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Zinc (Zn)-based alloys and composites are gaining increasing interest as promising biodegradable implant materials due to their appropriate biodegradation rates and biological functionalities. However, the inadequate mechanical strength and ductility of pure Zn have restricted its application. In this study, Zn matrix composites (ZMCs) reinforced with 0.1-0.4 wt.% graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) fabricated via powder metallurgy were investigated as potential biodegradable implant materials. The microstructures, mechanical properties, and corrosion behaviors of the GNP-reinforced ZMCs were characterized using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy combined with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, compression testing, and electrochemical and immersion testing in Hanks' balanced salt solution (HBSS). The microstructural study revealed that the GNP was uniformly dispersed in the ZMCs after ball milling and sintering at 420°C for 6 h. The microhardness, compressive yield strength, ultimate compressive strength, and compressive strain of the ZMC-0.2GNP were 69 HV, 123 MPa, 247 MPa, and 23 %, respectively, improvements of ∼ 18 %, 50%, ∼ 28%, and ∼ 15% compared to pure Zn. The corrosion rate of the ZMCs were lower than that of the pure Zn in HBSS, and the ZMC-0.2GNP composite exhibited the lowest corrosion rate of 0.09 mm/y as measured by electrochemical testing. Biocompatibility assessment indicated that the diluted extracts of pure Zn and GNP-reinforced ZMCs with concentrations of 12.5% and 6.25% exhibited no cytotoxicity after cell culturing for up to 5 days, and the diluted extracts of ZMC-0.2 GNP composite revealed more than 90% cell viability after cell culturing of 3 days, showing the satisfying cytocompatibility. Biodegradable Zn is a promising candidate material for orthopedic implant applications. Nonetheless, the inadequate mechanical strength and ductility of pure Zn limited its clinical application. In this study, Zn matrix composites (ZMCs) reinforced with 0.1-0.4 wt.% graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) were developed via powder metallurgy, and the reinforcing efficacy of GNP on their mechanical properties was investigated. The addition of GNP significantly improved the compressive properties of ZMCs, with the Zn-0.2GNP composite exhibiting the best compressive properties, including 123 MPa compressive yield strength, 247 MPa ultimate compressive strength, and 22.9% compressive strain. Further, the 12.5% concentration extract of the ZMCs exhibited no cytotoxicity after cell culturing for 5 d toward SaOS2 cells. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present research signifies a new modeling method for calculating the stiffness of braided composites. In previous works, the modeling approach has been related to repetitive unit cells for analysis of braided composites based on a single area or a few added areas. Also, no confirmed modeling method has recently been available for braided composites because of different fibers' configuration considerations. Therefore, there is no preferred one, and fiber bundle arrangements are complex in practicality; it is unclear whether their shape is straight or curved. Also, the previously proposed mesoscale repetitive unit cell models have many elements and nodes in the finite element analysis phase, so applying periodic boundary and mesh conditions can mislead the results when they are used. So current research proposes a multi-cell multi-domain strategy and verifies it for modeling and computation of mechanical properties while showing the significance of braiding path and manufacturing process. The currently proposed method is tested with selected sections' configuration and shown for actual braided composites' scenario. So, according to the literature, the section is modeled as a complex shape with a squeezing effect. Then, that model is analyzed, and calculated properties are verified by the existing methods and found results with a maximum and minimum difference of 2.7% and 0.25%, respectively. Afterward, it is divided into cells, which are then analyzed and checked to determine which number of simplistic division stages can represent a section. It is found that a minimum of 15 divisions can be defined with a maximum 2% difference, and over that has approximately the same results as of the current considered section model. Additionally, the study examines how the elastic constants of 2D braided composites are influenced by the braiding angle and fiber volume fractions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is no regular mandated increase in minimum wages for workers employed in the Bangladesh ready-made garment (RMG) industry. Workers in the past have relied on optional bonuses added to their monthly incomes to supplement their wages. However, a new minimum wage implemented in January 2019 in the Bangladesh RMG sector increased wages for many workers who are known to work under poor and exploitative working conditions. Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with fifteen currently employed RMG workers (female: 13, male: 2), which led to data saturation. The participants were purposively recruited from both export processing zone (EPZ) and non-EPZ factories located in Dhaka and Chattogram, the two largest cities of Bangladesh where the majority of RMG factories are situated. Transcribed interviews were analysed thematically. The findings revealed that working hours, production targets, work pressure, and workplace abuse have an impact on workers' health and well-being. In line with the Marxist notion of the "accumulation of capital", we argue that due to the profit maximization mindset of RMG owners and international brands, workers have not received the potential benefit of the newly implemented minimum wage as their conditions have been changed in other ways to offset the increase in salary. The article contributes to understanding how factory owners' profit maximization mindset dispossessed workers from receiving the real benefits of the newly implemented minimum wage and forced them to continue working within exploitative working environments. The study shows that the impact of minimum wages on poverty reduction is unlikely and outline the need for RMG labour market reform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decontamination of pathogens on surfaces of substances is very important for controlling infectious diseases. In the present experiments, we tested various disinfectants in aqueous phase as well as on plastic surface carrying a viral inoculum, through dropping and wiping decontamination techniques, comparatively, so as to evaluate virucidal efficacies of those disinfectants toward an avian coronavirus (infectious bronchitis virus: IBV). We regard this evaluation system applicable to SARS-CoV-2. The disinfectants evaluated were 0.17% food additive glade calcium hydroxide (FdCa(OH)2) solution, sodium hypochlorite at 500 or 1,000 ppm of total chlorine (NaClO-500 or NaClO-1,000, respectively), NaClO at 500 ppm of total chlorine in 0.17% FdCa(OH)2 (Mix-500) and quaternary ammonium compound (QAC) diluted 500-fold in water (QAC-500). In the suspension test, all solutions inactivated IBV inoculum that contained 5% fetal bovine serum (FBS) under detectable level within 30 sec. In the carrier test, all solutions, except NaClO-500, could inactivate IBV with 0.5% FBS on a carrier to undetectable level in the wiping-sheets and wiped-carriers. We thus conclude that suspension and carrier tests should be introduced to evaluate disinfectants for the field usage, and that this evaluation system is important and workable for resultful selection of the tested disinfectants against avian coronavirus and SARS-CoV-2 on surfaces, particularly on plastic fomite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, an increasing number of Bangladeshi men have been working overseas. Whilst working abroad, some migrants engage in unprotected sexual activities, making them vulnerable to different kinds of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Upon return home, the wives of these migrant workers are also highly susceptible to contracting HIV/AIDS. This study explores how and what the wives of the migrant workers perceive as practices of health safety regarding HIV/AIDS. In this connection, the Health Belief Model (HBM) was used as a theoretical lens for this study. Data were collected (from January to March 2017) in two phases by using a mixed-method approach. In the first phase, a structured questionnaire survey was conducted among the purposively selected 122 wives of migrant workers from Chauddagram Upazila (sub-district) of Cumilla (previously known as Comilla) district, Bangladesh. The survey data were processed, computed, and analysed through SPSS software (version 19). For the second phase, nine wives of migrant workers were purposively selected for an in-depth interview to grasp more detailed qualitative understanding of this experience. The in-depth interviews were transcribed and analysed thematically. The findings demonstrate many misperceptions about the transmission of HIV/AIDS, including through casual social contact. Stigmatising views were also common, for example, 24% of the participants opined that HIV transmits via hugging, sharing clothes, and sweat of the person living with HIV. In addition, the overwhelming majority of the participants (69%) believed that the HIV/AIDS affected person should be treated by being placed in quarantine. Moreover, 91% of the participants did not intend to suggest their husbands for HIV screening upon their return due to fear of being divorced, shyness, social stigma, and lack of feeling risk (to be infected by HIV) although 25% of them felt that there could be a risk of being infected by HIV due to sexual contact with their returned husbands. Education level, the role of the media, husbands' long duration of staying abroad, and access to information were found to be significantly associated with the components of HIV awareness (such as hearing and sharing about HIV/AIDS, knowledge on how it spreads, and feeling of risk) among the wives of the migrant workers in bivariate analyses. These findings highlight unequal gender relations, women's lack of empowerment, men's hegemonic masculine power, and overall misconceptions about HIV/AIDS transmission are the key components in creating migrant