Nazrul Islam | Dhaka City College under National University, Bangladesh (original) (raw)

Papers by Nazrul Islam

Recent study by Meat & Livestock Australia revealed that cost competitiveness and market developm... more Recent study by Meat & Livestock Australia revealed that cost competitiveness and market development issues in supply chain are the major factors for a long term decline of the Australian Beef industry. This study, based on the explanation of transaction cost theory argues that competitive performance of an industry depends on improving cost efficiency across the whole of supply chain, the underlying value chain, and the relationship among the stakeholders in the industry. With a main objective to investigate the underlying factors of developing competent inter-firm relationship that influence the supply chain performance and competitiveness, this study presents details of a survey carried out and tests the hypothesis that inter-organizational relationships in supply chain and its antecedents have impact on the performance of Australian beef industry and thus have impact on the competitiveness of the industry. Data were collected through a telephone survey of 315 firms in the beef i...

Objective: To review evidence on routinely prescribed drugs in the UK that could up or downregula... more Objective: To review evidence on routinely prescribed drugs in the UK that could up or downregulate Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) and potentially affect COVID-19 disease Design: Systematic review Data source: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library and Web of Science Study selection: Any design with animal or human models examining a currently prescribed UK drug compared to a control, placebo or sham group, and reporting an effect on ACE2 level, activity or gene expression. Data extraction and synthesis: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science and OpenGrey from inception to 1st April 2020. Methodological quality was assessed using the SYRCLE's risk of bias tool for animal studies and Cochrane risk of bias tool for human studies. Results: We screened 3,360 titles and included 112 studies with 21 different drug classes identified as influencing ACE2 activity. Ten studies were in humans and 102 were in animal models None examined ACE2 in human l...

ABSTRACTBackgroundPre-existing comorbidities have been linked to SARS-CoV-2 infection but evidenc... more ABSTRACTBackgroundPre-existing comorbidities have been linked to SARS-CoV-2 infection but evidence is sparse on the importance and pattern of multimorbidity (2 or more conditions) and severity of infection indicated by hospitalisation or mortality. We aimed to use a multimorbidity index developed specifically for COVID-19 to investigate the association between multimorbidity and risk of severe SARS-CoV-2 infection.MethodsWe used data from the UK Biobank linked to laboratory confirmed test results for SARS-CoV-2 infection and mortality data from Public Health England between March 16 and July 26, 2020. By reviewing the current literature on COVID-19 we derived a multimorbidity index including: 1) angina; 2) asthma; 3) atrial fibrillation; 4) cancer; 5) chronic kidney disease; 6) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; 7) diabetes mellitus; 8) heart failure; 9) hypertension; 10) myocardial infarction; 11) peripheral vascular disease; 12) stroke. Adjusted logistic regression models were...

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 1999

Commercial sex workers (CSWs) serve as the most important reservoir of sexually transmitted disea... more Commercial sex workers (CSWs) serve as the most important reservoir of sexually transmitted diseases (STD), including gonorrhea. Periodic monitoring of the antimicrobial susceptibility profile ofNeisseria gonorrhoeae in a high-risk population provides essential clues regarding the rapidly changing pattern of antimicrobial susceptibilities. A study concerning the prevalence of gonococcal infection among CSWs was conducted in Bangladesh. The isolates were examined with regards to their antimicrobial susceptibility to, and the MICs of, penicillin, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, cefuroxime, ceftriaxone, and spectinomycin by disk diffusion and agar dilution methods. The total plasmid profile of the isolates was also analyzed. Of the 224 CSWs, 94 (42%) were culture positive for N. gonorrhoeae. There was a good correlation between the results of the disk diffusion and agar dilution methods. Some 66% of the isolates were resistant to penicillin, and 34% were moderately susceptible to penicill...

International Journal of Modern Physics B, 2006

The charge-transfer reaction of tetraarylbutatriene 1 with tetracyanoethene (TCNE) in dichloromet... more The charge-transfer reaction of tetraarylbutatriene 1 with tetracyanoethene (TCNE) in dichloromethane at room temperature was studied and we found a novel addition reaction. A red crystalline material 2 was isolated as an intermediate product which is converted slowly into dihydronaphthalene derivative 3 in dichloromethane but rapidly in protic solvent. The structure of the compounds was determined by X-ray crystallography. The detailed structure and the plausible reaction mechanism have also been discussed.

