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Introduction Optimising the micronutrient status of women before and during reproduction confers benefits to them and their offspring. Antenatal multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS), given as a daily tablet with nutrients at ~1 recommended dietary allowance (RDA) or adequate intake (AI) reduces adverse birth outcomes. However, at this dosage, MMS may not fully address micronutrient deficiencies in settings with chronically inadequate diets and infection. A bioefficacy study to determine amounts required to attain nutrient adequacy among women of reproductive age (WRA) and pregnant women (PW) aims to address this gap.Methods and analysis Two, four-arm, dose-response trials (n=240 participants/trial) with a double-blind, individually randomised, controlled design are underway in 18–35 year-old WRA and PW in rural northern Bangladesh. The trials will test dose response to four levels of 19 micronutrients from 1 RDA/AI up to ~75% of the tolerable upper intake level (UL), where applicable. These levels of micronutrients are delivered in the form of a reconstituted (in water) powdered drink, daily, including a placebo drink in the control arm, plus a fortified, balanced energy and protein (BEP) food product containing each micronutrient at ~1 RDA per serving. The supplement duration is 3 months in WRA and~6 months (until birth) in PW, who are enrolled at 12–16 weeks of pregnancy; women are randomised to one of the four arms at enrolment. Supplement consumption is directly observed by study staff and weekly side effects and adverse events are monitored. Blood and urine are collected at baseline, a midpoint, and at/near the end of supplementation, with a birth visit and postpartum biospecimen collection (post supplementation) for PW. Outcomes are biomarkers of nutrient status. Pharmacokinetic modelling will estimate micronutrient intakes at which sufficiency for each nutrient without excess is achieved. Enrolment was initiated on 22 October 2023.Ethics and dissemination The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the research and ethical review committees of icddr,b, Bangladesh. A data safety and monitoring board is in place for the study. Findings will be disseminated in peer-reviewed papers and in-country meetings.Trial registration number NCT06081114Cite Now

ABSTRACT Lentils are highly nutritious as they are rich in both proteins and starch, making them a crucial component of the human diet. This review article focuses on the morphology, microstructure, and pasting properties of lentil starch (LS). The LS exhibits poor crystallinity due to its high amylose‐to‐amylopectin ratio as reflected in its pasting behavior. The shapes of the LS granule range a wide variety, starting from huge ovals to small rounds, as captured in the scanning electron microscope (SEM). Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy displays the arrangement of starch molecules at the vicinity of the granule surface and detects the presence of additional functional groups in the modified starches. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) demonstrates both the qualitative and quantitative alterations in the crystalline domains of starch granules effectively. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), in particular 13C CP/MAS have successfully examined the structural order of amylolyzed LS concentrations and amylose–lipid complex at the molecular level. This review might be of interest to the professionals involved in food and pharmaceuticals on product development using lentil as one of the ingredients in their formulations.

AbstractExcellent teachers produce quality students who resembles their teachers. Teaching is a very challenging and stressful job that create emotional distress for teachers and have a significant impact on students. Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory of Motivation inspired this study, which focused on Emotional Intelligence. This study attempts to measure the influences of Bangladeshi teachers’ emotional intelligence (EI) on students’ motivation for academic learning. This research incorporates Daniel Goleman’s five EI dimensions: self-awareness (SA), self-regulation (SR), self-motivation (SM), empathy (EM) and social skills (SS). The survey includes students of 14 private and 14 public universities from Bangladesh. A 31-item structured questionnaire survey was designed to collect data from (N = 415) respondents using a five-point Likert scale, and structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to measure the reliability, validity, and test of hypotheses. Results revealed that students’ motivation for academic learning is directly influenced by teachers’ emotional self-awareness (SA), self-regulation (SR), self-motivation (SM), empathy (EM) and social skills (SS). The study’s findings indicate that students’ motivation for academic learning is positively influenced by teachers’ emotional intelligence. Consequently, this study contributes to the body of knowledge on emotional intelligence by offering implications for teachers in higher education.

