Decarbonylation Reaction of [Os\u3csub\u3e3\u3c/sub\u3e(CO)\u3csub\u3e10\u3c/sub\u3e(\u3cem\u3eμ\u3c/em\u3e-H)(\u3cem\u3eμ\u3c/em\u3e-SN\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3eC\u3csub\u3e4\u3c/sub\u3eH\u3csub\u3e5\u3c/sub\u3e)]: X-ray Structures of the Two Isomers of [Os\u3csub\u3e3\u3c/sub\u3e(CO)\u3csub\u3e9\u3c/sub\u3e(\u3cem\u3eμ\u3c/em\u3e-H)(\u3cem\u3eμ\u3c/em\u3e\u3csub\u3e3\u3c/sub\u3e-\u3cem\u3eη\u3c/em\u3e\u3csup\u3e2\u3c/sup\u3e-SN\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3eC\u3csub\u3e4\u3c/sub\u3eH\u3csub\u3e5\u3c/sub\u3e)]

The thermal reaction of [Os3(CO)10(μ-H)(μ-SN2C4H5)] (1) at 110 °C afforded the new compound [Os3(CO)9(μ-H)(μ 3-η 2-SN2C4H5)] (2) in 84% yield. Compound 2 exists as two isomers, which differ in the disposition of the bridging hydride ligand. Both of the isomers of 2 have been characterized by a combination of elemental analysis, infrared and 1H NMR spectroscopic data together with single crystal X-ray crystallography. The isomers crystallize together in the triclinic space group P-1 with a = 10.4775(2), b = 13.3056(3), c = 15.0325(3) Å, α = 110.8890(10), β = 99.3880(10), γ = 96.1620(10)°, Z = 2 and V = 1900.31(7) Å3

Activation of Tri(2-Furyl)Phosphine at a Dirhenium Centre: Formation of Phosphido-Bridged Dirhenium Complexes

Reaction of tri(2-furyl)phosphine (PFu3) with [Re2(CO)10−n(NCMe)n] (n = 1, 2) at 40 °C gave the substituted complexes [Re2(CO)10−n(PFu3)n] (1 and 2), the phosphines occupying axial position in all cases. Heating [Re2(CO)10] and PFu3 in refluxing xylene also gives 1 and 2 together with four phosphido-bridged complexes; [Re2(CO)8−n(PFu3)n(μ-PFu2)(μ-H)] (n = 0, 1, 2) (3–5) and [Re2(CO)6(PFu3)2(μ-PFu2)(μ-Cl)] (6) resulting from phosphorus–carbon bond cleavage. A series of separate thermolysis experiments has allowed a detailed reaction pathway to be unambiguously established. A similar reaction between [Re2(CO)10] and PFu3 in refluxing chlorobenzene furnishes four complexes which include 1, 2, 6 and the new binuclear complex [Re2(CO)6(η1-C4H3O)2(μ-PFu2)2] (7). All new complexes have been characterized by a combination of spectroscopic data and single crystal X-ray diffraction studies

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

Can a Combined Agriculture and Nutrition Behaviour Change Intervention Improve Women’s Empowerment? A Mixed Methods Feasibility Study in Rural Bangladesh

Many agricultural and home gardening interventions aim to improve the nutritional status of women and children in low- and middle-income countries by focusing on women as the recipients of the intervention and make assumptions that women will be empowered as a result. This paper examines the potential impact of an intervention study that combined home garden training and support, and nutrition behaviour change communication, with a social safety net payment, on women’s empowerment in rural Bangladesh. We assessed the implementation of this study in terms of feasibility, acceptability, and practical application. Twenty in-depth interviews were conducted with randomly selected women that took part in the study. Qualitative data was coded using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke 2006) and the results presented using the following five indicators: control over use of income, input into productive decisions, respect among household members, self-efficacy, and input into nutrition and health care decisions. Our study showed that a combined nutrition-specific (nutrition counselling) and nutrition-sensitive (agricultural training and unconditional cash transfer) intervention, delivered on a mobile platform, to women from low-income families in rural Bangladesh was feasible and acceptable. The study further revealed evidence on behaviour change across five key indicators related to women’s empowerment. The study highlights the potential for such an intervention to impact women’s empowerment and provides insight for the aid in the design of larger-scale trials implemented in similar settings

Risk Factors of Mortality in Severely-malnourished Children Hospitalized with Diarrhoea

