BRAC University Institutional Repository
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Faculty members and students are invited to submit their research publications, theses, dissertations, and scholarly works to increase visibility, access, and long-term preservation.
Recent Submissions
Advancing exchange rate forecasting: leveraging machine learning and AI for enhanced accuracy in global financial markets
(Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2025-01-01) Rahat, Md. Yeasin; Gupta, Rajan Das; Rahman, Nur Raisa; Pritom, Sudipto Roy; Shakir, Samiur Rahman; Showmick, Md Imrul Hasan; Hossen, Md. Jakir; Department of Computer Science and Engineering
The prediction of foreign exchange rates, such as the US Dollar (USD) to Bangladeshi Taka (BDT), plays a pivotal role in global financial markets, influencing trade, investments, and economic stability. This study leverages historical USD/BDT exchange rate data from 2018 to 2023, sourced from Yahoo Finance, to develop advanced machine learning models for accurate forecasting. A Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) neural network is employed, achieving an exceptional accuracy of 99.449%, a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 0.9858, and a test loss of 0.8523, significantly outperforming traditional methods like ARIMA (RMSE 1.342). Additionally, a Gradient Boosting Classifier (GBC) is applied for directional prediction, with back testing on a $10,000 initial capital revealing a 40.82% profitable trade rate, though resulting in a net loss of $20,653.25 over 49 trades. The study analyzes historical trends, showing a decline in BDT/USD rates from 0.012 to 0.009, and incorporates normalized daily returns to capture volatility. These findings highlight the potential of deep learning in forex forecasting, offering traders and policymakers robust tools to mitigate risks. Future work could integrate sentiment analysis and real-time economic indicators to further enhance model adaptability in volatile markets.
Association of catechol-o-methyltransferase (COMT) gene rs4680 polymorphism and risk of obsessive-compulsive disorder in a clinically characterized Bangladeshi cohort
(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2026-12-01) Rahman, Ahmad Niaz; Gomes, Marline; Qusar, M.M.A. Shalahuddin; Shahriar, Mohammad; Bhuiyan, Mohiuddin Ahmed; Islam, Md. Rabiul; Nahar, Zabun; School of Pharmacy
Background: The catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene is crucial for breaking down dopamine. The Val158Met polymorphism (rs4680) affects its enzymatic activity. Our study aims to assess the association of the rs4680 (Val158Met) polymorphism in the COMT gene with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) among Bangladeshi population. Methods: We conducted a case-control study with 90 OCD patients and 90 healthy controls, matched by age and gender. The participants had been recruited from the Psychiatry Department of Bangladesh Medical University (BMU), Dhaka. Genomic DNA was isolated from each participant’s blood sample, and the genotyping of the rs4680 polymorphism was investigated utilizing PCR-RFLP analysis. Results: The GA genotype was detected at a significantly greater frequency in OCD patients (38.89%) than in the control group (21.11%) (OR = 2.59, p = 0.005). The A allele also showed a significant association with OCD risk (OR = 2.41, p = 0.002). Female patients demonstrated stronger associations in the GA genotype comparison (OR = 2.89, p = 0.025), dominant model (OR = 3.22, p = 0.010), and A allele comparison (OR = 2.84, p = 0.007), whereas male patients showed no statistically significant associations. Conclusion: The findings of our study suggest that the COMT Val158Met polymorphism may have association with OCD risk in this cohort, with an increased susceptibility found among females. The A allele was also significantly linked to increased OCD risk in females, but not in males. More extensive studies are necessary to explore these observations with larger and more diverse populations. Clinical trial number: Not applicable. © The Author(s) 2026.