ABSTRACT Lentils that are considered powerhouse of healthy calories are traditionally consumed in different regions of the world. With the increasing awareness regarding lentils' health‐related benefits, it is getting popular among people of all ages. The rising demand also necessitated the increase in global lentil production with Canada grabbing the top rank among the global producers. This review discussed lentil's trade‐related statistics, along with in depth details of various popular cuisines, and consumption patterns observed in Asia, Middle East, Africa, the United States, Canada, Europe, and Mediterranean region. Lentils are added as ingredient in soups, rice cuisines, pasta, flat breads, salads, nuggets, and burger patties and thus carry its name throughout the food menus from appetizers and salads to main course meals.

This study explores the impact of nonsynonymous single-nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNPs) on type 2 diabetes (T2D). The nsSNPs are genetic variations that alter amino acids within proteins, affecting protein structure and function. This study investigated seven candidate genes associated with T2D pathogenesis from genome-wide association studies (GWASs) catalog datasets. Subsequently, six mutation-prediction tools were employed to identify the most harmful nsSNPs within these candidate genes. Further analysis involved evaluating protein evolutionary conservation using the ConSurf server and assessing protein stability with I-Mutant and MUpro. Functional and structural effects were predicted using MutPred2, Project HOPE, and FoldAmyloid tools. We obtained 42 of the most deleterious nsSNPs from identified candidate genes. Among these, 38 are located in highly conserved residues with a conservative score of 7–9. Furthermore, 20 of these conserved nsSNPs are found to decrease protein stability, with 18 of them classified as pathogenic mutations. These mutations can either reduce or increase protein size and can alter the charge and hydrophobic characteristics of the affected proteins. In addition, eight mutants from four genes were identified in amyloidogenic regions, suggesting a potential link to protein aggregation. These findings provide valuable insights into the physicochemical properties and structural changes associated with these deleterious nsSNPs. The study concludes that the distinctive physicochemical properties and significant structural changes of the identified nsSNPs suggest valuable insights for future research. Understanding these variants through large-scale studies may pave the way for developing therapeutic interventions targeting genetic variations, ultimately improving our understanding of T2D pathogenesis and treatment.

Background: Psidium guajava L (Guava) belongs to the Myrtaceae family and has been claimed to possess several pharmacological properties including antidiabetic. Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the anti-hyperglycemic activity of P guajava L leaves aqueous extract on neonatal streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic model rats. Methods: Streptozotocin was induced (90 mg/kg) intraperitoneally to 48 h old Long Evans rat pups. After three months, 18 male type-2 diabetic model rats were confirmed by OGTT (FG > 7 mmol/L). Therefore, experimental rats were divided into three groups 2) Diabetic water control (10 ml/kg), 3) Gliclazide treated (20 mg/kg), and 4) Extract treated group (1.25g/kg)] Six normal female rats comprised group 1 [Non-diabetic water control (10 ml/kg)]. All rats were treated orally with their respective treatment for 28 consecutive days. Blood samples were collected on 0 days (by tail cut method) and the end day (by cardiac puncture) of the experiment. The anti-hyperglycemic activity was evaluated by measuring fasting glucose, serum insulin, lipid profile, hepatic glycogen content, and intestinal glucose absorption by standard methods. Results: The serum glucose level of extract treated group was decreased by 16% as well as significantly (p

Recently, inorganic perovskite materials have been attracting increasing attention owing to their exceptional structural, electronic, and optical characteristics in photovoltaic technology. Ca3AsI3 is a semiconductor material that shares similarities with the group of inorganic metal halide perovskites. Ca3AsI3 possesses a perovskite crystal structure that is cubic, which is classified under the space group Pm-3m (no. 221). Our research aims to analyze how the optical and electronic properties of Ca3AsI3 are influenced by spin–orbit coupling (SOC) and strain using the first-principles density-functional theory. The inorganic Ca3AsI3 perovskite has an electronic band structure that possesses a direct bandgap of roughly 1.58 eV at the Γ(gamma)-point. However, when the SOC relativistic effect is introduced, this value decreases to around 1.27 eV. As the level of compressive strain is increased, the bandgap becomes narrower, whereas with increasing tensile strain, the bandgap becomes wider. It has been observed through analysis of the dielectric functions, absorption coefficient, and electron loss function of these materials that the optical properties give Ca3AsI3 the ability to effectively absorb visible light. According to the study, the dielectric constant peaks of Ca3AsI3 shift toward a lower photon energy (redshift) as the level of compressive strain increases. On the other hand, when subjected to increased tensile strain, these peaks have a tendency to shift toward a higher photon energy (blueshift), as per the same study. Modifying the energy gap of Ca3AsI3 perovskites to suit optoelectronic and solar cell needs could be achieved by using techniques involving the SOC effect and by applying strain. These approaches have the potential to enable utilization of Ca3AsI3 in such applications in the future.

