Dyeing studies with henna and madder: A research on effect of tin (II) chloride mordant

The present paper deals with the application of natural dyes extracted from powdered henna (Lawsonia inermis) leaves and madder (Rubia cordifolia) roots on woolen yarn and assessment of effect of stannous chloride mordant on dyeability, color characteristics, fastness properties and antifungal activity of dyed woolen yarn. Sixteen shades have been developed for the characterization of their color characteristics and fastness properties. The color strength (K/S value) has been found to be very good in all dyed woolen yarn samples. The color fastness with respect to light exposure, washing and rubbing was quite satisfactory for both henna as well as madder dyed samples. Henna leaves extract was found very effective against Candida glabrata both in solution as well as after application on wool substrate but no antifungal activity is reported in case of madder both in solution as well as on wool substrate

Chevron's seismic survey, USAID's Nishorgo project, the Lawachara National Park of Bangladesh: a critical review

The paper mainly reviews the USAID-funded Nishorgo project which is an environmental project undertaken for the conservation of the officially declared protected areas of Bangladesh. This project is based on a co-management approach having the major features of Public-Private Partnership arrangements. Both state and non-state actors including the local communities are the participants in the project. However, the operation of this project coincides with the business interests of the US-based multinational company- Chevron in the project sites. In fact, it conducted a seismic survey in the Lawachhara forest areas of north-eastern Bangladesh. But the survey raised a public controversy as it violated the municipal laws of the country on wildlife conservation. This paper takes a Gramscian perspective to review the two different but related MNC and donor projects. In this regard, the first project of seismic survey provides a case study for the analysis of Chevron’s operation in Bangladesh, while the second project reviews USAID sponsored Nishorgo. Based on field works, interviews, and content analysis of local newspapers, this paper finds that both projects appear to have some other purposes which are largely related to the economic interests of the USA. In both cases, members of the local public and private agencies appear to partner with their international cohorts, and neglect the genuine responsibility of conserving the forests, thus further complicating the principles of public-private partnership empirically

Comparison of Hematological and Inflammatory Markers to Predict Outcome in Covid-19 in 1st and 4th Wave

OBJECTIVES: To compare the values of the hematological and inflammatory markers in 1st and 4th waves to predict the outcome of COVID-19 in a hospital-based study. METHODOLOGY: This comparative study was conducted in the Department of Hematology, Hayatabad Medical Complex Peshawar, from April 2020 to 20 August 2021. Tests of significance (Independent t-test/Mann Whitney U test) and Chi-square test were used. Relevant information was recorded on a pre-designed proforma prepared following the study's objectives. RESULTS: A total of 178 patients, 71 from (the 1st wave) and 107 from (the 4th wave) with known outcomes, were studied. A statistically significant difference exists between the groups (1st vs 4th wave) regarding hematological markers; neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) (p=0.02), Absolute Neutrophilic count (ANC) (p=0.01) and platelet count (p=0.001). Similarly, significantly higher inflammatory markers values were recorded in the 1st  wave compared with the 4th wave regarding inflammatory markers; CRP (p=0.002) and D-dimer (p=0.001). During the 1st wave, Total Leukocyte Count (TLC), ANC and d-dimer were the leading prognostic indicators to predict mortality/worst outcome in COVID-19 with an Area Under Curve (AUC) of 0.74, 0.70 and 0.7  on receiver operating characteristics (ROC) respectively. In 4th, the Area under the curve (AUC) of d-dimer was 0.84 to predict mortality.  CONCLUSION: TLC, ANC, NLR, and low platelet count were the worst hematological markers in COVID-19 in the first wave, while d-dimer and CRP were the primary prognostic inflammatory markers. Unlikely in the 4th wave, the prognostic values of hematological markers were merely significant. The d-dimer values in both the waves proved to be reliable for predicting the severity and mortality of COVID-19

WATER MANAGEMENT IN BANGLADESH AGRICULTURE: OPTIMAL USE AND INVESTMENT POLICIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE

In Bangladesh, climatic change is likely to impact significantly upon surface and groundwater availability, as well as in other countries. The population of Bangladesh is projected to be double the current 2010 level by 2050. Demand for water will rise with the increasing demand for rice. This paper considers the optimal demand management of irrigation water with stochastic supply under climate change for a 3-year planning horizon. It also identifies the utilization of irrigation water from surface water sources to maximize the expected net social return from rice production. This is done by considering decision on dam release for rice production with reference to climate change. A stochastic dynamic programming model is developed for analyzing the levels and timing of the allocation of surface water for irrigation. The objective is to find the optimal dam release for irrigation which results in the maximum expected present value of the stream of annual net social return from rice production for the 3 years from 2012 to 2014. Net social return in a year consists of the value of rice consumed, measured by consumers’ willingness to pay for rice, less the total cost of rice production. The paper also identifies the need for irrigation infrastructure and determines the optimal investment policies for the adaptation to climate change in Bangladesh agriculture.climate change, dam release, dynamic programming, Environmental Economics and Policy,

Health Care Workers of Rawalpindi Medical University: The Vanguards at the COVID-19 War

COVID-19 has been ravaging the world since November 2019, when the first case was detected. The population affected by this affliction is well North of 21 million cases worldwide. The hardest-hit countries include the USA (5.5 Million), Brazil (3.3 Million), and India (2.6 Million), accounting for nearly 55% of all cases. No part of the world has been left untouched by the plague and at this point, daily cases seem to be only increasing, with more than 250,000 cases, being reported worldwide daily. Close to 775,000 individuals have fallen prey to this disease, with the daily death tally averaging north of 5000 cases.1 14.5 million people have recovered to date, demonstrating a closed case mortality rate of 5

Marketing of Agricultural Crops in Rural Indian Economy: A Case Study

The marketing of agricultural crops plays an important role not only in stimulating production and consumption, but also in accelerating the pace of economic development. It is not only an economic link between the producers and consumers; it maintains a balance between demand and supply. Study examined the transaction of agricultural crops through rural markets and the price structure of different crops in rural markets of Ambedkarnagar District. It also highlighted the composition and structure of sellers and traders engaged in the marketing process. Local rural markets are the best option for the marginal and small farmers to dispose off their perishable surplus to get quick returns. Due to the lack of good infrastructural facilities in the study area, most of the farmers prefer local rural markets instead of going to the specialised markets or near-by town area. The variation in the transaction of agricultural produce is mainly due to a number of factors like higher market demand, accessibility, nature of produce, transportation facility, market-size, fair price, and so on. The average price of individual crop also varies from market to market due to the various socio-spatial factors. Keywords: Marketing, Agricultural crops, Rural economy, Rural market

Helping primary school teachers in the mountainous valley of Chitral Pakistan to enhance students’ learning through questioning

This paper highlights efforts being made to help two primary school teachers introduce questioning as a teaching strategy to maximize learning capacity of their students. Findings of the study indicate that provision of constant technical support is essential in getting the teachers conceptualized and internalized the importance, types and techniques of effective classroom questioning. It further indicates positive changes in the classroom practices of the research participants, as they started planning and executing more interactive lessons through incorporating questions of various levels for the learners. Change in teachers’ attitude towards questioning was also visible. They started believing that questioning is a powerful learning and teaching strategy as compared to a technique for silencing the learners to avoid disruption, which they perceived and used previously