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Transplanted (T.) aman rice (Oryza sativa L.) covers the largest cultivated area in Bangladesh while very little information on molecular level characterization of T. aman genotypes persists. The major aim of this study was to dissect molecular characterization and genetic diversity of 25 T. aman rice genotypes using twelve simple sequences repeats (SSRs) markers. The rice genotypes comprised local landraces that were collected from twelve districts of Bangladesh. A total of twelve SSR primer pairs covering all 12 chromosomes of rice were selected for the study. The molecular characterization, genetic diversity, population structure and principal component analysis (PCA) were estimated and the results revealed a total of fifty alleles across 12 loci ranged from 2 (RM411) to 7 (RM252) per locus. The maximum gene diversity exhibited in RM252 (0.7) while the minimum was in RM320 (0.15). The polymorphism information content (PIC) values ranged from 0.14 to 0.67 while RM252 and RM206 identified as the most suitable markers. Clustering based on unweight pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) analysis clustered 25 genotypes into six major clusters (IVI) with similarity coefficient value of 0.34. Cluster V contained a maximum seven genotypes with 5 subgroups. Again, the population structure displayed 3 populations namely population 1, 2 and 3. These populations were clustered into the 3 major groups in the Principle Component Analysis (PCA) 2D plot. Here, PC1 and PC2 contributed 32.7% variations. However, the overall hybridization suggested between the genotypes of the population 1 and 3, specifically between clusters I and cluster VI, and between the diverse parents such as, genotypes Bohi Trimota and Ranga, Bohi Trimota and Purple Rice-2, Bohi Trimota and Purple Rice-3. These diverse clusters and genotypes identified through SSR makers are lay foundation of molecular characterization of T. aman rice genotypes in Bangladesh and further marker-assisted studies will be suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transplanted (T.) aman rice (Oryza sativa L.) covers the largest cultivated area in Bangladesh while very little information on molecular level characterization of T. aman genotypes persists. The major aim of this study was to dissect molecular characterization and genetic diversity of 25 T. aman rice genotypes using twelve simple sequences repeats (SSRs) markers. The rice genotypes comprised local landraces that were collected from twelve districts of Bangladesh. A total of twelve SSR primer pairs covering all 12 chromosomes of rice were selected for the study. The molecular characterization, genetic diversity, population structure and principal component analysis (PCA) were estimated and the results revealed a total of fifty alleles across 12 loci ranged from 2 (RM411) to 7 (RM252) per locus. The maximum gene diversity exhibited in RM252 (0.7) while the minimum was in RM320 (0.15). The polymorphism information content (PIC) values ranged from 0.14 to 0.67 while RM252 and RM206 identified as the most suitable markers. Clustering based on unweight pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) analysis clustered 25 genotypes into six major clusters (IVI) with similarity coefficient value of 0.34. Cluster V contained a maximum seven genotypes with 5 subgroups. Again, the population structure displayed 3 populations namely population 1, 2 and 3. These populations were clustered into the 3 major groups in the Principle Component Analysis (PCA) 2D plot. Here, PC1 and PC2 contributed 32.7% variations. However, the overall hybridization suggested between the genotypes of the population 1 and 3, specifically between clusters I and cluster VI, and between the diverse parents such as, genotypes Bohi Trimota and Ranga, Bohi Trimota and Purple Rice-2, Bohi Trimota and Purple Rice-3. These diverse clusters and genotypes identified through SSR makers are lay foundation of molecular characterization of T. aman rice genotypes in Bangladesh and further marker-assisted studies will be suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study sought to optimise process parameters of thermal pyrolysis of mixed waste plastic (MWP) to maximise pyrolytic oil yield. High-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS) were used as feedstocks for pyrolysis. Response surface methodology (RSM) and Box–Behnken design (BBD) were used to optimise the pyrolysis process. The optimisation was carried out by varying three independent variables, namely, reaction temperature (460–540 °C), residence time (30–150 min), and size of MWP feedstock (5–45 mm), to increase the liquid oil yield. A BBD matrix was used to generate the design of the experiments, and 15 experiments were conducted. The highest liquid oil yield of 