International Journal of Information and Education Technology, 2014

Material selection is an integral part of engineering design. As such, this topic is included in ... more Material selection is an integral part of engineering design. As such, this topic is included in most advanced engineering design units in the Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering. However, students often find this topic difficult and confusing due to the lack of overall knowledge required for the task. This paper describes the introduction of a new software package in a design methodology unit for material selection that provides additional knowledge and hands-on experience to students, which can be applied in their professional lives. The software package introduced three forms of education delivery: lecture, tutorial, and assignment activities. It was found that the introduction of the CES EduPack software package for material and process selection significantly improved students' learning. Index Terms-Design methodology, CES Edupack software, material selection. Johnson"s method of optimum design, and multi-factor objective functions. The ninth lecture, Axiomatic Design, talked about the benefits of axiomatic design, the state of current design, the axiomatic design framework, the first axiom (the independence axiom), the second axiom (the information axiom), and the comparison of axiomatic design

Advances in Econometrics

This chapter conducts a Monte Carlo investigation into small sample properties of some of the dyn... more This chapter conducts a Monte Carlo investigation into small sample properties of some of the dynamic panel data estimators that have been applied to estimate the growth-convergence equation using Summers-Heston data set. The results show that the OLS estimation of this ...

This paper investigated the impact that an expansion in agricultural processing would have on the... more This paper investigated the impact that an expansion in agricultural processing would have on the Western Australian economy by developing and applying a Computable General Equilibrium economic model of Western Australia (called WAM). WAM was used to simulate the effects of a 1millionexpansionineightagriculturalprocessingindustries.Inaddition,basedonareviewoftheliteratureandtwocasestudies,impedimentstoagriculturalprocessinginWesternAustraliawereidentified.Theresultsshowthatagriculturalprocessingproducesarangeofpositiveimpacts.Onaverage,a1 million expansion in eight agricultural processing industries. In addition, based on a review of the literature and two case studies, impediments to agricultural processing in Western Australia were identified. The results show that agricultural processing produces a range of positive impacts. On average, a 1millionexpansionineightagriculturalprocessingindustries.Inaddition,basedonareviewoftheliteratureandtwocasestudies,impedimentstoagriculturalprocessinginWesternAustraliawereidentified.Theresultsshowthatagriculturalprocessingproducesarangeofpositiveimpacts.Onaverage,a1 million expansion in agricultural processing is estimated to increase the State’s GSP (Gross State Product) by 649,000,andtotaloutputby649,000, and total output by 649,000,andtotaloutputby1.9 million. The expansion of the Wine and spirits industry is estimated to have the largest impact, while the Textile fibres, yarns and woven fabrics industry has the least beneficial effect on the Western Australian economy. The study identified several factors...

Sixth International Conference on Networking (ICN'07), 2007

Abstract Energy consumption plays a crucial role in wireless sensor networks as these networks ar... more Abstract Energy consumption plays a crucial role in wireless sensor networks as these networks are designed to be placed in hostile and non-accessible areas. While battery-driven sensors will run out of battery sooner or later, the use of renewable energy sources ...

Fundamentals and Applications, 2014

New and advanced properties and functions, including uniformity, durability, biodegradability and... more New and advanced properties and functions, including uniformity, durability, biodegradability and sustainability, are required for the next generation of cellulose based products and their engineering applications. Nanosize cellulosic materials, a good candidate for the preparation of polymer nanocomposites, have been gained a lot of attentions due to their low cost, biodegradability, abundance, high strength, renewability and some other excellent properties. Advantages in the use of nanosize cellulosic materials are related not only to these properties, in fact, its dimensions, in the nanometer scale, open a wide range of possible properties to be discovered. Nanosize cellulosic materials can be isolated from a variety of cellulosic sources, including plants, animals (tunicates), bacteria and algae and in principle could be extracted from almost any cellulosic material by using different procedures. However, main challenges in the field are related to an efficient separation of nanosize cellulosic materials from the natural resources. The noncompatible nature of nanocellulose with most of the polymers is also a crucial issue for its application in composites. In addition, drying process of nanocellulose for application in polymer composite is another challenge. Last but not least point is related to find a process for obtaining higher yield in nanocellulose isolation. All these challenges and drawbacks become the strong driving forces for discovering more efficient processes and technologies to produce nanocelluloses for application in nanocomposites, and for inventing new applications as well. This book chapter will concentrate on the isolation of nanocellulose from various sources and its utilization for fabrication methods, its characterization, drying processes and modification. We will also concentrate our discussion on application of nanoscale cellulosic materials in polymer nanocomposites.

