Woolenization of Jute Fibre

Once upon a time, Jute was called the golden fibre of Bangladesh. Due to some problems and growth of modern technology, the market share of jute has decreased. In this paper, the effect of Woolenization of jute fibre was described. It also shows how the physical and chemical properties of jute have been changed by alkali-treatment as well as its structure. It was demonstrated that this kind of treatment leads to several changes in its structure which has turned to a near wool structure. These works are done by different concentrations of different alkalis. Finally, 15% NaOH treatment of jute show maximum woolenized properties where we obtain softened and swollen jute. Conclusively, we have made some other products from woolenized jute fibres such that if introduced into our world market, it can increase the market share of jute fibre

Establishment of an Indirect Genetic Transformation Method for Arabidopsis thaliana ecotype Bangladesh

Arabidopsis thaliana is a small flowering plant belonging to the Brassicaceae family, which is adopted as a model plant for genetic research. Agrobacterium tumifaciensmediated transformation method for A. thaliana ecotype Bangladesh was established. Leaf discs of A. thaliana were incubated with A. tumefaciens strain LBA4404 containing chimeric nos. nptII. nos and intron-GUS genes. Following inoculation and co-cultivation, leaf discs were cultured on selection medium containing 50 mg/l kanamycin + 50 mg/l cefotaxime + 1.5 mg/l NAA and kanamycin resistant shoots were induced from the leaf discs after two weeks. Shoot regeneration was achieved after transferring the tissues onto fresh medium of the same combination. Finally, the shoots were rooted on MS medium containing 50 mg/l kanamycin. Incorporation and expression of the transgenes were confirmed by PCR analysis. Using this protocol, transgenic A. thaliana plants can be obtained and indicates that genomic transformation in higher plants is possible through insertion of desired gene. Although Agrobacterium mediated genetic transformation is established for A. thaliana, this study was the conducted to transform A. thaliana ecotype Bangladesh

Prevalence and socio-economic determinants of inadequate dietary diversity among adolescent girls and boys in Bangladesh: findings from a nationwide cross-sectional survey.

Malnutrition among adolescents is often associated with inadequate dietary diversity (DD). We aimed to explore the prevalence of inadequate DD and its socio-economic determinants among adolescent girls and boys in Bangladesh. A cross-sectional survey was conducted during the 2018-19 round of national nutrition surveillance in Bangladesh. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify the determinants of inadequate DD among adolescent girls and boys separately. This population-based survey covered eighty-two rural, non-slum urban and slum clusters from all divisions of Bangladesh. A total of 4865 adolescent girls and 4907 adolescent boys were interviewed. The overall prevalence of inadequate DD was higher among girls (55⋅4 %) than the boys (50⋅6 %). Moreover, compared to boys, the prevalence of inadequate DD was higher among the girls for almost all socio-economic categories. Poor educational attainment, poor maternal education, female-headed household, household food insecurity and poor household wealth were associated with increased chances of having inadequate DD in both sexes. In conclusion, more than half of the Bangladeshi adolescent girls and boys consumed an inadequately diversified diet. The socio-economic determinants of inadequate DD should be addressed through context-specific multisectoral interventions

Continuous improvement: a comparison between Islamic and conventional approaches

Continuous improvement in products/services is one of the vital elements of Total Quality Management (TQM). TQM is not a one-step activity; rather it is a continuous approach and a never-ending process. In order to strengthen competitive advantage in the market, organisations must endeavour to continuously improve quality of products and services. One may call it Jidoka or Kaizan or PDSA or 5-S or 6 sigma or JIT, the purpose is all the same, which is to improve continually either product/service quality or process quality. All of the mentioned models basically focus on the mundane world benefits only. But the proposed NAIS model for continuous improvement is more comprehensive and it focuses benefits in both the worlds –Here and Hereafter. To develop a model of continuous improvement from an Islamic perspective and to find out the distinction between Islamic approach and conventional approaches to continuous improvement are the major objectives of this present study. By nature, the present study is an exploratory one, at the same time it is a theoretical one based on the library research and only the secondary data collected from different relevant literatures, Qur’an and Sunnah are used to realize the objectives

A conceptual model of continuous improvement in total quality management from Islamic perspective

Continuous improvement (CI), one of the vital principles of total quality management (TQM), is now being practiced in almost every organization regardless their natures, shapes, and sizes. After developing the concept of CI in 1930s, Muslims are using the models and approaches developed by the non-Muslim scholars based on their own cultures and beliefs. The main purpose of conducting this particular study is to develop a new model of CI in TQM from Islamic perspective. After an extensive literature review, the researchers have developed a conceptual model of CI in TQM from Islamic perspective which is named as NAMS Cycle (initial letters of the components) where the main components are al-nīyah bil ikhlas, amal, muhāsaba and shukr. All of these components also consist of some other constructs. Both the Muslim and non-Muslim believers will be benefited from this research if they have good faith in the Creator and the Day of Judgment

Effectiveness of three insecticides against mustard aphid, Lip aphis erysimi kalt. and their safety to the predator, Coccinella septempunctata L.

