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Background Parkinson's disease (PD) diagnosis is mainly based on clinical criteria, with a high risk of misdiagnosis. The identification of reliable biomarkers for disease diagnosis and progression has a key role for developing disease‐modifying therapies. In this article, we investigated the longitudinal changes of CSF α‐synuclein species in early PD patients and explored the potential use of these species as surrogate biomarkers for PD progression. Methods We used our newly developed enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay systems for measuring different forms of α‐synuclein, such as oligomeric‐α‐synuclein, phosphorylated‐α‐synuclein at serine 129, or total‐α‐synuclein in CSF from the longitudinal Deprenyl and Tocopherol Antioxidative Therapy for Parkinsonism study cohort (n = 121). CSF Alzheimer's disease biomarkers (total‐tau, phosphorylated‐tau, Aβ40, and Aβ42) were also measured for this cohort. Results Interestingly, total‐α‐synuclein and oligomeric‐α‐synuclein levels significantly increased during the 2‐year Deprenyl and Tocopherol Antioxidative Therapy for Parkinsonism study follow‐up period, whereas phosphorylated‐α‐synuclein at serine 129 levels showed a longitudinal decrease. We have also noted an association between a change of the oligomeric‐α‐synuclein/total‐α‐synuclein ratio and a worsening of motor signs, in particular in the postural‐instability and gait‐difficulty dominant PD group. A strong positive correlation between the changes in CSF total‐α‐synuclein and oligomeric‐α‐synuclein during the 2‐year Deprenyl and Tocopherol Antioxidative Therapy for Parkinsonism study was also noted (r = 0.84, P

Mitochondria have their own translational machineries for the synthesis of thirteen polypeptide chains that are components of the complexes that participate in the process of oxidative phosphorylation (or ATP generation). Translation initiation in mammalian mitochondria requires two initiation factors, IF2mt and IF3mt, instead of the three that are present in eubacteria. The mammalian IF2mt possesses a unique 37 amino acid insertion domain, which is known to be important for the formation of the translation initiation complex. We have obtained a three-dimensional cryoelectron microscopic map of the mammalian IF2mt in complex with initiator and the eubacterial ribosome. We find that the 37 amino acid insertion domain interacts with the same binding site on the ribosome that would be occupied by the eubacterial initiation factor IF1, which is absent in mitochondria. Our finding suggests that the insertion domain of IF2mt mimics the function of eubacterial IF1, by blocking the ribosomal aminoacyl-tRNA binding site (A site) at the initiation step.

The study tried to find out the best ARIMA model that could be used to make efficient forecast of inland, marine and total fish production in Bangladesh. It also tried to find out the best deterministic type growth model that are commonly used to describe growth pattern and also for forecasting. It appeared from the study that all the time series were second order homogeneous nonstationary. The total and inland production followed a second order integrated moving average process of order one. The process of generating the marine production was different from the other two processes. The second differenced marine production was simply a white noise. The fitness of the models was very satisfactory and forecasts obtained using them had very low standard errors. The forecasted total fish productions in 2000-01 to 2000-05 are 1763, 1867, 1974, 2085 and 2199 thousandlons. The best deterministic type growth models were quadratic for total and inland fish production and cubic for marine production. It also appeared that ARIMA models are the best for short term forecasting compared to the deterministic models.

The study tried to find out appropriate models using seven contemporary model selection criteria that could best describe the growth pattern of rice production in Bangladesh and in its foil regions (former divisions) Chittagong, Dhaka. Khulna and Rajshahi during the time period 1973/74 to 2000/01. It appeared from the study that the best fitting model for rice production in the whole country and in Dhaka was the cubic model. For Chittagong the quadratic model was the best. It means that the assumption of constant annual rate of growth in percent that lies behind the use of exponential/compound model, which was very common to use in describing growth pattern, was not true for the growth pattern of rice production in the country as a whole and also in its two regions Dhaka and Chittagong. In other words, in these regions and in the country as a whole the growth rates were different over different time points. The variation of the growth rate in the country as a whole was 1.38 to 5.76 percent, in Dhaka -1.09 to 13.01 percent and in Chittagong 0.92 to 2.06 percent during the study period. In Khulna and Rajshahi regions the exponential/compound model seemed to be appropriate. The rice production in Khulna grew at the constant rate of 2.6 percent, on the average, per year and in Rajshahi at the rate of 3.3 percent throughout the study period. Five-year forecasts were also made for each of the four regions and for the country as a whole using the best fitted models.