workers' wives' vulnerability to HIV/AIDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, four textural classes of soil (Clay, Clay Loam, Loam, and Loamy Sand) were used to investigate the dielectric properties of soils, using a vector network analyser with an open-ended coaxial probe kit at room temperature (25 ± 2°C) in the 700–7000 MHz microwave frequency range. Four levels of soil moisture content (oven dry, 33% field capacity, 66% field capacity and 100% field capacity) were maintained to perform the experiment with three replication and three observation each. The results showed that, with increasing soil moisture, from oven dry conditions to 100% field capacity, both the real (Dielectric Constant) and imaginary (Loss Factor) components of the dielectric properties increased; however, the responses were not linear. The dielectric properties of oven dry soils were very low compared with the soils with higher moisture content. Therefore, soil moisture was the major contributor to the dielectric behaviour of soil. The dielectric properties of sandy soil were much lower than the other soils; however, the dielectric loss factor of the Dookie clay soil was higher compare with the other soils. Models were developed to explain the dielectric properties of soils as a function of frequency and moisture content. The goodness of fit (r2) for these models varies between 0.952 for the Dookie Sandy Soil to 0.997 for the Dookie Loam Soil, suggesting that these models were adequate to describe the dielectric properties of these soils over the range of frequencies and moisture contents assessed in this study. Another model was developed to estimate the expected penetration depth of electromagnetic waves in these soils, based on the model of the dielectric properties. It was clear that penetration decreases with both frequency and moisture content. Low frequencies penetrate further into the soils than higher frequencies. Similarly, dry soils allow further penetration than moist soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the influence of concerns relating to violation of the borrowing covenant on the investors' valuation of Level 3 fair value adjustments. We reason that managerial bias in Level 3 fair value estimation is greater for firms approaching violation of the borrowing covenant. Based on a sample of Australian real estate firms, we find that managers report upward adjustments to Level 3 investment property values when they approach the threshold where the borrowing covenant is violated; and further find that this deliberate use of discretion is significant for firms closer to the interest coverage thresholds, but not for those approaching the gearing thresholds. We then find that, while fair value adjustments are priced positively, investors apply incremental discounts for firms closer to the violation threshold, or firms which are in technical default of borrowing covenants relative to those that are far from violation. Additionally, we show that the pricing discount on fair value adjustments attributable to the concern over covenant violation is significant only for the weaker governance sub-sample, indicating that effective monitoring mitigates faithful representation concerns about Level 3 fair value estimations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bangladeshi readymade garment (RMG) sector is an important feature of the country's economic development, as it is the highest contributor to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Bangladesh. This industry initiated a revolution in the employment sector particularly through involving women in the workplace, in a culture where employment of women remains rare. While offering new opportunities to women, this sector has failed to ensure a secure and safe working environment for female employees. Consequently, women workers are vulnerable to multiple hazards, frequent disasters, and adverse occupational health outcomes. These vulnerabilities have become a prime concern for national and international communities, particularly highlighted by the devastation of the Rana Plaza factory collapse on 24 April 2013. Within this context, this paper focuses on the existing nature of vulnerabilities produced from the routine work, as is required for women employed in the RMG sector. The study primarily draws on first-hand interviews with women who had direct work-related experiences with the Rana Plaza disaster. The findings suggest that the politicization of the RMG sector, the power of political forces, and factory owner's tendency toward primitive accumulation (theorized as more money through less investment), are primarily responsible for this unprecedented disaster in the garment sector of Bangladesh. At an individual level, Rana Plaza survivors are still reeling from the disaster and in the absence of political will and social support, are deeply vulnerable to further morbidity and mortality related to this workplace disaster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A major concern with the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) is the accounting discretion allowed under the IFRS, and its potential opportunistic use by managers. We examine the role of corporate governance in