Three insecticides - Metasystox-R 25EC, Dimethion 40EC and Fentro 50EC were sprayed on mustard aphid to evaluate their effectiveness on Lipaphis erysimi and safety to the predator Coccinella septempunctata in the field. Metasystox-R was found as the most effective insecticide against mustard aphid. Fentro was highly toxic to C. septempunctata. Dimethion at the concentration of 0.025% proved to be soft to the predator. The insecticides influenced different growth parameters and yield attributing character of mustard and lead to higher seed yield. The response of Metasystox—R at 0.05% concentration was comparatively better for growth parameters and yield of Mustard giving maximum cost benefit ratio (CBR) followed by Dimethion and Fentro at comparable doses. Metasystox-R was evaluated as the most suitable insecticide for controlling mustard aphid

Implementation of NAMS Cycle Model– a continuous Improvement model from Islamic perspective

The main objective of this research is to develop an implementation process of the newly developed continuous improvement (CI) model – NAMS Cycle. Erecting on the affirmative postmodernism philosophy, fundamental epistemological foundations of this research are the Qur’ān and the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the contributions of scholars in Islam. A qualitative methodology is adopted to conduct this research. Data were collected through focus group discussions (FGD) and semi-structured in-depth interviews and were analysed manually. Based upon the data, the researchers have finalised a five-step implementation process of the NAMS cycle started with decision making and followed by education and training, implementation, evaluation, and corrective measures. Departmental Heads and all the employees will be involved to implement the model successfully

A Biotechnological Approach for the Production of Red Gerbera (Gerbera Jamesonii Bolus)

An in vitro propagation of a red Gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii) variety was achieved by culturing flower bud, leaf segments and flower stalk segments of 80 days old field grown plants on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with different concentration (1.0-6.0 mg/l) of 6-benzyl adenine (BA) in combination with single concentration (1.0 mg/l) of α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). Lower concentration of BA (1.0 and 2.0 mg/l) with NAA induced the explants to form callus. On the other hand when the explants were cultured in higher concentration (5.0 mg/l) of BA produced shoots and 5.0 mg/l BA with 1.0 mg/l NAA was found to be the best for shoot proliferation of the three explants optimum response was obtained from flower buds. Further multiplication of shoots occurred upon transfer of shoot clumps to BA containing MS medium. Regenerated shoots were rooted in MS medium with indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) or indole-3-buteric acid (IBA) and maximum frequency (81%) of rooting with highest number (4) of roots per shoot was achieved in MS medium fortified with 0.3 mg/l IBA. The rooted shoots were acclimatized and successfully established in soil under natural environment with maximum 84% survivability

IZVJEŠTAJ O BILJCI STEVIA, PRIRODNOM ZASLAĐIVAČU, LJEKOVITE I KOMERCIJALNE VAŽNOSTI

Stevia is a perennial herb that belongs to the Asteraceae family. It is a natural sweetener plant and estimated to be 300 times sweeter than cane sugar. The leaves of stevia are the source of diterpene glycosides, viz. stevioside and rebaudioside. Stevioside is regenerated as a valuable natural sweetening agent because of its relatively good taste and chemical stability. Now it is beingcultivated in Japan, Taiwan, Philippines, Hawaii, Malaysia and overall South America for food and pharmaceutical products. Products can be added to tea and coffee, cooked or baked goods, processed foods and beverages, fruit juices, tobacco products, pastries, chewing gum and sherbets. Health and safety issues have been extensive by considered and in the past 20 years media took significant attention in the US regions. The direct effect of stevioside on transport activity of glucose in skeletal muscle study divulged that insulin action on muscle glucose transport might be improved due to the low concentration of stevioside, signifying that stevioside has the imminent action in the glucose transport system in skeletal muscle. Also, it has a potential commercial value and that is why private and public biotechnology companies are producing stevia in huge quantity and marketing its products.Stevia je biljka trajnica iz porodice Asteraceae. Ona je prirodni zaslađivač i procjenjuje se da je 300 puta slađa od šećerne trske. Listovi Stevije su izvor diterpen glikozida, tj. steviozida i rebaudiozida. Steviozid se regenerira kao vrijedno prirodno sredstvo za zaslađivanje zbog relativno dobrog okusa i kemijske stabilnosti. Danas se uzgaja u Japanu Tajvanu, Filipinima, Havajima, Malaziji i po čitavoj Južnoj Americi za prehrambene i farmaceutske proizvode. Proizvodi se mogu dodati u čaj i kavu, kuhane i pečene proizvode, prerađenu hranu i piće, voćne sokove, duhanske proizvode, kolače, gumu za žvakanje i napitke. O njima se uvelike raspravljalo u vezi zdravlja i sigurnosti, a u zadnjih 20 godina mediji su posvećivali značajnu pozornost na području SAD-a. Izravno djelovanje steviozida na transport glukoze u proučavanju mišića skeleta otkrivaju da se djelovanje inzulina na transport glukoze u mišiću može poboljšati zahvaljujući niskoj koncentraciji steviozida, ističući da steviozid ima trenutno važno djelovanje u sustavu transporta glukoze u mišiću skeleta. Isto tako, ona ima potencijalne komercijalne vrijednosti pa zato privatne i javne biotehnološke kompanije proizvode steviju u ogromnim količinama i prodaju njezine proizvode