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This study focuses on investigating the impact of climate change on the availability of safe drinking water and human health in the Southwest Coastal Region of Bangladesh (SWCRB). Additionally, it explores local adaptation approaches aimed at addressing these challenges. The research employed a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to gather data. Qualitative data were collected through various means such as case studies, workshops, focus group discussions (FGDs), interviews, and key informant interviews (KIIs). The study specifically collected qualitative data from 12 unions in the Shyamnagar Upazila. On the other hand, through the quantitative method, we collected respondents' answers through a closed-ended questionnaire survey from 320 respondents from nine unions in the first phase of this study. In the next phase, we also collected data from the three most vulnerable unions of Shyamnagar Upazila, namely Poddo Pukur, Gabura, and Burigoalini, where 1579 respondents answered questions regarding safe drinking water and health conditions due to climate change. The findings of the study indicate that local communities in the region acknowledge the significant impact of sea-level rise (SLR) on freshwater sources and overall well-being, primarily due to increased salinity. Over 70% of the respondents identified gastrointestinal issues, hypertension, diarrhea, malnutrition, and skin diseases as major waterborne health risks arising from salinity and lack of access to safe water. Among the vulnerable groups, women and children were found to be particularly susceptible to waterborne diseases related to salinity. While the study highlights the presence of certain adaptation measures against health-related problems, such as community clinics and health centers at the upazila level, as well as seeking healthcare from local and paramedical doctors, it notes that these measures are insufficient. In terms of safe drinking water, communities have adopted various adaptation strategies, including pond excavation to remove saline water (partially making it potable), implementing pond sand filters, rainwater harvesting, and obtaining potable water from alternative sources. However, these efforts alone do not fully address the challenges associated with ensuring safe drinking water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During updating the plant holding database of the botanical garden, Bangladesh Agricultural University, the authors identified three species of the family Commelinaceae namely, Callisia fragrans (Lindl.) Woodson, Murdannia gigantea (Vahl) G.Brückn., and Tradescantia sillamontana Matuda as new records to the flora of Bangladesh. This paper provides a comprehensive description and colour photographs ofthesespecies from Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Assessment of severity in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease(COPD) is usually done at rest by spirometry test. But cardiopulmonary exercise test can be a measure to assess the functional capacity more accurately in patients with COPD. Method: Fifty eight patients with stable COPD were included in this study period of one and half years from January 15 to June 2016 and categorise into four groups based on spirometric data following the GOLD guidelines 2018; GOLD 1 mild COPD, GOLD 2 moderate COPD, GOLD 3 severe COPD and GOLD 4 very severe COPD. Symptom limited CPET on treadmill using Bruce protocol using cardiopulmonary exercise machine was done in all fifty eight patient. Results: twenty one patients (36.20%) had moderate COPD; twenty six(44.82%) had severe COPD; eleven(18.96%) had very severe COPD and none found to be categorised as mild COPD. All fifty eight patients attained anaerobic threshold. Majority(34, 58.62%) of patients stopped exercise due to shortness of breath; decreased oxygen saturation was the cause of stopping exercise in eight(13.7%) patients; other causes of exercise limitation were increased heart rate, vertigo, leg fatigue, increased blood pressure, ventricular ectopic and chest tightness. Four patients were found to limit exercise due to combined shortness of breath and leg fatigue. A significant correlation between forced expiratory volume in first second (FEV1, percent predicted) and maximum oxygen uptake(ml/kg/min) was observe. Twenty(46.55%) patients with low(<40%) AT were identified who could be benefited from pulmonary rehabilitation program. Conclusion: CPET can be useful to identifying the COPD patients with functional capacity impairment for pulmonary rehabilitation by assessing exercising capacity and the cause of exercise limitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminum (Al) sensitive wheat cultivar kalyansona was grown for 14 d in a range of Ca solution (125,625, and 2500 μM) plus other nutrients without Al. At 14 d after Ca treatment, half of these plants were harvested (H1), and the rest of the plants were exposed to 100 μM Al for additional 6 d and harvested (H2). Severe Al injury was found only in the plants with the lowest supply of Ca before Al treatment. Aluminum concentration in the apoplastic fluid was very high at 125 μM Ca probably because the plasma membrane of some of the cells was destroyed due to the attack of 100 μM Al. Aluminum content in roots decreased with increasing supply of Ca before Al treatment. Calcium content decreased drastically at harvest (H2) in the plants with 100 μM Al. Under Al stress conditions, the plant responded to Al in different ways due to not only the different Ca supply but also the variation of Ca content in the plant tissues. Actually, the plants having the largest Ca content in the roots before Al treatment can receive less Al injury during Al treatment. To substantiate this idea, a companion study was conducted to investigate the effects of 2500 μM Ca supply during, before, and after 100 μM Al treatment on root growth. The results indicated clearly that exogenous Ca supply before Al treatment is able to alleviate Al injury but less effective than Ca supply during Al treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present investigation was carried out to appraise the levels of total phenols and vitamin C as well as antioxidant potential at three different ripening stages (un-ripe, semi-ripe and fully-ripe) of guava (Psidium guajava L.) fruit collected from three different geographical regions of Pakistan (Islamabad, Faisalabad and Bhakkar). The antioxidant potential of guava fruit extracts was assessed by means of different in-vitro antioxidant assays, namely inhibition of peroxidation in linoleic acid system, reducing power and radical scavenging capability. Overall, fruit at the un-ripe stage (G1) exhibited the highest levels of TPC, TFC, reducing power and DPPH radical scavenging activity, followed by the semi-ripe (G2) and fully-ripe (G3) stages. On the other hand, vitamin C content increased as the fruit maturity progressed, with highest value seen at the fully-ripe stage (G3) followed by the semi-ripe (G2) and un-ripe stage (G1). The concentration of vitamin C in fruits varied as: Faisalabad (136.4-247.9 mg 100 g-1), Islamabad (89.7-149.7 mg 100 g-1) and Bhakkar (73.1-129.5 mg 100 g-1). The results showed that different stages of maturation and geographical locations had profound effects on the antioxidant activity and vitamin C contents of guava fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: To address United Nations Millennium Development Goal 4 (MDG 4) on reducing childhood mortality rates by two-thirds by 2015, there is a need for better population-based data on the rates and causes of neonatal death. This study aims to identify the risk factors of neonatal mortality in Bangladesh. Materials and Methods: The study used data from the nationally representative 2007 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey. The survey gathered information regarding socioeconomic, demographic, environmental and maternal and child health care of 10,996 ever married women and 6,058 children. Both bivariate and multivariate statistical analyses were used to assess the relationship between neonatal mortality and contextual factors. Results: The prevalence of neonatal mortality was 37/1,000. The statistical analyses yielded quantitatively important and reliable estimates of neonatal death. The multivariate logistic regression analysis yielded significantly increased risk of neonatal mortality for children with mother who had no formal education, the Muslims, whose mother were adolescents of age 15-19, first ranked birth and twin babies. Conclusion: Emphasis should be given to improve female education in Bangladesh for a better chance of satisfying important factors that can improve infant survival: the quality of infant feeding, general care, household sanitation, and adequate use of preventive and curative health services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities and phenolic components of different solvent (absolute methanol, absolute ethanol, absolute acetone, 80% methanol, 80% ethanol, 80% acetone and deionized water) extracts of leaves, flowers and bark of Gold Mohar [Delonix regia (Bojer ex Hook.) Raf.]