Comparative Meat Production Performance Evaluation of Buffalo with Cattle at Different Ages

An inquisitive on-station feeding trial was carried out to identify the dexterous species and age for beef production with same plane of nutrition. A 2×3 (2 species × 3 ages) factorial experiment was settled for a period of 105 days with eighteen native buffalo and 18 BCB-1 (BLRI Cattle Breed-1) bulls of three age groups (18 months, 24 months and 30 months) and distributed them randomly in six treatment groups having an equal number (6) of animals in each. Intake of nutrients i.e.: DM, CP of buffalo bulls was significantly (p<0.001) higher than BCB-1 bulls in all the cases. The buffalo bulls had significantly higher digestibility of DM (68.0%, p<0.001), OM (67.9%, p<0.001), CP (66.3%, p<0.05), ADF (59.8%, p<0.001) or NDF (59.6%, p<0.001) than cattle (63.0%, 62.7%, 63.6%, 52.4% & 49.6%, respectively). But, the digestibility of DM, OM, CP, ADF or NDF was not affected significantly (p>0.05) by the age of the bulls with any cases. Buffalo bulls gained body weight more rapidly (p<0.001); 1.11 & 0.88 kg/day, respectively and showed a better FCR (p>0.05; 6.72 & 6.86, respectively) than cattle with low feed cost of per kg gain (US 1.62 & US 1.69, respectively). ADG (p<0.01), FCR (p<0.05) and estimated feed cost (p<0.05) affected significantly and increased linearly by the age of bulls, where 18 months bulls of buffalo and BCB-1 performed best. In an aggregation, it revealed that, buffalo performed better than BCB-1 cattle and 18 months age of both species was more responsive for profitable meat production

Seasonal Weather Impacts on Biomass Production of Moringa oleifera at Different Fertilizer Doses

A year round agronomical trial was conducted on station (Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute) to investigate the impact of seasonal variations on biomass production of Moringa oleifera at different fertilizer doses in Bangladesh. A 6×3 factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design (CRD) was applied on 20m×12m =240 m2 size plot, established in 2006 with a plant density of 13,500/hectare, was equally divided into 18 sub-plots and randomly grouped into three; 6 plots was treated as control, 6 plots was treated as medium with medium doses of fertilizer and rest 6 was treated as high fertilizer dose with the ratio of N.P.K was 90:30:15 and 160:60:40 kg/ha, respectively. The obtained result revealed that, the summer was the best season and autumn, monsoon and spring was also favorable for getting maximum yield of Moringa oleifera with ambient temperature ranges 27-320C and fertilization dose N:P:K= 90:30:15 is suitable for optimum moringa production and chemical composition of moringa varied with season and slightly with fertilization

The effect of cutting interval on yield and nutrient composition of different plant fractions of Moringa oleifera tree

An experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of cutting interval on biomass yield and chemical composition of different plant fractions of Moringa oleifera. In a completely randomized block design experiment, an established Moringa plot was divided into 12 equal plots and subjectedto three cutting intervals of 4, 6 and 8 weeks, each with four replications. The highest fresh and dry matter (DM) yields (t ha-1 cut-1) of total foliage, leaf and stem were obtained at the 8 weeks cutting interval followed by 6 and 4 weeks cutting interval. Effect of leaf to stem ratio was not significant (P>0.05) among harvesting intervals. The CP content of total foliage, leaf and stem was not different (P>0.05) over the harvesting intervals. The acid detergent fibre (ADF), neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent lignin (ADL) of total foliage was significantly (P0.05) different among the treatments. The values of IVDMD and IVOMD ranges were from 772.0 to 802.0 and 761.0 to 798.0 g kg-1 DM, respectively. Both yields and chemical compositions of Moringa foliage and leaf suggest that the optimum cutting interval was 8 weeks in rainy season from mature Moringa tree. These data suggest that the higher CP and lower fibre value in the leaf indicate a good protein source for poultry or other monogastric animals and Moringa foliage could be a potential protein source for ruminant livestock