In today’s fast-paced world, people increasingly rely on a variety of processed foods due to their busy lifestyles. The enhanced flavors, vibrant colors, and ease of accessibility at reasonable prices have made ready-to-eat foods the easiest and simplest choice to satiate hunger, especially those that undergo thermal processing. However, these foods often contain an unsaturated amide called ‘Acrylamide’, known by its chemical name 2-propenamide, which is a contaminant formed when a carbohydrate- or protein-rich food product is thermally processed at more than 120 °C through methods like frying, baking, or roasting. Consuming foods with elevated levels of acrylamide can induce harmful toxicity such as neurotoxicity, hepatoxicity, cardiovascular toxicity, reproductive toxicity, and prenatal and postnatal toxicity. This review delves into the major pathways and factors influencing acrylamide formation in food, discusses its adverse effects on human health, and explores recent techniques for the detection and mitigation of acrylamide in food. This review could be of interest to a wide audience in the food industry that manufactures processed foods. A multi-faceted strategy is necessary to identify and resolve the factors responsible for the browning of food, ensure safety standards, and preserve essential food quality traits.

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is a rapidly developing additive manufacturing technique consisting of the deposition of materials layer-by-layer to produce physical 3D structures. The technique offers unique opportunities to design and produce new products that cater to consumer experience and nutritional requirements. In the past two decades, a wide range of materials, especially plant-protein-based materials, have been documented for the development of personalized food owing to their nutritional and environmental benefits. Despite these benefits, 3D printing with plant-protein-based materials present significant challenges because there is a lack of a comprehensive study that takes into account the most relevant aspects of the processes involved in producing plant-protein-based printable items. This review takes into account the multi-dimensional aspects of processes that lead to the formulation of successful printable products which includes an understanding of rheological characteristics of plant proteins and 3D-printing parameters, as well as elucidating the appropriate concentration and structural hierarchy that are required to maintain stability of the substrate after printing. This review also highlighted the significant and most recent research on 3D food printing with a wide range of plant proteins. This review also suggests a future research direction of 3D printing with plant proteins.

The experiment was conducted under in-vivo condition in a betelvine baroj at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University (SAU), Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh. Nineteen isolates of Sclerotium rolfsii collected from different regions of Bangladesh designated as isolate-1 to isolate-19. Soil inoculated with S. rolfsii exhibited mycelial growth on the soil surface and around the base of the betelvine plant within 2-4 days after inoculation. Only 2 days after inoculation were required to manifest cottony colony on soil surface near root zone of inoculated betelvine plants by the isolate-3, 5, 7, 9 and 12. The first disease symptoms were observed within 6 to 16 days after inoculation where minimum days were required by the isolate-9 and maximum by the isolate-2 and 14. The highest lesion length (6.50 cm) was produced by the isolate-9 and isolate-13. All the isolates were found to be pathogenic in some cases, disease delayed due to their degree of pathogenicity. The isolate-9 showed highest disease incidence of 100% which was superior as compared to all other isolates at 15 days after inoculation. The isolate-19 showed least disease incidence of 66.66% even at 30 days after inoculation. Among the isolates, the most pathogenic one was isolate-9 collected from Kaligonj upazilla of Jhenaidah.