. The extract yields from leaves, flowers and bark ranged from 10.19 to 36.24, 12.97 to 48.47 and 4.22 to 8.48 g/100 g dry weight (DW), respectively. Overall, 80% methanol extract produced from the leaves exhibited significantly (P < 0.05) higher antioxidant activity, with high phenolic contents (3.63 g GAE/100 g DW), total flavonoid contents (1.19 g CE/100 g DW), inhibition of peroxidation (85.54%), DPPH scavenging capacity (IC50 value 8.89 μg/mL) and reducing power (1.87). Similarly, this 80% methanol leaves extract also showed superior antimicrobial activity. HPLC analysis of the 80% methanol extracts for individual phenolics revealed the presence of gallic, protocatechuic and salicylic acid in leaves; gallic, protocatechuic, salicylic, trans-cinnamic and chlorogenic acid in flowers, and gallic acid in bark as the main (amount > 1.50 mg/100 g DW) phenolic acids. Besides, small amounts (<1.50 mg/100 g DW) of some other phenolic acids such as sorbic, sinapic, p-coumaric, m-coumaric, ferulic, caffeic, 3-hydroxybenzoic, 4-hydroxycinnamic and 4-hydroxybenzoic acids were also detected. The extracts of the tested parts of Gold Mohar, especially, the leaves, might be valuable for functional food and therapeutic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different doses of paclobutrazol (PBZ) and different bulb sizes of onion were evaluated to determine their effect on growth and seed production of onion. Onion variety 'Taherpuri' with three-bulb sizes - small, medium and large - was used. Four doses of PBZ were 0 (control), 20, 40, and 80 mg l-1. The two-factor experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Application of PBZ significantly reduced the plant height, tillers per bulb, leaves per plant and length of scape. However, in other parameters such as the number of flowers, umbels per bulb, umbel diameter, 1000-seed weight and seed yield, there were no significant influences of PBZ concentrations used (p < 0.05). On the contrary, plant height, number of leaves per plant, length of scape, effective fruits per umbel, percentage of fruit set, and seed yield were positively influenced by different bulb sizes of onion. Higher values were obtained for the above-mentioned parameters from the larger-sized bulbs and values were decreased as the bulb sizes decreased. The maximum seed yield was recorded in plants grown from the large-sized mother bulb. The interaction between the PBZ doses and bulb sizes were also significant for some variables while it was not significant for others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research work was conducted with 10 rice germplasm during T. Aman (wet season), 2004, at Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, Gazipur, to assess the different lodging concerned parameters and their interrelationships. A great extent of diversity among aromatic rice genotypes was observed in respect to canopy architecture and lodging related characters. Minimum seedling height was 30 cm for BR39 and the maximum was 47 cm for Hatisail. Variations were found in the cultivars regarding penultimate and flag leaf angles and dimensions of both the leaves. Maximum plant height was recorded to be 153 cm in Baoi jhak and the minimum was 100 cm in BR28. The longest panicle was observed in Nizersail (27 cm) and shortest in Hatisail (21 cm). The range of culm diameter was 4.0-4.7 mm and culm thickness was 0.40-0.51 mm. Rice cultivars varied for bending moment from 812 g · cm (BR28) to 2263 g · cm (Doiar guro). Lodging index was at a minimum 2.7 in BR28 and a maximum 11.28 in Sugandha-1. Plant height exhibited positive correlation with panicle exertion and internode lengths, and hence lodging index. Lodging index was found to have a negative relationship with breaking strength. In path analysis, bending moment projected highest positive direct effect on lodging index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The response of water deficit on rice plants varies substantially according to cultivars. Drought tolerant cultivars possess better morphological, physiological and biochemical adaptation to reduce water availability. An experiment involving water stress on rice varieties was carried out under rain shelter to examine the morphological changes (leaf rolling, root depth), stomatal responses and biochemical processes (proline and peroxidase accumulation) of five different local rice varieties. These varieties were selected based on their drought tolerant potential from an earlier varietal screening trial. The varieties were taken from both traditional (Muda, Jawi Lanjut and newly breed commercial varieties, MR 84, MR2 19 and MR 220) obtained from Genebank, MARDI Research Station, Seberang Prai, Kepala Batas, Pulau Pinang. These varieties were exposed to two different water regimes; water stress by