Participatory and Institutional Approaches to Agricultural Climate Services: A South and Southeast Asia Regional Technical & Learning Exchange

In order to share experience and boost capacity in agricultural climate services, a three-day workshop titled ‘Participatory and Institutional Approaches to Agricultural Climate Services Development: A South and South East Asia Regional Technical and Learning exchange” was held between September 17-19, 2017, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, with more than 50 leaders in agricultural climate services from 11 countries attending. The workshop was sponsored by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) behalf of the Climate Services for Resilient Development (CSRD). The workshop was organized by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) alongside the SERVIR and Climate Services Support Activity and CSRD South Asian partners

Dicopper(I) Complexes Incorporating Acetylide-functionalized Pyridinyl-based Ligands::Synthesis, Structural and Photovoltaic Studies

Heteroaryl incorporated acetylide-functionalized pyridinyl ligands (<b>L1–L6</b>) with the general formula Py-CC-Ar (Py = pyridine and Ar = <i>thiophene-2-yl</i>, 2,2′<i>-bithiophene]-5-yl</i>, 2,2′<i>:5</i>′,2″<i>-terthiophene]-5-yl</i>, <i>thieno­[2,3-<i>b</i>]­thiophen-2-yl</i>, <i>quinoline-5-yl</i>, <i>benzo­[c]­[1,2,5]­thiadiazole-5-yl</i>) have been synthesized by Pd(0)/Cu­(I)-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of 4-ethynylpyridine and the respective heteroaryl halide. Ligands <b>L1–L6</b> were isolated in respectable yields and characterized by microanalysis, IR spectroscopy, ¹H NMR spectroscopy, and ESI-MS mass spectrometry. A series of dinuclear Cu­(I) complexes <b>1</b>–<b>10</b> have been synthesized by reacting <b>L1–L6</b> with CuI and triphenylphosphine (PPh₃) (<b>R1</b>) or with an anchored phosphine derivative, 4-(diphenylphosphino) benzoic acid (<b>R2</b>)/2-(diphenylphosphino)­benzenesulfonic acid (<b>R3</b>), in a stoichiometric ratio. The complexes are soluble in common organic solvents and have been characterized by analytical, spectroscopic, and computational methods. Single-crystal X-ray structure analysis confirmed rhomboid dimeric structures for complexes <b>1</b>, <b>2</b>, <b>4</b>, and <b>5</b>, and a polymeric structure for <b>6</b>. Complexes <b>1</b>–<b>6</b> showed oxidation potential responses close to 0.9 V vs Fc^0/+, which were chemically irreversible and are likely to be associated with multiple steps and core oxidation. Preliminary photovoltaic (PV) results of these new materials indicated moderate power conversion efficiency (PCE) in the range of 0.15–1.56% in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The highest PCE was achieved with complex <b>10</b> bearing the sulfonic acid anchoring functionality

Climate Services for Resilient Development (CSRD) in South Asia

Climate Services for Resilient Development (CSRD) is a global partnership that connects climate and environmental science with data streams to generate decision support tools and training for decision-makers in developing countries. Translating complex climate information into easy to understand actionable formats to spread awareness in the form of climate services is core to CSRD’s mission. CSRD works across South Asia (with emphasis on Bangladesh), the Horn of Africa (Ethiopia), and in South America (Colombia) to generate and provide timely and useful climate information, decision tools and services. In South Asia, CSRD focusses the development, supply and adaptation of agricultural climate services to reduce vulnerability by increasing resiliency in smallholder farming systems, which is strategically aligned with the Global Framework for Climate Services

Proceedings of the Regional Knowledge Forum on Drought: Earth Observation and Climate Services for Food Security and Agricultural Decision Making in South Asia and Southeast Asia, Kathmandu, Nepal, 8-10 October 2018