There is growing consumer and food industry interest in plant protein-based foods. However, quality evolution of plant protein-based meat analog (MA) is still a rarely studied subject. In this study, wheat and rice flour-based batter systems were used to coat plant protein-based MA, and were partially fried (at 180 °C, 1 min) in canola oil, subsequently frozen (at −18 °C) and stored for 7 days. Microwave heating (MH), infrared heating (IH), air frying (AF) and deep-fat frying (DFF) processes were employed on parfried frozen MA products, and their quality evolution was investigated. Results revealed that the fat content of MH-, IH- and AF-treated products was significantly (p < 0.05) lower than DFF-treated counterparts. Batter coatings reduced fat uptake in DFF of MA-based products. Both the batter formulations and cooking methods impacted the process parameters and quality attributes (cooking loss, moisture, texture, color) of MA-based coated food products. Moreover, the post-cooking stability of moisture and textural attributes of batter-coated MA-based products was impacted by both the batter formulations and cooking methods. Glass transition temperature (Tg) of MA-based products’ crust ranged from −20.0 °C to −23.1 °C, as determined with differential scanning calorimetry. ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed that surface structural–chemical evolution of MA-based products was impacted by both the coating formulations and cooking methods. Overall, AF has been found as a suitable substitute for DFF in terms of studied quality attributes of meat analog-based coated products.

Abstract Background Policymakers need regular high-quality coverage data on care around the time of birth to accelerate progress for ending preventable maternal and newborn deaths and stillbirths. With increasing facility births, routine Health Management Information System (HMIS) data have potential to track coverage. Identifying barriers and enablers faced by frontline health workers recording HMIS source data in registers is important to improve data for use. Methods The EN-BIRTH study was a mixed-methods observational study in five hospitals in Bangladesh, Nepal and Tanzania to assess measurement validity for selected Every Newborn coverage indicators. We described data elements required in labour ward registers to track these indicators. To evaluate barriers and enablers for correct recording of data in registers, we designed three interview tools: a) semi-structured in-depth interview (IDI) guide b) semi-structured focus group discussion (FGD) guide, and c) checklist assessing care-to-documentation. We interviewed two groups of respondents (January 2018–March 2019): hospital nurse-midwives and doctors who fill ward registers after birth (n = 40 IDI and n = 5 FGD); and data collectors (n = 65). Qualitative data were analysed thematically by categorising pre-identified codes. Common emerging themes of barriers or enablers across all five hospitals were identified relating to three conceptual framework categories. Results Similar themes emerged as both barriers and enablers. First, register design was recognised as crucial, yet perceived as complex, and not always standardised for necessary data elements. Second, register filling was performed by over-stretched nurse-midwives with variable training, limited supervision, and availability of logistical resources. Documentation complexity across parallel documents was time-consuming and delayed because of low staff numbers. Complete data were valued more than correct data. Third, use of register data included clinical handover and monthly reporting, but little feedback was given from data users. Conclusion Health workers invest major time recording register data for maternal and newborn core health indicators. Improving data quality requires standardised register designs streamlined to capture only necessary data elements. Consistent implementation processes are also needed. Two-way feedback between HMIS levels is critical to improve performance and accurately track progress towards agreed health goals.

In image classification, traditional kernels or feature mapping functions of Support Vector Machine(SVM) use discriminative features without considering the true nature of the data. Our work in this paper is motivated by the need to consider intrinsic distribution of L1 normalized histograms and develop a flexible feature mapping technique by combining histogram based features and distribution based density features. The proposed mapping technique contains prior knowledge about the the data which provides a flexible representation and thus increases the discriminative power of the classifier. Such flexibility is achieved due to the explanatory capabilities of Dirichlet, generalized Dirichlet and Beta-Liouville distributions to model proportional data. In addition to that, we present a general framework to estimate the parameters of these distributions by taking maximum likelihood (MLE) approach. Experimental results show that the proposed technique increases the effectiveness of SVM kernels for different computer vision tasks such as natural scene recognition, satellite image classification and human action recognition in videos.