withholding water and well watered condition (control). The experiment was carried out in a Complete Randomized Design (CRD) with 4 replicates. Water stress plants exhibited lower growth rate with obvious variation among rice varieties on the sensitivity to water stress. Meanwhile, the overall sensitivity of the varieties to water stress was ranked in the order; MR220>Muda>MR84>MR219>Jawi Lanjut. Water deficit decreased stomatal conductance, relative water content and root depth while peroxidase activities and proline accumulation were increased in rice grown under water stress treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cDNA clone, CaRZFPI, was isolated from high temperature-stressed hot pepper plants. This gene contains an open reading frame (ORF) encoding a RING zinc finger protein of 219 amino acids. Our C3HC4 type protein has the C-X2-C-X11-C-X1-H-X2-C-X2-C-X13-C-X2-C sequence motif. Phylogenetic analysis based on the deduced amino acid sequence of CaRZFP1 cDNA revealed significant sequence similarity (87.2%) to the Capsicum chinoise zinc finger protein. The putative protein, hydrophilic by nature, encoded by CaRZFP1 also shared 66.9% homology with an Arabidopsis thaliana RING zinc finger protein and 61.2% homoiogy with an Oryza sativa RING finger protein. Transcripts were preferentially induced in response to high or low temperatures, drought, and high salinity, but were not detectable in response to heavy-metal treatment. When plants were exposed to high temperature, two strong signals appeared, one for CaRZFP1, the other apparently from a family gene of CaRZFP1. This demonstrates that high temperatures induce a zinc finger type putative transcription factor from red pepper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cDNA library was constructed for hot pepper plants that had been heat-shock-treated. We used a modified differential screening method, double negative screening, to isolate 500 cDNA clones that represented genes with low expression levels under conditions of high-temperature stress. Of those 500 clones, 200 were randomly selected for single-read sequencing from the 5′ ends. After annotation with Blastx, the sequence was applied to InterProScan to scan for functional motifs of proteins. Among the cDNA clones analyzed, about 41% of the ESTs could not be functionally classified. However, of those that could be, the largest portion of the ESTs (15%) were assigned to the category of cell rescue and defense; genes involved in cell cycle/DNA processing constituted the smallest group, comprising 1% of the ESTs. Genes related to energy and protein fates constituted the second (10%) and third (9%) largest groups, respectively. Finally, 3% of the ESTs were assigned to transcription, and 2% to signal transduction. The high portion of unclassified ESTs probably resulted from the screening method, which was designed for low-expression messages. Likewise, the high number of ESTs for cell rescue and defense suggests that many genes with low levels of expression are associated with the stress response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice wild relatives (RWR) constitute an extended gene pool that can be tapped for the breeding of novel rice varieties adapted to abiotic stresses such as iron (Fe) toxicity. Therefore, we screened 75 Oryza genotypes including 16 domesticated O. sativa genotypes, one O. glaberrima, and 58 RWR representing 21 species, for tolerance to Fe toxicity. Plants were grown in a semi-artificial greenhouse setup, in which they were exposed either to control conditions, an Fe shock during the vegetative growth stage (acute treatment), or to a continuous moderately high Fe level (chronic treatment). In both stress treatments, foliar Fe concentrations were characteristic of Fe toxicity, and plants developed foliar stress symptoms, which were more pronounced in the chronic Fe stress especially toward the end of the growing season. Among the genotypes that produced seeds, only the chronic stress treatment significantly reduced yields due to increases in spikelet sterility. Moreover, a moderate but non-significant increase in grain Fe concentrations, and a significant increase in grain Zn concentrations were seen in chronic stress. Both domesticated rice and RWR exhibited substantial genotypic variation in their responses to Fe toxicity. Although no RWR strikingly outperformed domesticated rice in Fe toxic conditions, some genotypes scored highly in individual traits. Two O. meridionalis accessions were best in avoiding foliar symptom formation in acute Fe stress, while an O. rufipogon accession produced the highest grain yields in both chronic and acute Fe stress. In