the accounting discretion inherent in goodwill impairment decisions under the IFRS. More specifically, we investigate whether, in Australia, stronger governance strengthens associations between economic factors and goodwill impairment loss but weakens associations between contracting incentives and goodwill impairment loss. Using data from 2007 to 2012, we find evidence consistent with the notion that stronger governance enhances the associations between economic factors and goodwill impairment loss. However, we find that strong governance cannot completely eliminate the opportunistic use of discretion in an impairment decision, especially when pre-impairment income is negative, and when the impairment occurs in the first year of a CEO's tenure. Our results are robust with regard to alternative measures of the dependent variable, firm performance variables, and the governance variable, even after controlling for potential self-selection biases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Within food-based approaches to improve nutrition during the first 1000 days of life, improved formulations of food products and the use of animal source foods, such as fish, are 2 widely cited strategies; however, there are few examples where the 2 strategies are combined. Furthermore, although small indigenous fish are highly nutritious and available to the poor in many regions of the world, their importance is often overlooked.Objective: To document the development of 2 nutritious fish-based food products in Bangladesh: a chutney for pregnant and lactating women (PLW) and a complementary food (CF) for infants and young children (6-23 months), including potential contributions to recommended or desirable nutrient intakes in the first 1000 days, processing methods, and nutrient composition.Methods: Local nutrient-rich ingredients and simple processing methods based on traditional knowledge (for the chutney), and a literature review (for the CF), were selected and trial batches produced. Products were analyzed for nutrient composition using standard analytical procedures and results compared with recommended or desirable nutrient intakes for women and children.Results: Both products could contribute significantly to micronutrient intakes of PLW (24% of iron and 35% of calcium recommended intakes) and macro- and micronutrient intake of infants and young children (≥ 65% of vitamin A, ≥ 61% of zinc, and 41% of iron desirable intakes) when consumed in the proposed serving size.Conclusion: Inclusion of small indigenous fish as an underutilized animal source food in combination with other local nutrient-rich ingredients in food products represents a promising food-based strategy to improve nutrition, with many additional potential benefits for communities involved in production, and therefore warrants further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women who migrate from Myanmar to Teknaf, a bordering area of Bangladesh, are considered vulnerable to HIV infections. The objective of the study was to provide information on whether migrant sex workers in Teknaf are part of a risk behaviour network that may make themselves as well as the general community in Teknaf more vulnerable to HIV infection. Data were collected through in-depth interview with migrant (13) and non-migrant sex workers (17), their prospective clients (30) and key informants interview (20) in Teknaf, Bangladesh. Women migrate from Myanmar to Bangladesh for better job opportunities, higher wages, and better prospects of marriage. Often they are deceived by men and compelled to join in sex trade. They are more vulnerable in terms of sexual exploitation and unprotected sex compared to the local sex workers. They have clients like transport workers, tourists, boatmen, and injection drug users who are also considered as vulnerable groups. They get preferences in sex trade because they are good looking and low paid. They are the common victims of violence. Many had STI problems but health care seeking was poor. They have lack of knowledge on mode of transmission of STI/HIV. There is an urgent need to design interventions particularly targeting women who migrated from Myanmar and work as sex workers in Teknaf to combat an impending epidemic in the locality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the globalization and poverty reduction in Bangladesh. Bangladesh has achieved noticeable progress in reducing income poverty and human poverty. The country has taken plethora of strategies, plans and programs for poverty reduction like First Five Year Plan and Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP). Non-governmental organization (NGOs) manage the rural poor effectively and play a significant role in poverty reduction.

The article focuses on a seminar that explored the contribution of the philosophy of Mohandas Gandhi in solving tensions among nations held in New Delhi, India. Indian Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru focused on the character of Gandhi in her address. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) director Alva Myrdal cited that UNESCO upheld the Gandhian ideas of peaceful settlement. The seminar concluded that reparations from an enemy in war were morally wrong.