75.14 wt% was obtained by optimising the operating parameters, which were a reaction temperature of 535.96 °C, a reaction time of 150 min, and a feedstock particle size of 23.99 mm. A model was developed to determine the relationships among the independent variables, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to investigate their impact on maximising oil yield. ANOVA results showed that the temperature and residence time had the maximum impact on oil yield, followed by feedstock size. Physicochemical analysis of the properties of the plastic pyrolytic oil (PPO) revealed that the crude PPO obtained from the MWP had higher water (0.125 wt%) and sulfur content (5.12 mg/kg) and lower flash point (<20 °C) and cetane index (32), which makes it unsuitable for use as an automobile fuel. However, these issues can be resolved by upgrading the PPO using different posttreatment techniques, such as distillation and hydrotreatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on optimizing the thermal pyrolysis process to maximize pyrolysis oil yield using marine biomass or seaweed. The process, conducted in a batch reactor, was optimized using response surface methodology and Box–Behnken design. Variables like temperature, residence time, and stirring speed were adjusted to maximize bio-oil yield. The optimal conditions yielded 42.94% bio-oil at 463.13 °C, with a residence time of 65.75 min and stirring speed of 9.74 rpm. The analysis showed that temperature is the most critical factor for maximizing yield. The bio-oil produced contains 11 functional groups, primarily phenol, aromatics, and alcohol. Its high viscosity and water content make it unsuitable for engines but suitable for other applications like boilers and chemical additives. It is recommended to explore the potential of refining the bio-oil to reduce its viscosity and water content, making it more suitable for broader applications, including in engine fuels. Further research could also investigate the environmental impact and economic feasibility of scaling up this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African American (AA) men have the highest incidence and mortality rate from Prostate cancer (PCa) than any other racial/ethnic group. To date, PCa genomic studies have largely underrepresented tumour samples from AA men. We measured genome-wide DNA methylation in benign and tumor prostate tissues from AA men using the Illumina Infunium 850 K EPIC array. mRNA expression database from a subset of the AA biospecimen were used to assess correlation of transcriptome and methylation datasets. Genome-wide methylation analysis identified 11,460 probes that were significant (p < 0.01) and differentially methylated in AA PCa compared to normal prostate tissues and showed significant (p < 0.01) inverse-correlation with mRNA expression. Ingenuity pathway analysis and Gene Ontology analysis in our AA dataset compared with TCGA dataset showed similarities in methylation patterns: top candidate genes with significant hypermethylation and corresponding down-regulated gene expression were associated with biological pathways in hemidesmosome assembly, mammary gland development, epidermis development, hormone biosynthesis, and cell communication. In addition, top candidate genes with significant hypomethylation and corresponding up-regulated gene expression were associated with biological pathways in macrophage differentiation, cAMP-dependent protein kinase activity, protein destabilization, transcription co-repression, and fatty acid biosynthesis. In contrast, differences in genome-wide methylation in our AA dataset compared with TCGA dataset were enriched for genes in steroid signalling, immune signalling, chromatin structure remodelling and RNA processing. Overall, differential methylation of AMIGO3, IER3, UPB1, GRM7, TFAP2C, TOX2, PLSCR2, ZNF292, ESR2, MIXL1, BOLL, and FGF6 were significant and uniquely associated with PCa progression in our AA cohort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of in vitro systems that allow efficient selection of probiotic candidates with immunomodulatory properties could significantly minimize the use of experimental animals. In this work, we generated an in vitro immunoassay system based on porcine intestinal epithelial (PIE) cells and dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) administration that could be useful for the selection and characterization of potential probiotic strains to be used in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. Our strategy was based on two fundamental pillars: on the one hand, the capacity of PIE cells to create a monolayer by attaching to neighboring cells and efficiently mount inflammatory responses and, on the other hand, the use of two probiotic bifidobacteria strains that have been characterized in terms of their