conclusion, this study provides the basis for using interspecific crosses for adapting rice to Fe toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salinity is one of the most serious abiotic stresses that cause reduction in plant growth and yield. A field experiment was conducted at Satkhira (Bangladesh) in 2010-2011 to evaluate salinity tolerant rhizobia strains isolated from saline area. There were seven biofertilizer treatments viz. five rhizobia strains L-19, L-68, L-292, L-304 and L-335 along with un-inoculated control (L-0) and 30 kg N ha-1 as urea (N30). Two lentil cultivars named Binamasur-2 and Barimasur-3 were used as varietal treatments to see the response of lentil to salt tolerant rhizobia. The experiment was laid out in a split plot design using lentil cultivars in main plots and rhizobial inoculants in sub plots with three replications. Soil used in the study was with 1.15% organic carbon, 171 mg kg-1 available nitrogen, 5.23 mg kg-1 available phosphorus, 72.5 mg kg-1 available potassium and 5.5 dS m-1 electrical conductivity. Data on nodulation, growth, yield, yield attributes and nitrogen uptake were recorded. Plant and soil samples were analyzed for nitrogen. All the salt tolerant rhizobia inoculants were found effective in nodulation, growth, yield, nitrogen fixation as well as soil nitrogen saving. Inoculation increased nodule number by 3.82 - 12.96 folds and nodule dry weight by 4.78 - 16.86 folds over un-inoculated control. Plant height and shoot dry weight were significantly increased due to rhizobia inoculation. Grain yield and stover yield were improved significantly by the application of rhizobia inoculants. The highest grain yield was obtained in rhizobia inoculant L-19 (1313 kg ha-1; 39.7% higher over control) followed by L-304 (1309 kg ha-1). Number of pod per plant, seed per pod and 1000 seed weight were improved by 23.57 to 39.32%, 8.62 to 12.93% and 6.67 to 9.15%, respectively due to inoculation. Significantly higher (100.82-113.16 kg ha-1) total nitrogen (grain and stover) were increased due to biofertilizer application. Inoculation saved soil nitrogen by 61 to 70 kg ha-1. Inoculant strains L-19 and L-304 showed superior growth, nodulation, yield, nitrogen uptake and nitrogen saving in soil over control and inoculant L-68, L-292 and L-335. Rhizobia inoculant strains L-19 and L-304 can be used as biofertilizer for lentil production in saline area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reduction in leaf CO2 assimilation rate is a common effect of salinity stress. In present study, 30 days old tomato plants were exposed to 0, 60 and 120 mM NaCl for 7 days. The results showed that stomatal conductance, CO2 assimilation rate, NO3- content and NO3 - metabolizing enzymes (NR & NiR) activities decreased in salinity stressed tomato leaves, which indicated that C-N crisis is dominant during salinity stress. Interestingly, some C-N rich compounds (glutamate, proline, glycine & serine) accumulated excessively in the leaves of salinity stressed plants. Results also showed that important C and N providing enzymes such as NADP-ICDH, protease and NADH-GDH activities were enhanced during salinity stress. In salinity stressed tomato leaves, GS/GOGAT cycle enzymes (GS, NADH-GOGAT & Fd-GOGAT) activities were also increased significantly. Finally, it is concluded that GS/GOGAT cycle plays an important role for proline synthesis in tomato leaves during salinity stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large proportion of flowers abort during development due to vascular tissue limitation in the distal part of rachis resulting in lower yield in mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek]. Flowering pattern and its relationships with pod retention, reproductive efficiency and yields in 10 local mungbean genotypes were assessed at Mymensingh, Bangladesh in two consecutive years of 2006 and 2007. The number and pattern of flower production, pod retention and reproductive efficiency (RE, percent pod set to opened flowers) varied among the genotypes. Results revealed that the genotypes, which produced higher number of flowers within a shorter period (10?15 days) after commencement of flowering also produced higher yields, attributed from higher number of flowers and pods. In contrast, low yielding genotypes showed reverse trends. However, low yielding genotypes had higher RE than high yielding ones. It further revealed that the genotype with early-formed flowers had higher podset and retention capacity than later-formed ones. The implication of relationships between flower production and RE for mungbean seed yield is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]