Evaluation of serum GDNF, TIMP4, and tPA levels in generalized anxiety disorder: a case–control study
(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2026-12-01) Karmakar, Provati; Qusar, M. M. A. Shalahuddin; Islam, Md. Rabiul
Background: Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a psychological condition marked by persistent, overwhelming concern and intensified anxiety reactions that surpass situational stimuli, profoundly impacting social, vocational, and daily activities. Emerging evidence indicates that altered levels of cytokines and other biomarkers may contribute to mental disorders; however, knowledge on GDNF, TIMP4, and tPA with GAD remains ambiguous, limited, and inconsistent. The objective of this study was to evaluate their association with the pathophysiology of GAD. Methods: This case–control study enrolled 101 GAD patients from the National Institute of Mental Health Hospital in Dhaka and 101 healthy controls from several sites across Dhaka city. The participants were assessed by a qualified psychiatrist according to DSM-5 criteria. To determine the severity of GAD symptoms, the GAD-7 scale was employed. Serum levels of GDNF, TIMP4, and tPA were quantified by ELISA methods. Results: We found elevated serum GDNF levels in patients compared to control subjects. This increment demonstrated a significantly positive correlation with the patients' GAD severity. The ROC analysis of serum GDNF levels revealed diagnostic efficacy, with a sensitivity of 79.2% and a specificity of 74.7%. Furthermore, patients with GAD showed reduced serum TIMP4 levels than controls. This reduction exhibited a significantly negative correlation with the severity of GAD in patients. The ROC analysis of serum TIMP4 levels indicated diagnostic performance, with sensitivity and specificity of 75.2% and 78.2%, respectively. Additionally, a significant negative correlation was observed between serum GDNF and TIMP4 levels. However, we noted no such changes in serum tPA levels in GAD. Conclusions: The current study demonstrates the altered serum GDNF and TIMP4 levels may be associated with the pathophysiology of GAD. The findings emphasize the potential of GDNF and TIMP4 for risk evaluation and therapeutic response for GAD. © The Author(s) 2026.
System design of two wheeler self-balanced vehicle
(Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2014-01-22) Rumi, Sheikh Mohibul Islam; Hossain, Mehdi Fakid; Islam, I.S.M. Shanamul; Rahman, Md. Khalilur
Any two wheeler vehicles usually cannot balance by itself when it is in rest or running at a lower speed. The purpose of this research is to make a vehicle that would be stable by itself in such situations and can be stabilized against any physical impact. Two heavy rotating disks with hub motors have been used here to develop the mechanism of compensating the tilt of the vehicle and get it stabilized. To measure the tilt angle, an android device has been used and then the angle of tilt has sent to a Bluetooth receiver which is connected with the vehicle. An android application has been developed which takes the tilt angle as input from its gyroscope and sends data to that receiver accordingly. This arduino controls the motor which has been used to control the tilt direction of both of the rotating disks according to the signal. This vehicle is designed to provide the safety that two wheeler vehicle does not have during an impact or at zero velocity. Hence, this research is aimed to design a safe, cost effective and fuel efficient self-balanced vehicle for third world countries like Bangladesh.
Prospective Asian plants with corroborated antiviral potentials: Position standing in recent years
(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2022-12-01) Ashrafi, Sania; Rahman, Mamunur; Ahmed, Pollob; Alam, Safaet; Hossain, Md. Abid; School of Pharmacy
Viral diseases are extremely widespread infections caused by viruses. Amongst numerous other illnesses, viral infections have challenged human existence severely. Over the history of mankind, new viruses have emerged and presented us with new tests. The range of viral infections varies from familiar infectious diseases such as the common cold, flu, and warts to severe ailments such as AIDS, Ebola, and COVID-19. The world has been racing to find an effective cure for the newly evolving viruses. Toxic effects, non-selectivity, drug resistance, and high price are the most common complications of conventional treatment procedures. Nature is a marvelous source of phytoconstituents with incredible varieties of biological activities. By tradition, medicinal plants have been utilized for the treatment of countless infectious diseases worldwide, some of which contain a broad spectrum of activities. Modern drug discovery and development techniques offer highly efficient separation techniques, inauguration of vector-based schemes where the original infectious virus is cloned to the non-infectious one for antiviral screening targets. The objective of the review was to gather available data on 20 both cultivated and native plants of Asia giving antiviral activities and provide comprehensive information on the phytochemical analysis of the plants and potential antiviral compounds isolated from these plants. © 2022, The Author(s).