Diagnostic testing of the patient later confirmed human rabies. Human rabies is a crucial health problem. So, there are required to educate the community and health workers about the value of immediate and adequate post-exposure treatment, to launch an effective control program for rabid dogs, and to make availability of rabies vaccine as well as rabies immunoglobulin (RIG).