The present study aimed to investigate whether phagocytic immune cells infiltrate into bovine adipose tissue (AT) and to study the effects of lactation and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) supplementation on the invasion of phagocytic immune cells into different s.c. and visceral (v.c.) fat depots of primiparous dairy cows during the first 105 d in milk (DIM). German Holstein-Friesian cows (HF; n = 25) with a mean body condition score of 3.0 were divided into a control (CON) and a CLA group. From 1 DIM until sample collection, CLA cows were fed 100 g of CLA supplement/d (about 6% of c9,t11 and t10,c12 isomers each), whereas the CON cows received 100 g/d of a fatty acid mixture instead of CLA. The CON cows (n = 5 each) were slaughtered at 1, 42, and 105 DIM, and the CLA cows (n = 5 each) were slaughtered at 42 and 105 DIM. Adipose tissues (n = 150) from 3s.c. (tailhead, withers, and sternum) and 3 v.c. (omental, mesenteric, and retroperitoneal) depots were sampled. In addition, s.c. tailhead biopsies were collected by repeated surgical biopsies (3 samplings within 7 wk; n = 36) from 12 nonpregnant, nonlactating Simmental heifers (SM; mean body condition score = 5.0) fed diets of varying energy density to compare the changes in phagocytic immune cell infiltration with early lactating cows. Immunohistochemical analyses of different fat depots revealed a low incidence of phagocytic immune cell infiltration in early lactating cows. The portion of infiltrating macrophages (CD68+) in a few positive AT samples of HF cows was slightly lower in s.c. than v.c. fat and was positively correlated with both empty body weight and adipocyte size. However, no differences with regard to DIM and CLA supplementation were observed in HF cows. Increased accumulation of phagocytic immune cells, albeit at low cell numbers, in nonpregnant, over-conditioned SM heifers might be related to larger adipocytes secreting higher amounts of chemoattractant adipokines compared with the early lactating cows. In conclusion, the extent of fatness in HF cows may not be high enough to stimulate significant infiltration of phagocytic cells in AT and, therefore, these immune cells might have no major role in the immunologic and metabolic adaptations of AT during early lactation.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of lactation and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) supplementation on adipocyte sizes of subcutaneous (s.c.) and visceral (VC) fat depots in primiparous dairy cows during the first 105 d in milk (DIM). German Holstein heifers (n=25) were divided into a control (CON) and a CLA group. From 1 DIM until sample collection, CLA cows were fed 100g of CLA supplement/d (about 6% of c9,t11 and t10,c12 isomers each), whereas the CON cows received 100g of fatty acid mixture/d instead of CLA. The CON cows (n=5 each) were slaughtered at 1, 42, and 105 DIM, and the CLA cows (n=5 each) were slaughtered at 42 and 105 DIM. Adipose tissues from 3s.c. depots (tailhead, withers, and sternum) and from 3 VC depots (omental, mesenteric, and retroperitoneal) were sampled. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was done to measure adipocyte area (μm(2)). Retroperitoneal adipocyte sizes were mostly larger than adipocytes from the other sites, independent of lactation time and treatment. Significant changes related to duration of lactation were limited to retroperitoneal fat: adipocyte sizes were significantly smaller at 105 DIM than at 1 DIM in CON cows. Adipocyte sizes were decreased in s.c. depots from the tailhead at 105 DIM and from the sternum at 42 DIM in CLA versus CON cows, whereas for VC depots, adipocyte sizes were decreased in mesenteric fat at 42 and 105 DIM, and in omental and retroperitoneal fat, at 105 DIM in CLA versus CON cows. Within the CLA group, adipocyte sizes were smaller in the s.c. depot from the tailhead at 105 DIM than at 42 DIM. Adipocyte sizes and depot weights were significantly correlated in s.c. depots (r=0.795) in the CLA group and in retroperitoneal fat both in the CON (r=0.698) and the CLA (r=0.723) group. In conclusion, CLA-induced decreases in adipocyte size indicate lipolytic or antilipogenic effects of CLA, or both effects, on adipose tissue in primiparous dairy cows.

COVID-19 worsened urban slum dwellers’ pre-existing vulnerabilities. Maintaining WHO-suggested physical distancing/isolation made planning more challenging in slums. This incites the need to investigating whether these resource-scarce communities – already susceptible to climate change, poverty, health services, infrastructure, and space constraints, could build resilience against COVID-19. What lack of resources/assets made communities vulnerable there and what adaptation measures were taken? What planning/management practices were adopted there, and to what extent WHO’s IPC guidelines (on transmission prevention and control) could be followed? Findings show that Pre-COVID-19 economic, infrastructural, and health-related issues had clearly affected slum dwellers’ COVID-19-time vulnerabilities. While poor infrastructure and sanitation, informal employment, livelihood diversity, superstition, and comorbidities remained the key ‘internal’ issues, lack of institutional preparedness and safety-net programs, discontinued municipal services and inaccessible/untrustworthy healthcare services and corruption/bias/non-coordination in beneficiary selection remained the key ‘external’ issues. Information sharing, openness to pandemic knowledge, and dwellers’ active participation in awareness/training programs have been the most adopted measures. Aid schemes, despite criticisms, saved dwellers from starvation. Therefore, this proved to be a key coping element. However, NGOs systematic monetary aid gave dwellers most flexibility in spending. On top, NGOs proved to be the most vital external stakeholder in all sectors except for built environment/planning. To increase adaptive capacity, scopes remain in maximizing the use of community infrastructure in future events. Simultaneously, spatial aspects, alongside the non-spatial seemed crucial in tackling complex poverty-profiles, resource-scarcity, and vulnerabilities of slums. Findings are based on NGO BRAC’s existing dataset and fieldworks between April-August 2020 on 29 slums in Khulna, Bangladesh using a qualitative methodology. The study contributes to a growing body of knowledge and practice on resilient planning for COVID-19 (and similar future pandemics), especially for slums, while addressing its overlooked spatial dimensions.

Highlights The psychological stress and past trauma of refugees often force them to misunderstand the severity of COVID-19. The attempts of health care providers and aid agencies in the Rohingya refugee camps are limited to follow international/national guidelines to protect against the COVID-19 outbreak. The roles of local mediators to integrate the healthcare policies and the voices of the refugees are crucial to tackling COVID-19.

The present study was designed to assess the comparative profitability of selected winter vegetables: namely tomato, cauliflower and cabbage. In total, 90 farmers (30 each growing tomato, cauliflower and cabbage) were randomly selected from two villages under Shibpur Upazila in Narsingdi district. Both tabular and quantitative analyses were done to achieve the major objectives of the study. The major findings of the study revealed that production of all the selected vegetables were profitable. The per hectare gross cost of production of tomato, cauliflower and cabbage were Tk. 118000, 116977 and 120522, respectively and the corresponding gross returns were Tk. 217020, 210000 and 220000, respectively. The per hectare net returns of producing tomato, cauliflower and cabbage were Tk. 97000, 93023 and 99478, respectively. In other words, all the selected winter vegetables were highly profitable to the farmers. However, the farmers earned the highest profit from cabbage. The revenue type Cobb-Douglas production function analysis indicated that per hectare gross returns were significantly influenced by the use of human labour, tillage, seeds, fertilizers, irrigation and insecticides. These factors were directly or jointly responsible for influencing the per hectare gross returns of tomato, cauliflower and cabbage. The study reported some problems and constraints which are related to production and marketing of these vegetables. Based on the findings of the study, some recommendations were made to improve cultural and management practices for selected winter vegetables farming with a view to increase the income and employment opportunities of the farmers.