Abstract The dynamic behaviors of the submerged floating tunnel, a buoyant structure of high slenderness, are a matter of concern since it is surrounded by the huge hazardous effects called hydrodynamic, seismic and functional action. Modal analysis and Rayleigh damping coefficients play a significant role in dynamic analysis, but it is not sufficiently simple to predict the reasonable damping coefficients named α and β. The present paper outlines the modal analysis and the calculation of Rayleigh damping coefficients that provide the natural frequencies, mode shapes, mode’s motion as well as coefficients α and β. To compute the Rayleigh damping coefficients, 2–10% damping to the critical damping has been assumed for this analytical study. For the analysis, an FEA-based software ANSYS is utilized successfully. It has been seen that the fundamental frequency and Rayleigh damping coefficients (α = 0.946 and β = 0.00022) of the SFT are reasonably high and it is under noticeable damping.

Wolfiporia extensa (WE) is a medicinal mushroom and an excellent source of naturally occurring anti-inflammatory substances. However, the particular bioactive compound(s) and mechanism(s) of action against inflammation have yet to be determined. Here, we studied anti-inflammatory bioactive compounds and their molecular mechanisms through network pharmacology. Methanol (ME) extract of WE (MEWE) was used for GC-MS analysis to identify the bioactives, which were screened by following Lipinski’s rules. Public databases were used to extract selected bioactives and inflammation-related targets, and Venn diagrams exposed the common targets. Then, STRING and Cytoscape tools were used to construct protein-protein (PPI) network and mushroom-bioactives-target (M-C-T) networks. Gene Ontology and KEGG pathway analysis were performed by accessing the DAVID database and molecular docking was conducted to validate the findings. The chemical reactivity of key compounds and standard drugs was explored by the computational quantum mechanical modelling method (DFT study). Results from GC-MS revealed 27 bioactives, and all obeyed Lipinski’s rules. The public databases uncovered 284 compound-related targets and 7283 inflammation targets. A Venn diagram pointed to 42 common targets which were manifested in the PPI and M-C-T networks. KEGG analysis pointed to the HIF-1 signaling pathway and, hence, the suggested strategy for preventing the onset of inflammatory response was inhibition of downstream NFKB, MAPK, mTOR, and PI3K-Akt signaling cascades. Molecular docking revealed the strongest binding affinity for “N-(3-chlorophenyl) naphthyl carboxamide” on five target proteins associated with the HIF-1 signaling pathway. Compared to the standard drug utilized in the DFT (Density Functional Theory) analysis, the proposed bioactive showed a good electron donor component and a reduced chemical hardness energy. Our research pinpoints the therapeutic efficiency of MEWE and this work suggests a key bioactive compound and its action mechanism against inflammation.

The benefits of using nano fertilizers in agriculture have previously been demonstrated. However, the comparative study on the effectiveness of different nano fertilizers and their application methods are very limited. Therefore, our study was to investigate the effects of soil-applied nano zeolite (NZS), foliar and soil-applied hybrid nanocomposite (HNCSF), and combined application of foliar-applied HNC and soil-applied NZ, together [HNCF + NZS] on the growth, proximate composition, and antioxidant properties of strawberries. Our current study revealed that the growth parameters were significantly improved with the NZS treatment except for chlorophyll contents as compared to HNCSF and [HNCF + NZS]. However, the proximate composition was significantly (P

Objective: The study was conducted to assess the prevalence of subclinical mastitis in dairy cows at Baghabari milk shed area of Sirajganj and Pabna districts in Bangladesh. Materials and methods: A total of 300 milk samples were collected from crossbred dairy cows, and the milk samples were subjected for using California Mastitis Test (CMT). Besides, data related to farm management were taken from 60 farmers through direct interviews. The CMT was compared with White Slide Test (WST) and Surf Field Mastitis Test (SFMT). The samples showing strong positive reaction to mastitis by CMT were used for the isolation of associated bacteria using conventional bacteriological examinations and biochemical properties. The isolated bacteria were subjected for antibiogram studies by disc diffusion method. Results: Out of 300 samples, 153 (51%) revealed positive reactions denoting that the cows were suffering from subclinical mastitis. Of the 153 samples, 39(13%) were trace-positive, 56(18.56%) were weak-positive, 33(11%) were distinct-positive, and the rest 25(8.3%) samples were strongly positive. In comparison economically among CMT, WST and SFMT, SFMT was found to be the cheapest and easiest. In this study, the cows were mostly infected with mixed infection with Staphylococcus spp., Streptococcus spp., Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., and some cows had single bacterial infection. It was observed that most of the microorganisms were sensitive to Gentamycin, Amoxicillin and Ceftriaxone, and were resistant to Penicillin, Ciprofloxacin and Colistin sulphate. Conclusion: Overall prevalence of subclinical mastitis in the crossbred dairy cows at Sirajganj and Pabna district is 51%. It indicates that subclinical mastitis is a major threat for dairy industry in the studied areas. Early detection and appropriate preventive measures are suggestive to successful control of the disease. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2017; 4(3.000): 295-300]

