Comprehensive Review of the Investigation of Anthropogenic and Naturally Occurring Radionuclides in Different Parts of Bangladesh

Authors attempt to depict a survey of anthropogenic 137Cs and naturally occurring radionuclides (226Ra, 228Th, 232Th, 214Bi, 208TI, 40K) in undistributed soil, water, ship scrapped materials such as metal, rubber and foam and tree bark of ship breaking area, cynoglossids i.e. tongue soles and tea leaves collected from different parts of Bangladesh for detecting health hazards, environmental protection and radiation safety of the public. The assessment of such radionuclides in these samples is utmost important due to nuclear test and accident, fallout and disposal of radioactive wastes. These radiotracers have been investigated by using laboratory-based Gamma Spectrometry for Food and Environmental Samples. The observation of activity concentrations for 137Cs, 226Ra, 228Th,232Th, 214Bi, 208TI and 40K have been presented in Bq.Kg-1. The others radiological parameters such as gamma ray dose rate (nGyh-1), Radium Equivalent Dose (Raeq) Bq.Kg-1, Representative Level Index (lr) Bq.Kg-1 and Transfer Factor (TF) %. The Radiation Hazard Index (Hx) Bq.Kg-1 also has been presented

Change in cost and affordability of a typical and nutritionally adequate diet among socio-economic groups in rural Nepal after the 2008 food price crisis

Diet quality is an important determinant of nutrition and food security and access can be constrained by changes in food prices and affordability. Poverty, malnutrition, and food insecurity are high in Nepal and may have been aggravated by the 2008 food price crisis. To assess the potential impact of the food price crisis on the affordability of a nutritionally adequate diet in the rural plains of Nepal, data on consumption patterns and local food prices were used to construct typical food baskets, consumed by four different wealth groups in Dhanusha district in 2005 and 2008. A modelled diet designed to meet household requirements for energy and essential nutrients at minimum cost, was also constructed using the ‘Cost of Diet’ linear programming tool, developed by Save the Children. Between 2005 and 2008, the cost of the four typical food baskets increased by 19% – 26% and the cost of the nutritionally adequate modelled diet increased by 28%. Typical food baskets of all wealth groups were low in macro and micronutrients. Income data for the four wealth groups in 2005 and 2008 were used to assess diet affordability. The nutritionally adequate diet was not affordable for poorer households in both 2005 and 2008. Due to an increase in household income levels, the affordability scenario did not deteriorate further in 2008. Poverty constrained access to nutritionally adequate diets for rural households in Dhanusha, even before the 2008 food price crisis. Despite increased income in 2008, households remain financially unable to meet their nutritional requirements

Study of a Laboratory-based Gamma Spectrometry for Food and Environmental Samples

A comprehensive study on a laboratory-based Gamma Spectrometry has been presented in this paper for food and environmental samples. The system comprises of HPGe detector with proper cooling for minimizing thermal generation of charge-carriers and appropriate shielding to reduce background emission; associated processing electronics and acquisition as well as analysis software. The choice of HPGe detector for laboratory-based Gamma Spectrometry, its radiation interaction mechanism and system optimization have been presented

Study of 12KW Solar Office System at Atomic Energy Centre Chittagong

In this article, A Study of 12KW Solar Office System (SOS) at Atomic Energy Centre Chittagong (AECC) has been presented. The SOS has total of 12KW install capacity (panels) with 220V AC, 50 Hz, Single phase (off-grid) power supply consists of forty eight Solar Panels (250W, 30V, 6.25A), three Solar Charge Controllers with MPPT (48V, 60A), three Inverters (5000VA, 48V), a Battery Bank of 1531AH total twenty four batteries (12V, 130AH) and required accessories (mounting structures, cables and clamps, solar breakers, output breakers, energy meters etc.). This study has been completed according to notification of award for supply, installation, testing and commissioning of solar energy setup under establishment of atomic energy centre project at sholashoar, East Nasirabad, Chittagong

BLOOD SERUM TESTOSTERONE LEVEL AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH SCROTAL CIRCUMFERENCE AND SEMEN CHARACTERISTICS IN NILI-RAVI BUFFALO BULLS