immunomodulatory capacities, particularly in mouse IBD models and patients. Our results demonstrated that DSS administration can alter the epithelial barrier created in vitro by PIE cells and induce a potent inflammatory response, characterized by increases in the expression levels of several inflammatory factors including TNF-α, IL-1α, CCL4, CCL8, CCL11, CXCL5, CXCL9, CXCL10, SELL, SELE, EPCAM, VCAM, NCF2, and SAA2. In addition, we demonstrated that Bifidobacterium breve M-16V and B. longum BB536 are able to regulate the C-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) intracellular signalling pathway, reducing the DSS-induced alterations of the in vitro epithelial barrier and differentially regulating the inflammatory response in a strain-dependent fashion. The good correlation between our in vitro findings in PIE cells and previous studies in animal models and IBD patients shows the potential value of our system to select new probiotic candidates in an efficient way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, methanolic crude extracts of Stephania japonica (Thunb.) Miers. (MESJ) whole plants were examined for possible antidepressant and sedative-hypnotic activities. Herein, the forced swimming test and tail suspension test were conducted to explore the antidepressant activity. In addition, the open field test and hole-board test were performed to evaluate the sedative-hypnotic activities. In the acute toxicity test, the MESJ ensured safety up to a dose of 2000 mg/kg, p.o. The experimental doses were 100 and 200 mg/kg p.o. In both the forced swimming test and tail suspension test, the extract significantly (p<0.01 and p<0.05) inhibited immobility time in a dose dependent manner compared to the control. These results (13.56-26.46% inhibition) indicate the mild antidepressant activity of MESJ compared to nortriptyline (60.4-64.6% inhibition). The open field test and hole-board test demonstrated the dose dependent significant (p<0.001, p<0.01 and p<0.05) and moderate sedative-hypnotic activities of the extract compared to diazepam. However, these activities were found to gradually decrease after 60 min in the open field test and must be considered as short-term activities, compared to diazepam. It can be claimed that the methanolic crude extract of Stephania japonica possesses mild antidepressant and moderate but short-term sedative-hypnotic activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The present work investigates the effect of various solution parameters and electrospinning parameters on the characteristics of electrospun nanofibrous membranes. Scanning electron microscopy was used to analyze the surface morphology of the nanofibrous membrane. Adsorption test on methyl orange was also carried out and analyzed using the UV-vis. Results showed that increasing voltage decreased mean nanofiber diameter. Meanwhile, increasing PMMA concentration, feed rate, distance between collector-and-needle tip increased mean nanofiber diameter. Zeolite concentration and needle size did not affect the surface morphology significantly. The UV-vis spectra of the adsorption test showed that ∼93%, 85.5%, and 78% of methyl orange were adsorbed for 30, 50, and 100 mg L−1 initial dye concentration, respectively, within 11 min. The maximum adsorption capacity was found to be 95.33 mg g−1. Therefore, PMMA/zeolite nanofibrous membranes possess the adsorption capability toward effective dye removal. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 44450. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gift tax has been in the Bangladeshi Tax Laws since 1985 (amended in 1990) but collection from this source is very limited. The study examined the level of compliance (why gift tax is not collected) of gift tax among taxpayers in Dhaka City. In order to carry out the study, a total 200 respondents were sampled using the random sampling technique. The collected data were analyzed using hypothesis testing. The results of the study revealed that the level of compliance of gift tax is very low. The key reason identified by the study for the low level of compliance with gift tax among Bangladeshi taxpayers is unawareness of gift tax obligations; practice of deception to pay, apathy of tax enforcing officials and complexity of payment system. The study therefore recommends that the Bangladeshi Tax Authority step up consciousness on the gift tax law to improve revenue from gift tax. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  Submicron fibers of medium-molecular-weight poly(vinyl alcohol) (MMW-PVA), high-molecular-weight poly(vinyl alcohol) (HMW-PVA), and montmorillonite clay (MMT) in aqueous solutions were prepared by electrospinning technique. The effect of HMW-PVA and MMT on the morphology and mechanical properties of the MMW-PVA/HMW-PVA/MMT nanofibers were investigated for the first time. Scanning electron microscopy, viscometer, tensile strength testing machine, thermal gravimetric analyzer (TGA), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were utilized to characterize the PVA/MMT nanofibers morphology and properties. The MMW-PVA/HMW-PVA ratios and MMT concentration played important roles in nanofiber's properties. TEM data demonstrated that exfoliated MMT layers were well distributed within nanofibers. It was also found that the mechanical property and thermal stability were increased with HMW-PVA and MMT contents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  Penetration of liquid by passive impregnation method for Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii Franco), sugi (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) and Japanese larch (Larix leptolepis Gordon) was studied. Effects of initial moisture content of sugi (16, 43 and 70% moisture content) on liquid penetration were also studied. Dried Douglas-fir (mc=14%) and sugi (mc=16%), and green Japanese larch (mc=45%) and sugi (mc=70%) were treated by passive impregnation method for penetration analysis. It was observed that dried sugi had the highest level of liquid penetration both in length (170 mm) and width (8 mm) for all measured sections followed by green sugi, green Japanese larch and dried Douglas-fir. In case of different initial moisture content, the highest absorption (624 kg/m3) and penetration (maximum 87 and 96% at cross and longitudinal surfaces, respectively) was observed for sugi having the lowest initial moisture content under the same passive impregnation conditions. Absorption and penetration decreased with the increase of initial moisture content for sugi. These results could help in designing incising pattern and density, as well as solving the problems related to high initial moisture content of wood for passive impregnation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  Laser incised dry (mc=18%) and green (mc=33%) Douglas-fir was treated by the passive impregnation method of wood preservation having two different incising densities (7500 and 10000 holes/m2) and dipping times (3 and 12 hours). A 0.68% active ingredient solution of Copper Azole Type B (Tanalith CY) preservative was used in this study. The preservative retention and penetrated area were measured. The total preservative retention varied from 1.61 to 2.68 kg/m3 depending on the moisture content of wood and conditions of preservation, and in all cases it surpassed the minimum retention requirement for above ground use. The maximum penetrated area for dry lumber (mc=18%) was 96 and 88% across and along the grain, respectively. For green lumber (mc=33%), it was 90 and 85% across and along the grain, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  Estrogen mediates its action following binding to the estrogen receptor to form an estrogen–receptor complex. The complex initiates gene transcription and produces estrogen-induced cell and/or tissue responses, i.e., estrogenic actions. High doses of estrogen can be used effectively as a contraceptive but are associated with side effects. Considering the long-term benefit-to-risk ratio of estrogen analogs as oral contraceptives, the present study was performed to deduce the active pharmacophore features required to differentiate the anti-fertility potency from the estrogenic activity of the steroidal motif. Implementing classical quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) studies, substitution by an electron-donating group at the C17 position and the presence of a hydrogen bond acceptor at C11, along with the orientation and conformational rigidity of the molecule, were found to be critically important features for estrogenic potency, including anti-fertility activity. However, low electron density at C2 and high electronegativity at C16, which may be due to substitution on those and/or neighboring atoms, favor contraceptive potency, whereas high electron density at C5 and substitution by an electron-withdrawing group at C7, which may confer hydrophobicity on the steroidal scaffold and an overall increment of electron affinity of the molecule, are favorable for estrogenicity. Further CATALYST-based 3D space modeling demonstrates that the presence of the aromatic ring (ring A), hydrophobic zone (ring B), and hydrogen bond acceptor at C17 in ring D, along with steric influence due to conformational rigidity of the compound, impart estrogenic contraceptive activity, but the presence of a second acceptor in ring A, and the critical distances between these features, selectively differentiate the anti-fertility potency from the estrogenic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  One of the demands for three dimensional (3D) finite element analyses is the development of an automatic hexahedral mesh