Production of plants under artificial light conditions is an innovative and smart concept to grow food year-round in any location. However, pre-basic seed potato production in the greenhouse from LED pre-treated seedlings under an aeroponic system is a new and creative idea. Therefore, the objective of the study was to optimize the effect of LED pre-treatment and determine the best LED spectral composition on growth performance and tuberization of potato plants. Potato variety ‘Golden King’ was treated under 9 LED light spectra for 30 days—L1 (natural light), L2, (R:B), L3 (R:B:G), L4 (R:B:FR), L5 (R:B:G:FR), L6 (R:B:G:FR:UV), L7 (R:B:FR:UV), L8 (R:B:W:FR), and L9 (R:B:W:FR:UV) under 300 µmol m−2 s−1 photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD), 23/15 °C (day/night) temperature, and 70% relative humidity. The study revealed that growth characteristics and tuber number for plants were increased most by the light spectrum L4 (R:B:FR). Furthermore, photosynthetic pigments increased in L4, L7, and L8, while TSC and sucrose accumulated more in L1 treatment. In contrast, higher seed tuber fresh weight was recorded in L8, L9, L4, and L7. Overall, it can be concluded that potato seedlings pre-treated with the L4 (R:B:FR) LED spectral composition performed best for growth, establishment, and tuberization.

The performance of hemp seedlings was evaluated through morphological traits, photosynthetic pigments, and osmolytes under 11 light treatments (10 LED light compositions + natural light) in an aeroponics system. The seedlings were brought under treatment at 25 days of age, where the light intensity was 300 µmol m−2s−1 and duration was 20 days. A higher leaf number and node number were observed in L10 (R4:B2:W2:FR1:UV1) and L11 (R2:B2:G2:W2:FR1:UV1), and a higher leaf length and leaf width were recorded in the L2 (white), L3 (R8:B2), and L5 (R7:B2:FR1) treatments. Furthermore, a higher shoot length was recorded in L3 (R8:B2), L6 (R6:B2:G1:FR1), and L9 (R6:B2:FR1:UV1) while roots developed more in the L1 (natural light), L5 (R7:B2:FR1), and L9 (R6:B2:FR1:UV1) treatments. On the other hand, the L3 (R8:B2) treatment manifested higher chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and photosynthetic quantum yield (Fv/Fm). The hierarchical clustering and heatmap analysis revealed that higher leaf numbers and node numbers resulted in bushy plants with shorter shoots and longer roots. A negative correlation was also observed in photosynthetic traits (pigments and fluorescence) with osmolytes and root length. Importantly, the treatments L4 (R7:B2:G1), L6 (R6:B2:G1:FR1), L8 (R5:B2:G1:FR1:UV1), and L11 (R2:B2:G2:W2:FR1:UV1) manifested higher nodes with a higher osmolyte content, such as proline, ascorbic acid, total soluble carbohydrate, and sucrose, which may be a helpful indicator for higher branches and inflorescences, and ultimately higher cannabinoids accumulation in the plants. The approach and findings of this study could provide future research with the baseline information on optimizing the light composition to produce hemp plants with ideal phenotypes.