This study was aimed at determining the blood serum testosterone level and its relationship with scrotal circumference and physical characteristics of semen in Nili-Ravi buffalo bulls. Semen samples were collected weekly from three buffalo bulls of 14 years age for 12 weeks and were evaluated for physical characteristics i.e. ejaculatory volume, sperm motility, sperm concentration, pH and sperm abnormalities. Jugular blood samples were collected from each bull at weekly intervals and analyzed for serum testosterorse concentrations. Mean (+ SE) blood serum testosterone level (ng/ml), scrotal circumference (cm), semen volume (ml), progressive sperm motility (%), sperm concentration (106/µl), semen pH and total sperm abnormalities (%) observed were 0.69 ± 0.12, 34.6 ± 0.9, 3.59 ± 0.41, 51.53 ± 2.23, 0.99 ± 0.07, 7.01 ± 0.08 and 11.67 ± 0.90, respectively. Positive correlations between testosterone level and scrotal circumference (r=0.414) and ejaculatory volume (r=0.348) were observed. However, no correlation of testosterone level with sperm motility (r=0.145), sperm concentration (r=0.264), semen pH (r=-0.208) and total sperm abnormalities (r=-0.242) was found. Similary, ejaculatory volume did not show any correlation with sperm motility percentage (r=0.115), sperm concentration (r=0.045), semen pH (r=-0.015) and total sperm abnormalities (r=-0.135). Sperm motility percentage had positive correlation with sperm concentration (r=0.347) and negative correlation with semen pH (r=-0.670). Sperm concentration was negatively correlated with semen pH (r=-0.501). It was concluded that in 14 years old buffalo bulls the level of serum testosterone and scrotal circumference and ejaculatory volume were positively correlated. The other semen quality parameters including sperm motility, sperm concentration, semen pH and sperm abnormalities were not related with serum testosterone level

Very high-energy observations of the two high-frequency peaked BL Lac objects 1ES 1218+304 and H 1426+428

We present results of very-high-energy gamma-ray observations (E > 160 GeV) of two high-frequency-peaked BL Lac (HBL) objects, 1ES 1218+304 and H 1426+428, with the Solar Tower Atmospheric Cherenkov Effect Experiment (STACEE). Both sources are very-high-energy gamma-ray emitters above 100 GeV, detected using ground-based Cherenkov telescopes. STACEE observations of 1ES 1218+304 and H 1426+428 did not produce detections; we present 99% CL flux upper limits for both sources, assuming spectral indices measured mostly at higher energies

Pro-poor intervention strategies in irrigated agriculture in Asia: poverty in irrigated agriculture: issues and options: Bangladesh

Irrigated farming / Poverty / Irrigation management / Water resource management / Policy / Planning / Institutions / Organizations / Local government / Non-governmental organizations / Legislation / Water users / Participatory management / Public sector / Water allocation / Cost recovery / Households / Income / Expenditure / Irrigation canals / Bangladesh

Trapped in the prison of the mind: notions of climate-induced (im)mobility decision-making and wellbeing from an urban informal settlement in Bangladesh

The concept of Trapped Populations has until date mainly referred to people ‘trapped’ in environmentally high-risk rural areas due to economic constraints. This article attempts to widen our understanding of the concept by investigating climate-induced socio-psychological immobility and its link to Internally Displaced People’s (IDPs) wellbeing in a slum of Dhaka. People migrated here due to environmental changes back on Bhola Island and named the settlement Bhola Slum after their home. In this way, many found themselves ‘immobile’ after having been mobile—unable to move back home, and unable to move to other parts of Dhaka, Bangladesh, or beyond. The analysis incorporates the emotional and psychosocial aspects of the diverse immobility states. Mind and emotion are vital to better understand people’s (im)mobility decision-making and wellbeing status. The study applies an innovative and interdisciplinary methodological approach combining Q-methodology and discourse analysis (DA). This mixed-method illustrates a replicable approach to capture the complex state of climate-induced (im)mobility and its interlinkages to people’s wellbeing. People reported facing non-economic losses due to the move, such as identity, honour, sense of belonging and mental health. These psychosocial processes helped explain why some people ended up ‘trapped’ or immobile. The psychosocial constraints paralysed them mentally, as well as geographically. More empirical evidence on how climate change influences people’s wellbeing and mental health will be important to provide us with insights in how to best support vulnerable people having faced climatic impacts, and build more sustainable climate policy frameworks