Background and objectives
The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted health systems worldwide, including in Bangladesh, limiting access to family planning information (FP) and services. Unfortunately, the evidence on the factors linked to such disruption is limited, and no study has addressed the link among Bangladeshis. This study aimed to examine the socioeconomic, demographic, and other critical factors linked to the use of FP in the studied areas during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods
The characteristics of the respondents were assessed using a cross-sectional questionnaire survey and descriptive statistics. The variables that were substantially linked with FP usage were identified using a Chi-square test. In addition, a multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify the parameters linked to FP in the study areas during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Results
The prevalence of FP use among currently married 15–49 years aged women was 36.03% suggesting a 23% (approximately) decrease compared to before pandemic data. Results also showed that 24.42% of the respondents were using oral contraceptive pills (OCP) which is lower than before pandemic data (61.7%). Multivariate regression analysis provided broader insight into the factors affecting FP use. Results showed that woman’s age, education level of the respondents, working status of the household head, locality, reading a newspaper, FP workers’ advice, currently using OCP, ever used OCP, husbands’ supportive attitude towards OCP use, duration of the marriage, ever pregnant, the number of children and dead child were significantly associated with FP use in the study areas during COVID-19 pandemic.
Conclusions
This study discusses unobserved factors that contributed to a reduction in FP use and identifies impediments to FP use in Bangladesh during the COVID-19 epidemic. This research further adds to our understanding of FP usage by revealing the scope of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on FP use in Bangladesh’s rural and urban areas.
Protein kinase R (PKR)-like endoplasmic reticulum (ER) kinase (PERK) is one of three major sensors in the unfolded protein response (UPR). The UPR is involved in the modulation of protein synthesis as an adaptive response. Prolonged PERK activity correlates with the development of diseases and the attenuation of disease severity. Thus, the current debate focuses on the role of the PERK signaling pathway either in accelerating or preventing diseases such as neurodegenerative diseases, myelin disorders, and tumor growth and cancer. In this review, we examine the current findings on the PERK signaling pathway and whether it is beneficial or detrimental for the above-mentioned disorders.
Pollen of Litchi chinensis (Litchi) is a major aeroallergen of Bangladesh. Pollen of this fruits plant was collected from full bloomed flower growing in different places of Rajshahi in Bangladesh. Pollen protein was extracted and partial purified by means of long-term PBS extraction, salting out, dialysis, gel filtrations and DEAE-Cellulose chromatography and the protein was designated as LFPP (Litchi flowers pollen protein). Gel filtration of the purified pollen protein gives two main peaks. The major peak gives four bands on SDS-PAGE. The enzyme (pectate lyase) proteins after gel filtration again re-purified by Ion exchange chromatography, a single band in the protein profile of LFPP, (M.W. 28kDa) was the major allergenic component of Litchi chinensis (Litchi) flower pollen. The homogeneity and the molecular weight of the protein were estimated by SDS-PAGE, and Gel filtration was 28kDa. The allergenic protein was identified by skin prick tests and showed the pectate lyase (Pel) activity. Skin-prick tests also revealed highest degree of sensitivity to the Nawabgang sample giving positive response in 80% of the patients. Skin reactivity ranged between 1+ and 3+.
The aim of the present work is to understand the lipid peroxidation of RBC membrane and the spectrin protein content of RBC membrane cytoskeleton of thalassaemic carrier state (trait) of 13 and hemoglobin E variant (HbE). We have measured the hemoglobin (Hb), malondialdehyde (MDA) and spectrin content of RBC membrane of thalassaemic carrier. The spectrin content (o~ and 13 band) of both J3 and HbE carrier was not changed than normal individuals. However, lipid peroxidation of RBC membrane was significantly increased in both 13 and HbE trait, and Hb level was also decreased in thalassaemic carrier. It may be assumed that oxidative damage by excess lipid peroxidation may have no role on irreversible membrane damage in 13 thalassaemia and HbE thalassaemia carrier.
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