This study was carried out to develop a high-performance liquid chromatography method for short-time analysis of the main cannabinoids in the inflorescence of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.). We also performed decarboxylation of the raw material using our advanced analysis technique. In this study, the UV spectrum was considered to analyze each of the four common cannabinoids, solvents, and samples, where the uniform elution of acidic cannabinoids without peak tailing and acids was tested. Optimal results were obtained when readings were taken at a wavelength of 220 nm using water and methanol containing trifluoroacetic acid as mobile phases in a solvent gradient system. The established conditions were further validated by system suitability, linearity, precision, detection limit, and quantitation limit tests. The decarboxylation index (DT50) confirmed that Δ9-THCA decarboxylated faster than CBDA, and both maintained a linear relationship with time and temperature. In addition, the loss of cannabidiol was better prevented during the decarboxylation process in the natural state than in the extracted state.

Hemp adaptability through physiological and biochemical changes was studied under 10 LED light spectra and natural light in a controlled aeroponic system. Light treatments were imposed on 25 days aged seedlings for 16 h daily (300 µmol m−2 s−1) for 20 days. Plant accumulated highest Cannabidiol (CBD) in R7:B2:G1 light treatment, with relatively higher photosynthetic rate and lower reactive oxygen species, total phenol content, total flavonoid content, DPPH radical scavenging capacity, and antioxidant enzymatic activities. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) also accumulated at a higher level in white, R8:B2, and R7:B2:G1 light with less evidence of stress-modulated substances. These results indicated that CBD and THC have no or little relation with light-mediated abiotic stress in hemp plants. On the contrary, Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) was accumulated higher in R6:B2:G1:FR1 and R5:B2:W2:FR1 light treatment along with lower photosynthetic rate and higher reactive oxygen species, total phenol content, total flavonoid content, DPPH radical scavenging capacity, and antioxidant enzymatic activities. However, Cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) was accumulated higher in R6:B2:G1:FR1 light treatment with higher stress-modulated substances and lower physiological traits. CBDA was also accumulated higher in R8:B2 and R7:B2:G1 light treatments with less evidence of stress-modulated substances. Besides, Greenlight influenced CBD and CBDA synthesis where FR and UV-A (along with green) play a positive and negative role in this process. Overall, the results indicated that the treatment R7:B2:G1 enhanced the medicinal cannabinoids most, and the role of THCA as a stress marker is more decisive in the hemp plant than in other cannabinoids under attributed light-mediated stress.

This study aimed to examine the total viable bacteria (TVBC); total coliform (TCC); fecal coliform (TFC); pathogenic Pseudomonas spp., Staphylococcus aureus, and total fungi (TF); and the effect of different low-cost disinfectants (sterile water, salt water, blanched, and vinegar) in decontamination of 12 types of fruit and 10 types of vegetables. In fruit samples, the lowest TVBC was enumerated at 3.18 ± 0.27 log CFU/g in Indian gooseberry and the highest at 6.47 ± 0.68 log CFU/g in guava. Staphylococci (2.04 ± 0.53–5.10 ± 0.02 log CFU/g), Pseudomonas (1.88 ± 0.03–5.38 ± 0.08 log CFU/g), and total fungi (2.60 ± 0.18–7.50 ± 0.15 log CFU/g) were found in all fruit samples; however, no Salmonella was detected in fruit samples. Similarly, the lowest TVBC recorded 5.67± 0.49 log CFU/g in cucumber and the highest 7.37 ± 0.06 log CFU/g in yard long bean. The Staphylococci (3.48 ± 0.13–4.81 ± 0.16 log CFU/g), Pseudomonas (3.57± 0.21– 4.75 ± 0.23 log CFU/g), TCC (1.85 ± 1.11–56.50 ± 37.14 MPN/g), TFC (1.76 ± 0.87– 3.78 ± 3.76 MPN/g), and TF (3.79 ± 0.18–4.40 ± 0.38 log CFU/g) were recorded in all vegetables samples, but no Salmonella was detected in yard long bean, pointed gourd, carrot, tomato, cucumber, or brinjal. However, vinegar showed the highest microbial load reduction of selected fruit and vegetables among the different treatments. With vinegar treatment, the highest reduction of TVBC (1.61-log) and TF (2.54-log) was observed for fruits, and TVBC (2.31-log) and TF (2.41-log) for vegetables. All the disinfectant treatments resulted in significant (p < 0.01) bacterial load reduction compared to control for the studied fruits and vegetable samples.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of organic substrates on the growth yield, photosynthetic response, and nutritional profile of red leaf lettuce grown in different compositions of cocopeat (CP), sawdust (SD), and rice husk (RH). The result showed that the properties of substrates were influenced variably by their mixing ratios. The highest water holding capacity and moisture content were found in CP, and it provided the preferable pH, electrical conductivity, bulk density, and air-filled porosity in association with other categories of the substrate. Cocopeat-based media provides ample microclimate conditions in the root region of plants and increased their height, number of leaves, and fresh biomass components. The utmost dry biomass of plant parts also remarkably increased in CP; L*, a*, and b* chromaticity of leaves remained unchanged. The maximum chlorophyll content was attained in CP substrate, except for chlorophyll a/b, which was higher in RH. The net photosynthetic rate (PN), transpiration rate (E), and nitrate in leaves were enhanced substantially in CP, while it was lower in SD. Biochemical compositions and nutrients in leaves were likewise stimulated under the culture of cocopeat-based media. Results indicate that cocopeat, sawdust, and rice husk are a possible substrates mixture in a volume ratio of 3:1:1, which would be a better choice in the cultivation of red leaf lettuce.

