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The major focus of the study was to explore the safety perception of consumers towards vegetables in the urban markets of Mymensingh city in Bangladesh. The study was carried out through survey of randomly selected sixty vegetable consumers. Data were collected through face-to-face interview method using pre-tested interview schedule. Chi-square (χ√) test was employed to assess the association between socio-economic characteristics and perception towards safety of vegetables. Respondents of the study area showed remarkable individual differences in their selected socio-economic characteristics. Majority of the respondents were middle aged, having higher secondary level of education, small family size, self-employed and earns medium level annual income. Findings revealed that potato, cauliflower, ash gourd, tomato and okra were the most preferred vegetables in the study area. Majority of the respondents perceived those vegetables sold in the retail market is produced with excessive chemicals, mishandling and possess health risk. Irrespective of demographic differences, majority of the respondents agreed that vegetables in the market are not so safe for consumption. Having perceived the unsafe vegetables, majority of the respondents (78.0%) still wish to purchase vegetables from the market. Of course, safety perception of respondents influenced their decision as 22.0 percent of them denied to purchase from market in future. Hence, application of organic fertilizer with limited or no use of pesticides can be a solution to ensure safe vegetables in the market as suggested by the respondents.

This study investigated the ecosystem service preference of forest people in Madhupur Sal forest and the factors contributing to their preference towards those services. Data were collected through a personal interview with 230 respondents with four focus group discussions. Majority of the respondents comprised ethnic people (the Garo) of the region. Findings revealed that the majority of the respondents (89.8%) possessed moderate to high knowledge regarding ecosystem service. They identified 16 ecosystem services where ‘Forest identity’, ‘Crop cultivation’, and ‘Maintenance of social relation’ were perceived as the top services. The ecosystem service preference differed among respondents of different locations of the forest where people living inside the forest and living 1-2 km of forest appreciated cultural service most. The variation observed in service preference among different ethnic groups and Garo Sangsharek community’s preference towards ecosystem service was much higher than the other two communities (Garo Christian and Bengali). Results of multiple regression analysis showed that respondents’ age, ecosystem service knowledge, residence distance from forest, and forest dependency were the contributing factors that influenced their preference towards ecosystem services. The research results offer relevant information that is helpful for ecosystem-related studies in Bangladesh.

The aim of this study was to ascertain the current problems faced by pineapple growers and suggest possible solutions. A total of 300 pineapple growers of the Madhupur tract were selected as samples following the proportionate random sampling technique. Primary data were collected using a pre-designed and pre-tested interview schedule. Findings indicate that majority of the respondents were middle and young aged (71.4%), and having medium family size (61.9%). The highest proportion (42.9%) of the respondents were illiterate, had high annual income (48.6%), medium farming experience (53.3%), contact with fertilizer dealer (68.67%), medium to small farm size (88.6%), also having medium to small pineapple farm size (89.5%), and majorities production cost and net return was also low which is (42.6%) and (40.0%) respectively. Major constraints reported by pineapple growers were ineffective extension services, high value or unavailability of agrochemicals, infestation of Bengal Monitors in mature fruit, high value or unavailability of labor and so on. Effective extension services, establishment of farmers' association with processing company, making pineapple processing factory, provide training in processing to local small entrepreneurs were some of the major suggestions by the pineapple growers. Multiple regression analysis result indicated that respondents’ education, farm size, pineapple farm size and total income were the contributing factors that influenced their problem facing. These findings will be helpful to the policy maker for developing a sustainable framework and relevant guidelines for increasing pineapple production in Bangladesh.

Even though L-asparaginase remains an essential drug for the treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), its use is associated with several unique toxicities. In this care report, we discuss a young boy with ALL who developed multiple complications simultaneously, including pancreatitis, gastrointestinal perforation, and left ventricular thrombus secondary to L-asparaginase during induction chemotherapy. Patient received immediate surgical intervention for the perforation and was commenced on anticoagulation therapy for the thrombus but eventually expired. This report highlights the importance of being aware of toxicities secondary to the use of L-asparaginase. Multiple complications secondary to L-asparaginase have been rarely reported previously and can be fatal.