Technovation, 2001

Based on a review of the literature of new technology-based firms, this study developed a strateg... more Based on a review of the literature of new technology-based firms, this study developed a strategic management framework for service and market development of entrepreneurial software firms (ESFs) by integrating business with technology strategies. Testing the strategic management framework in a pilot sample in Malaysia showed that vulnerability, market uncertainty, rapid technological change and development, and lack of resources, especially human resources, were constraining the growth and development of these software firms. The study found that for their product development, the Malaysian ESFs lacked a clear strategic focus on developing technological superiority, and accessing multiple sources of technology. Strategies critical for software market development that need to be improved were the speed to market entry, linkage with large customers, and development of appropriate distribution channels. Long term policy, top management commitment, responsiveness to change, and creation of an innovation accepting, entrepreneurship accommodating culture were found to be important facilitators for innovating new software.

Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 2014

Patenting activities and technology diffusion in high-tech sectors are being increasingly driven ... more Patenting activities and technology diffusion in high-tech sectors are being increasingly driven by collaborative, international and technology-based new entrants. In the realm of nanotechnology, one of the most mature structures is nanowire. This paper is concerned with the technology transfer process in the nanowire field; in particular it examines how patent collaborations occur and how the key actors interact with each other to support this process. This study uses a different methodology than previous studies in terms of patent data extraction. The methodology offers a new taxonomy that could make a significant impact on accurate patent data quests and increase the reliability of patent analyses in emerging fields such as nanotechnology. As patent data are valuable sources of technology innovation data and for forecasting technical change, this study utilises patent network analysis to visualise the actors' clusters and their relationships at the organisational, national and international levels. Overall, this study proposes a new collaborative network model to assist with analysing patenting activities between actors in regard to types of linkages. Different types of linkages between countries and organisations can be found for nanowire-related patenting activities by following the proposed network model. Findings indicate that some nations have highly centralised networks where large organisations dominate most linkages, as in the case of South Korea with regard to Samsung. Nations such as the US and Japan have a more distributed network where academic and industrial players are linked with each other. In the case of China, there were mono-linkages between large organisations such as Foxconn and Tsinghua University, which was key with regard to collaborative innovation there.

Review of Income and Wealth, 1999

Several different approaches to international comparison of Total Factor Productivity (TFP) have ... more Several different approaches to international comparison of Total Factor Productivity (TFP) have now emerged. Among these are the time-series approach, the panel approach, and the cross-section approach. This paper compares methodologies of these different approaches and results that have been obtained from their application. The comparison of results is conducted in the context of two samples, namely the G7 countries and a large sample that includes developing nations. It is found that while there are broad agreements in results, there exist considerable differences too. The analysis shows how these differences can be related, in part, to differences in methodology. The paper also shows how these different approaches to international TFPcomparison can play complementary role in enhancing our understanding of such important phenomena as technological diffusion and TFP-convergence.