The effect of exogenously applied putrescine (Put) on salt stress tolerance was investigated in Panax ginseng. Thirty-day-old ginseng sprouts were grown in salinized nutrient solution (150 mM NaCl) for five days, while the control sprouts were grown in nutrients solution. Putrescine (0.3, 0.6, and 0.9 mM) was sprayed on the plants once at the onset of salinity treatment, whereas control plants were sprayed with water only. Ginseng seedlings tested under salinity exhibited reduced plant growth and biomass production, which was directly interlinked with reduced chlorophyll and chlorophyll fluorescence due to higher reactive oxygen species (hydrogen peroxide; H2O2) and lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde; MDA) production. Application of Put enhanced accumulation of proline, total soluble carbohydrate, total soluble sugar and total soluble protein. At the same time, activities of antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, guaiacol peroxidase in leaves, stems, and roots of ginseng seedlings were increased. Such modulation of physio-biochemical processes reduced the level of H2O2 and MDA, which indicates a successful adaptation of ginseng seedlings to salinity stress. Moreover, protopanaxadiol (PPD) ginsenosides enhanced by both salinity stress and exogenous Put treatment. On the other hand, protopanaxatriol (PPT) ginsenosides enhanced in roots and reduced in leaves and stems under salinity stress condition. In contrast, they enhanced by exogenous Put application in all parts of the plants for most cases, also evidenced by principal component analysis. Collectively, our findings provide an important prospect for the use of Put in modulating salinity tolerance and ginsenosides content in ginseng sprouts.

There was an omission in the caption to Fig. 3 in the original publication. The complete caption plus corresponding reference are shown below.

The present study was aimed to investigate the gynaeco-pathological disorders by post-mortem and histopathological examination, and to identify the associated bacteria. A total of 310 genital tracts of cows were collected from slaughter house of Dinajpur Sadar Upazilla during April 2009 to March 2010. Among the 310 samples, 31.29% (n=97/310) were affected with endrometritis. Similarly, 8.37% (n=26/310) cystic ovary, 6.77% (n=21/310) ovary hyperplasia, 4.84% (n=15/310) pyometra, 4.84% (n=15/310) parovarian cyst, 4.52% (n=14/310) hydrometra, 4.84% (n=15/310) ovary hypoplasia, 3.55%(n=11/310) ovaro-bursal adhesion, 1.29% (n=4/310) vaginal cyst and 0.66% (n=2/310)) hemorrhagic uterine horn were detected by post-mortem examination, the cases were reconfirmed by histopathological studies. Uterine fluid (n=50) samples were collected, and were subjected for conventional bacteriological culture and biochemical analysis. Escherichia coli and Salmonella sp. could be identified from 30% (n=15/50) and 8% (n=4/50) samples, respectively. In conclusion, various pathological disorders in the female reproductive system of cows are prevalent, that may cause reduction of calf production.