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) is collaborating with meteorological and agricultural institutions in the Hindu Kush Himalaya through its SERVIR Hindu Kush Himalaya (SERVIR-HKH) and the Climate Services for Resilient Development (CSRD) initiatives to establish agricultural drought monitoring and early warning systems. The aim is to improve the capacity of national agro-meteorology and agricultural agencies to develop data products related to crop monitoring and enhance the knowledge of national scientists about the interpretation of agro-climatic data in their country contexts. Similarly, the SERVIR-Mekong initiative, hosted by the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC), is establishing a regional drought and crop yield information system for the Mekong region in Southeast Asia. The system will assist local governments and the agricultural sector with drought forecasting and implementing short- and longterm mitigation measures during and before droughts. In the three days deliberations, the forum reviewed current status and needs for sustained information services at regional and national levels in the aforementioned areas. The participants at the forum also discussed ways to establish a regional partnership with participation of national and regional institutions, private sector, local and international organizations to improve climate services using Earth Observation and facilitate agricultural decision making to help with food security in the region

Regulatory mechanism on enhancing protein synthesis in skeletal muscles of cold exposed fresh water fish (Channa punctata)

Channa punctata varieties of fish are energetic and survive in critical environment although the molecular mechanism is not known. They were exposed to cold (4–8 °C) for 30 min, 1 h, 2 h and 4 h and the total protein contents in the liver were not significantly changed up to 4 h of cold exposure while a significantly increased protein level in the skeletal muscle was noted and maximal at 2 h. Groups of fish were exposed to Na2HAsO4 to examine its role on cold-induced protein synthesis in the skeletal muscle and the increased protein in the skeletal muscle was reduced significantly. The results appear to indicate that cold acclimation induces a metabolic change involving cellular protein content tissue specifically and arsenic might be involved in impairment of the cold-induced effect. To clarify the molecular mechanism, groups of fish exposed to cold for 1 h and 2 h had significantly increased RNA in the skeletal muscle compared to control fish, however, a higher level was found after 2 h of treatment and the enhanced RNA induced by cold was almost completely prevented by Na2HAsO4. Our findings will give a new insight into the survival process of this species while toxic arsenic prevents this cellular bioprocess

Intradural extramedullary spinal cord tumours: A retrospective study of sur­ gical outcomes

Background: Intradural extramedullary spinal cord tumours (IESCT) accounts for approximately two thirds of all intraspinal neoplasm and are of important clinical consideration and surgery is the essence in cases with neurological deterioration. Objective: To share our experience on the outcome of surgical excision of intradural extramedullary spinal cord tumours. Methods: Results of 60 patients surgically treated intradural extramedullary spinal tumours between Octo­ber 2003 and October 2015 at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and in our private settings, Dhaka, were analyzed retrospectively. There were 32 males, 28 females with an average age of 52.4 years (13-70 years) and followed up for at least a year. The preoperative symptom with duration, tumours location and intradural space occupancy and the histopathological diagnosis were analyzed. Pain was evaluated by the visual analogue scale (VAS) and the neurologic function was assessed by Nurick's grade. Results: The tumours were located as, thoracic 32 (53.33%), lumbar 16 (26.67%), cervical 04 (6.67%), and junctional 08 (13.33%), CervicoThoracic-01, Thoracolumbar-07). The histopathological diagnosis included schwannoma 35 (58.33%), meningiomas 14 (23.33%), neurofbroma 4 (6.67%), arachnoid cyst and myxopapillary ependymoma 03 (05.00%) each and paraganglioma 01 (01.67%). The VAS score was reduced in all cases from 8.0 ± 1.2 to 1.2 ± 0.8 (p < 0.003) and the Nurick's grade was improved in all cases from 3.0 ± 1.3 to 1.0 ± 0.0 (p < 0.005). The preoperative neurological deficit improved within 8 postoperative weeks in most cases and within 1 postoperative year in all cases. Complications included cerebrospinal fluid leakage, parasthesia, dependant bedsore 02 (3.33%) each and recurrence 03 (05.00%). and further neurological deterioration 1 (01.67%) case. Conclusion: lntradural extramedullary tumors detected by MRI are mostly benign and good clinical results can be obtained when treated surgi­cally. Aggressive surgical excision potentially minimizes neurologic morbidity and improved outcome.