Pharmaceutical Research, 2004

The role of fine lactose in the dispersion of salmeterol xinafoate (SX) from lactose mixtures was... more The role of fine lactose in the dispersion of salmeterol xinafoate (SX) from lactose mixtures was studied by modifying the fine lactose concentration on the surface of the lactose carriers using wet decantation. Methods. Fine lactose was removed from lactose carriers by wet decantation using ethanol saturated with lactose. Particle sizing was achieved by laser diffraction. Fine particle fractions (FPFs) were determined by Twin Stage Impinger using a 2.5% SX mixture, and SX was analyzed by a validated high-performance liquid chromatography method. Adhesion forces between probes of SX and silica and the lactose surfaces were determined by atomic force microscopy. Results. FPFs of SX were related to fine lactose concentration in the mixture for inhalation grade lactose samples. Reductions in FPF (2tp 4-fold) of Aeroflo 95 and 65 were observed after removing fine lactose by wet decantation; FPFs reverted to original values after addition of micronized lactose to decanted mixtures. FPFs of SX of sieved and decanted fractions of Aeroflo carriers were significantly different (p < 0.001). The relationship between FPF and fine lactose concentration was linear. Decanted lactose demonstrated surface modification through increased SX-lactose adhesion forces; however, any surface modification other than removal of fine lactose only slightly influenced FPF. Conclusions. Fine lactose played a key and dominating role in controlling FPF. SX to fine lactose ratios influenced dispersion of SX with maximum dispersion occurring as the ratio approached unity.

Pharmaceutical Research, 2012

Journal of Immunological Methods, 1986

Using monoclonal antibodies the immunogenic and allergenic characteristics of rye Group 1 were re... more Using monoclonal antibodies the immunogenic and allergenic characteristics of rye Group 1 were redefined by SDS-PAGE analysis and immunoblotting. The purified rye Group I from NIH possesses a major component of approximately 34000 Da against which most of the sera from grass-sensitive patients and none from non-atopic volunteers contain specific IgE antibodies. Monoclonal antibodies to rye Group 1 were raised and used to purify the antigen and to verify the cross-reactivity between grass extracts. The 3 monoclonal antibodies studied recognized different components of timothy grass and 2 of them recognized kentucky june grass but none recognized components of ragweed extracts.

Journal of Applied Electrochemistry, 2009

... acid doped polybenzimidazole (PBI) electrolyte Dhanraj Rathod Æ Meenu Vijay Æ Nazrul Islam Æ ... more ... acid doped polybenzimidazole (PBI) electrolyte Dhanraj Rathod Æ Meenu Vijay Æ Nazrul Islam Æ Ramaiyan Kannan Æ Ulhas Kharul Æ Sreekumar Kurungot Æ Vijayamohanan Pillai ... Ramani M, Haran BS, White RE, Popov BN (2000) J Electro-chem Soc 148:374 19. ...

International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases, 2010

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most prevalent rheumatic disorders in the Asia... more Background: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most prevalent rheumatic disorders in the Asia-Pacific region. Identification of modifiable risk factors is important for development of strategies for primary and secondary prevention of knee OA. Objective: Developing a core questionnaire for identification of risk factors of knee OA at the community level. Methods: Steps performed: (1) item generation from literature, existing knee OA questionnaires and patient focus group discussions; (2) development of a preliminary APLAR-COPCORD English questionnaire; (3) translation into target language, back translation and development of a pre-final target language version; (4) adaptation of the pre-final target language version through tests of comprehensibility, content validity, test-retest reliability; and (5) finalization of the English questionnaire. Investigators in Bangladesh, Iran, China, Philippines and Indonesia participated in steps 1 and 2. Subsequent steps were carried out by Bangladeshi and Iranian investigators. Results: Fifty-three items were generated. Fourteen were obtainable from physical examination and placed in an examination sheet. Two radiological items were not included. A preliminary English questionnaire comprising the remaining 37 items was constructed and translated into Bengali and Persian. The preliminary Bengali and Persian versions were adapted as a result of tests of comprehensibility, content validity and test-retest reliability. The English questionnaire was adapted through repeated exchange of ideas and experiences among participating investigators. A 35-item English core questionnaire was finally developed. Conclusion: The questionnaires may be used to identify risk factors of knee OA in Asia-Pacific communities after validation and further adaptation. From these data strategies for primary and secondary prevention of knee OA can be developed.

International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 2001

The present study deals with a numerical investigation of steady laminar mixed convection heat tr... more The present study deals with a numerical investigation of steady laminar mixed convection heat transfer in a horizontal concentric annulus using air and water as the working fluid. Special attention has been paid to the entrance region effect. The thermal boundary condition chosen is that of uniform heat flux at the inner wall and an adiabatic outer wall. The basic