Hepatoblastoma (HB) has different histological subtypes, with varying prognosis. Though the survival has drastically improved, subsets of patients are not responsive to therapy. Therefore, it becomes important to determine the factors which affect the behaviour of the tumour. This study was aimed to look at the histopathological subtypes and compare with immunohistochemical (IHC) expression of CK19, beta-catenin and EpCAM and survival.This study included 55 cases of HB. IHC expression of CK19, beta-catenin and EpCAM were correlated with histological subtypes, tumour behaviour, response to chemotherapy and survival.Most common epithelial subtype was fetal (43.2%) and mixed epithelial (54.8%) in pre- and post-chemotherapy groups respectively. Microvascular invasion (MVI) was present in 14/33 resected tumours. CK19 expression was seen in 54.2% and 72.2% of embryonal subtype, nuclear beta-catenin expression in 48.7% and 57.1% and EpCAM in 100% and 82.1% of tumours in pre- and post-chemotherapy groups, respectively. Fetal subtype had a lesser chance of MVI, recurrence, metastasis and death. Beta-catenin expression was associated with lower event free survival (EFS) and EpCAM with ≥50% viable tumour following chemotherapy (P=0.04). Age at diagnosis ≤2 years, male sex, alpha-fetoprotein10,000 IU/mL following chemotherapy, solitary tumour (P=0.001), size ≤5 cm, pretreatment extent of disease (PRETEXT) III, mitosis ≤2/10 high power fields (hpf), viable tumour50% (P=0.04) and absent nuclear expression of beta-catenin, predicted a higher EFS rate.Beta-catenin expression is associated with lower EFS and EpCAM expression with tumour viability. Multifocality and viable tumour ≥50% were significant factors predicting lower EFS. These factors should be included in the prognostication of HBs.

The study attempted identification of Gobiid fishes from freshwaters in the east and northeast India on a collection of 20 specimens. The DNA barcode data delineated the collected samples into three species clades in the neighbor-joining tree. The results confirmed the identification of five sample sequences belonging to the subfamily Gobionellinae due to cohesive cladding with Awaous congeners. This is a new subfamily record for the northeastern region. Another 15 sample sequences showed conspecific cladding with Glossogobius giuris in the database. Among the 15 sample sequences, 14 sequences cladded with G. giuris sequences of Indian specimens while one sample sequence cladded with G. giuris sequences of South African specimens. This indicated the presence of either a hidden species or a previously synonymized species in the G. giuris complex.

We have developed an antisense oligonucleotide microarray for the study of gene expression and regulation in Bacillus subtilis by using Affymetrix technology. Quality control tests of the B. subtilis GeneChip were performed to ascertain the quality of the array. These tests included optimization of the labeling and hybridization conditions, determination of the linear dynamic range of gene expression levels, and assessment of differential gene expression patterns of known vitamin biosynthetic genes. In minimal medium, we detected transcripts for approximately 70% of the known open reading frames (ORFs). In addition, we were able to monitor the transcript level of known biosynthetic genes regulated by riboflavin, biotin, or thiamine. Moreover, novel transcripts were also detected within intergenic regions and on the opposite coding strand of known ORFs. Several of these novel transcripts were subsequently correlated to new coding regions.

The mechanism of bacimethrin (2) toxicity has been determined. This compound is converted to 2'-methoxy-thiamin pyrophosphate (10) by the thiamin biosynthetic enzymes. Of the seven thiamin pyrophosphate utilizing enzymes in Escherichia coli, 2'-methoxy-thiamin pyrophosphate inhibits alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, transketolase, and deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate synthase. Bacimethrin does not cause repression of the genes coding for the thiamin biosynthetic enzymes.

Rupture of the diaphragm may be traumatic or spontaneous. A spontaneous rupture occurring in a congenital eventration of the diaphragm is extremely rare. Only one such case has been reported previously. We report a case of a 5-month-old male infant who presented with acute life-threatening respiratory distress secondary to spontaneous rupture of a congenital diaphragmatic eventration.