generator. For this problem, several methods have been proposed by many researchers. However, reliable automatic hexahedral mesh generation has not been developed at present. In this paper, a new strategy of fully automatic hexahedral mesh generation is proposed. In this strategy, the prerequisite for generating a hexahedral mesh is a quadrilateral surface mesh. From the given surface mesh, combinatorial dual cycles (sheet loops for the whisker-weaving algorithm) are generated to produce a hexahedral mesh. Since generating a good quality hexahedral mesh does not depend only on the quality of quadrilaterals of the surface mesh but also on the quality of the sheet loops generated from it, a surface mesh modification method to remove self-intersections from sheet loops is developed. Next, an automatic hexahedral mesh generator by the improved whisker-weaving algorithm is developed in this paper. By creating elements and nodes on 3D real space during the weaving process, it becomes possible to generate a hexahedral mesh with fewer bad-quality elements. Several examples will be presented to show the validity of the proposed mesh generation strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  Square lumber specimens of laser-incised Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii Franco) were treated with steam before dipping. Two types of steam (saturated steam and superheated steam), three steam-injection times (5, 10, and 20 min), four different time intervals (moving time) between steam treatment and dipping (immediate, 3, 10, and 30 min), and four different dipping times (0.5, 1, 3, and 12 h) were used in the study. The maximum absorption was 480 kg/m3 when saturated steam was injected for 20 min and the specimen was immediately dipped into liquid for 12 h. Samples treated with this condition not only absorbed the maximum amount of liquid but also penetrated over 83.4% and 87.3% of the total area along and across the grain, respectively. The optimum conditions were then applied to laser-incised sugi (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) and Japanese larch (Larix leptolepis Gordon) where the absorption of liquid was 415 and 187 kg/m3, respectively. It was shown that initial moisture content below the fiber saturation point was good for passive impregnation. The absorption of liquid and its distribution in wood indicates that it can be a good preservative treatment method for impermeable woods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  In addition to 2,13- and 3,13-octadecadien-1-ols and their acetates, aldehyde analogs have been identified from lepidopteran species in the family Sesiidae. To establish a reliable analytical method for determining the positions and configurations of the two double bonds in natural pheromone components, all geometric isomers of the 2,13- and 3,13-octadecadienals were synthesized by Dess-Martin oxidation of the corresponding alcohols with limited isomerization of the double bond at the 2- or 3-position. GC-MS analysis of these aldehydes showed isomerization of (Z)-2-, (Z)-3-, and (E)-3-double bonds to an (E)-2-double bond, even with a cool on-column injection. In contrast, HPLC analysis with an ODS column was accomplished without isomerization. The geometric isomers of each dienal eluted in the order ZZ → EZ → ZE → EE. The conjugated 2,13-dienals were detectable in nanogram amounts with a UV detector at 235 nm. Whereas the detection of 3,13-dienals was difficult because of the lack of a chromophore, a highly sensitive analysis was achieved after derivatization with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine. LC-MS with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization showed a strong [M-1]- at m/z 443 for the derivatives. Based on these analytical data, a pheromone extract of a sesiid moth, Macroscelesia japona, was examined by HPLC and LC-MS, and it was confirmed that the octadecadienal tentatively identified by a previous GC-MS analysis did indeed have the 2E,13Z configuration. Furthermore, field evaluation of four synthetic geometric isomers of the 2,13-dienal revealed specific attraction to a lure with the (2E,13Z)-isomer as a main component. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  The fish assemblage of a traditional Kata fishery and the stomach contents of Wallago attu were studied over a period of one year from a large floodplain system in Bangladesh. A total of 19 species of fish and 2 species of shrimp were recorded. W. attu (9.7–17.8%), Mystus vittatus (6.0–11.3%), M. aor (5.0–12.1%), Amblypharyngodon mola (4.4–9.3%) and Mastacembelus armatus (3.5–10.5%) dominated the catch. W.