The study tried to find out appropriate models using seven contemporary model selection criteria that could best describe the growth pattern of rice production in Bangladesh and in its foil regions (former divisions) Chittagong, Dhaka. Khulna and Rajshahi during the time period 1973/74 to 2000/01. It appeared from the study that the best fitting model for rice production in the whole country and in Dhaka was the cubic model. For Chittagong the quadratic model was the best. It means that the assumption of constant annual rate of growth in percent that lies behind the use of exponential/compound model, which was very common to use in describing growth pattern, was not true for the growth pattern of rice production in the country as a whole and also in its two regions Dhaka and Chittagong. In other words, in these regions and in the country as a whole the growth rates were different over different time points. The variation of the growth rate in the country as a whole was 1.38 to 5.76 percent, in Dhaka -1.09 to 13.01 percent and in Chittagong 0.92 to 2.06 percent during the study period. In Khulna and Rajshahi regions the exponential/compound model seemed to be appropriate. The rice production in Khulna grew at the constant rate of 2.6 percent, on the average, per year and in Rajshahi at the rate of 3.3 percent throughout the study period. Five-year forecasts were also made for each of the four regions and for the country as a whole using the best fitted models.

This study aims at estimating gross and net technical efficiencies using four alternative Cobb- Douglas stochastic production frontiers. This study reveals that production of wheat in Bangladesh is profitable and small farmers earned significantly higher yield and net returns per hectare than other fart groups. Technical efficiency scores estimated from different models vary from 46 percent to 99 percent and the maximum efficiency attained at the level 90-100 percent. Average gross technical efficiency varies from 86 to 89 percent whereas average net technical efficiency varies from 90 to 92 percent. This study also reveals that wheat output can be increased in the range 8-11 percent by using the existing resources and technology. It is obvious that environmental factors have positive impact on both production and technical efficiency. The development of advanced technology is the only option to increase wheat production in the long-run.

This study aims at estimating gross and net technical efficiencies using four alternative Cobb- Douglas stochastic production frontiers. This study reveals that production of wheat in Bangladesh is profitable and small farmers earned significantly higher yield and net returns per hectare than other fart groups. Technical efficiency scores estimated from different models vary from 46 percent to 99 percent and the maximum efficiency attained at the level 90-100 percent. Average gross technical efficiency varies from 86 to 89 percent whereas average net technical efficiency varies from 90 to 92 percent. This study also reveals that wheat output can be increased in the range 8-11 percent by using the existing resources and technology. It is obvious that environmental factors have positive impact on both production and technical efficiency. The development of advanced technology is the only option to increase wheat production in the long-run.

This article 'Estimating Rat Damage in Deep Water Rice' appeared in the International Rice Research Newsletter series, created by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). The primary objective of this publication was to expedite communication among scientists concerned with the development of improved technology for rice and for rice based cropping systems. This publication will report what scientists are doing to increase the production of rice in as much as this crop feeds the most densely populated and land scarce nations in the world.

This article 'Burrowing Pattern of Bandicoot Rats in Deep Water Rice Fields' appeared in the International Rice Research Newsletter series, created by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). The primary objective of this publication was to expedite communication among scientists concerned with the development of improved technology for rice and for rice based cropping systems. This publication will report what scientists are doing to increase the production of rice in as much as this crop feeds the most densely populated and land scarce nations in the world.

This article 'Bandicoot Rat Damage in Deep Water Rice Fields' appeared in the International Rice Research Newsletter series, created by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). The primary objective of this publication was to expedite communication among scientists concerned with the development of improved technology for rice and for rice based cropping systems. This publication will report what scientists are doing to increase the production of rice in as much as this crop feeds the most densely populated and land scarce nations in the world.