• The disclosure of estimates and judgments used in goodwill impairment tests under International Accounting Standard 36 Impairment of Assets varies by firm life cycle stages in Australia. More specifically, mature firms tend to disclose more than firms in three other stages of the life cycle – introduction, growth and decline. • The disclosure differences between life cycle stages are more pronounced for smaller firms than for larger firms. • The disclosure differences between stages are pronounced for some disclosure items than for other items. The goodwill impairment disclosure literature examines the association between firm-and country-level factors and the disclosure of estimates and judgments used in the goodwill impairment test under International Accounting Standard 36. Although the accounting literature provides competing predictions about the relation between firm life cycle and these disclosures, prior studies did not explore the role of firm life cycle in these disclosures. This paper fills in this gap in the literature, and documents that, in Australia, these disclosures vary by life cycle stages and that firm size moderates this association. We, however, find that the differences are more pronounced for some disclosure items than for others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Surface roughness of the PPMBA thin films changes with thickness. • PPMBA thin films structure was found different compared to the MBA and that is thickness dependent. • The values of refractive index, real and imaginary dielectric constants are higher for lower thickness thin films. • Ac conduction and dielectric behaviors have been analyzed in the frequency range of 102 to 106 Hz, those display strong dependence on both frequency and film thickness. • High thickness PPMBA thin film may be suitable as optical waveguide, and/or insulating layer in electrical devices. Plasma polymerized 2-methyl butylacrylate (PPMBA) thin films of varied thicknesses (d) were deposited on to glass substrates via plasma polymerization technique. FESEM images exhibited that the film of lower thickness was comparatively smoother and uniform than that of the film of higher thickness. Topographic analysis revealed that with the decrease of d from 300 to 120 nm, the mean roughness and root-mean-square roughness decreased from 0.60 to 0.48 and 1.50 to 0.62 nm, respectively. The XRD pattern showed amorphous nature of the PPMBA films. The FTIR band intensity of the spectra of monomer and PPMBA was altered due to change of band energy. The optical T (%) increased rapidly in the lower wavelengths and became nearly constant at higher wavelengths. Refractive index and optical conductivity were reduced from 1.4842 to 1.1252 and 4.2663 × 1014 to 0.1892 × 1014, respectively with the increase in d. The ac conductivity was increased rapidly with frequency (f) but decreased with the increase of d. The dielectric constant (ɛ ′) showed a strong dependence on f and d. The maximum ɛ ′ was found 4.50 for 300 nm film at 103 Hz. The tan δ peaks shifted a little towards higher f with increasing d , indicating reduction of relaxation time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Plasma polymerized furan-2-carbaldehyde (PPFCD) thin films of several thicknesses were deposited onto glass substrate in optimum conditions using glow discharge reactor. • XRD results confirmed the amorphous nature of the as-deposited and heat treated PPFCD films. • The structural rearrangements occurred in the as-deposited and heat treated PPFCD thin films due to plasma polymerization and heat treatment. • The direct and indirect optical band gaps of the as-deposited PPFCD thin films of various thicknesses were found to be 3.18–3.56 eV and 1.90–2.22 eV respectively. • For the heat treated samples with thickness 230 nm, the obtained direct and indirect optical band gaps were 3.00–3.36 eV and 1.90–2.22 eV respectively. • Both direct and indirect band gaps decrease with increasing temperature of the heat treatment. The furan-2-carbaldehyde (PPFCD) amorphous polymer thin films, with several thicknesses, were deposited onto glass substrates using a glow discharge of monomer FCD at ordinary room temperature via plasma polymerization technique. The structural, morphological, and optical characteristics of the as synthesised PPFCD amorphous films were studied as a function of temperature via X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), and ultraviolet-visible (UV–Vis) absorption spectroscopy. The amorphous nature of the thin films was ascertained in both as-synthesised and heat treated states using the XRD studies. The SEM micrographs display homogeneous and fracture free surface of PPFCD films and no remarkable variation in the surface morphology of the as synthesised films was detected owing to the heat treatment procedure. However, the EDX, and FTIR analysis represented some structural rearrangement originated from the heat treatment of the PPFCD thin films. The analysis of the UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy revealed that the absorbance of the films depend on the films thickness and the temperature of the heat treatment. The optical band-gaps of PPFCD amorphous films were found to be significantly decreased with the gradual rise in heat treatment temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]