␣attu occupied the top position in abundance throughout the year, followed by M. vittatus and M. aor. Bagridae, Siluridae and Cyprinidae were three major families that contributed respectively 21.0, 17.4 and 16.1% of the total catch. Considerable seasonality was observed in the abundance of different fishes. A total of 14 different prey items were recorded, belonging to three major groups (fish, prawn and plant matters). The fish fed on at least eight species of small fishes (A. mola, M. vittatus, M. cavasius, Puntius stigma, P. ticto, Puntius sp., Glossogobius guris, and Heteropneustes fossilis) and some other unidentified small fishes. Other major prey items were small prawn, fish and prawn remains, and macroalgae. A. mola was the most important food item, contributing 23.7% of the total amount of diet by weight and 19.9% by frequency of occurrence. A. mola was followed by unidentified small prawn (13.7%), M. vittatus (13.1%), and unidentified small fishes (8.8%) by weight and by unidentified small fishes (15.9%), fish remains (12.5%), and M.␣vittatus (12.3%) by occurrence. Of the major diet categories, fish contributed 74.3% of the total diet by weight and 80.9% by occurrence, prawn contributed 18.5% by weight and 11.0% by occurrence and plants contributed 7.2% by weight and 8.1% by occurrence. A. mola and small shrimps were positively selected by W. attu. We concluded that W. attu is a piscivorous predator with potential impacts on prey fish communities; we also hypothesized that a specialized food-web based on the Kata fishery exists in and around the Katas which is of particular ecological significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual and reproductive health education is not yet formally introduced in Bangladesh without which the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo's goal to ensure young people's right to access to such information and services will remain unfulfilled. The Population Council provided technical assistance to a governmental department to pilot youth reproductive health education. Study findings from the pre- and posttests of 379 matched respondents revealed significant changes in knowledge, attitudes, and life-skills. Knowledge about long-term contraceptives and skills on negotiating safe sex improved significantly by 63% and 26%, respectively. Youths who do not consider menstruation as a disease nearly doubled, and misunderstandings about the mother's role in sex determination of a child were significantly dispelled. Decisions not to accompany friends in visiting sex workers and to use condoms, ignoring friends' disapproval, were increased over 18%. Over 98% of students reported that teachers discussed condoms, while only 12% alleged unfriendly behavior. Findings motivated the department to scale up the reproductive health curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This study investigates the water availability scenario along Tokyo Metropolitan Area (TMA) under future climatic changes. TMA, which depends largely on the adjacent Tone river for its water supply, suffers from water shortage almost once in 2–3 yr. A methodology was developed considering integrated approach to ascertain probable impact of climatic changes on the overall water availability along the Tone river and its impact on TMA. Historical trend in hydro-climatic characteristics of the Tone River basin was investigated at the first place to assess the changes and interrelationships. A deterministic water balance model was later developed, integrating natural hydrological balance as well as several water uses and river regulation effects. The natural water balance part of the model was tested for some hypothetical climate change scenarios to observe the sensitivity of the Tone river flow to climatic perturbations. For the worst scenario of precipitation and temperature changes, the unregulated Tone river flow was observed to be reduced by around 20–50%, varying over different months. After considering river regulation effects from reservoirs and diversion, the regulated flow was further analyzed based on some risk indices. Drought risk was observed to be increased significantly for the periods between April–July. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  The present study was undertaken to observe the effects of chemical fertilizers and compost amendments on microbial community structure in rice based cropping system under long term fertilizer application experiment. Changes in microbial community structure assessed by the relative abundance of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) profiles revealed that compost amendments led to promoting the abundance of Gram-positive bacterial FAMEs. Multivariate analysis of FAME profiles separated the treatments primarily on the basis of the amount of added compost. A link between different fertilizer application treatment and soil microbial components was tentatively established, but it needs to be verified in further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]