This case-control study was conducted in the Dhaka Hospital of ICDDR,B to identify the risk factors of mortality in severely-malnourished children hospitalized with diarrhoea. One hundred and three severely-malnourished children (weight-for-age <60% of median of the National Center for Health Statistics standard) who died during hospitalization were compared with another 103 severely-malnourished children who survived. These children were aged less than three years and admitted to the hospital during 1997. On admission, characteristics of the fatal cases and non-fatal controls were comparable, except for age. The median age of the cases and controls were six and eight months respectively (p=0.05). Patients with low pulse rate or imperceptible pulse had three times the odds of death compared to the control group (p<0.01). The presence of clinical septicaemia and clinical severe anaemia had 11.7 and 4.2 times the odds of death respectively (p<0.01). Patients with leukocytosis (>15,000/cm3) had 2.5 times the odds of death (p<0.01). Using logistic regression, clinical septicaemia [adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=8.8, confidence interval (CI) 3.7-21.1, p=0.01], hypothermia (AOR=3.5, CI 1.3-9.4, p<0.01), and bronchopneumonia (AOR=3.0, CI 1.2-7.3, p<0.01) were identified as the significant risk factors of mortality. Severely-malnourished children (n=129) with leukocytosis, imperceptible pulse, pneumonia, septicaemia, and hypothermia had a high risk of mortality. The identified risk factors can be used as a prognostic guide for patients with diarrhoea and severe malnutrition

Risk Factors of Mortality in Severely-malnourished Children Hospitalized with Diarrhoea

This case-control study was conducted in the Dhaka Hospital of ICDDR,B to identify the risk factors of mortality in severely-malnourished children hospitalized with diarrhoea. One hundred and three severelymalnourished children (weight-for-age &lt;60% of median of the National Center for Health Statistics standard) who died during hospitalization were compared with another 103 severely-malnourished children who survived. These children were aged less than three years and admitted to the hospital during 1997. On admission, characteristics of the fatal cases and non-fatal controls were comparable, except for age. The median age of the cases and controls were six and eight months respectively (p=0.05). Patients with low pulse rate or imperceptible pulse had three times the odds of death compared to the control group (p&lt;0.01). The presence of clinical septicaemia and clinical severe anaemia had 11.7 and 4.2 times the odds of death respectively (p&lt;0.01). Patients with leukocytosis (&gt;15,000/cm3) had 2.5 times the odds of death (p&lt;0.01). Using logistic regression, clinical septicaemia [adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=8.8, confidence interval (CI) 3.7-21.1, p=0.01], hypothermia (AOR=3.5, CI 1.3-9.4, p&lt;0.01), and bronchopneumonia (AOR=3.0, CI 1.2-7.3, p&lt;0.01) were identified as the significant risk factors of mortality. Severely-malnourished children (n=129) with leukocytosis, imperceptible pulse, pneumonia, septicaemia, and hypothermia had a high risk of mortality. The identified risk factors can be used as a prognostic guide for patients with diarrhoea and severe malnutrition

Attitude Toward Plastic Money Usage: A Leap of Faith Toward Green Banking and Sustainable Development

With the advancement of technology, banking sector in Bangladesh has witnessed a dramatic shift in financial sector especially in the form of transactions. Cashless transactions, through Plastic money are growing rapidly from its inception in 1997. The purpose of this particular study is to unearth the moderating influence of the perceptions about the plastic money (Perceived advantages, Perceived disadvantages, Psychological factors) on the perceived future growth of plastic money market of Bangladesh. This study used 159 replies, with a response rate of 78 percent, which was collected through a self-administered survey using Mall intercept technique, judgmental technique and snowball technique. The results, derived from Step-wise multiple linear regression analysis by the usage of AMOS 2O showed that perceived advantages, perceived disadvantages and psychological factors-all three significantly modify customers’ attitude toward growth. Moreover, the study attempts to link how the growth of plastic money market leads to green banking practices, which in turn will accelerate sustainable development. Plastic money marketers (Banks and Financial institutions) will have a great implication from this study regarding how to utilize the growth potential and become a sustainable development agent. Keywords: Plastic Money, Green Banking, Sustainable Development, Growth DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/13-18-06 Publication date:September 30th 202

Quaternary Arsenides <i>A</i>CdGeAs₂ (<i>A</i> = K, Rb) Built of Ethane-Like Ge₂As₆ Units

Reactions of the elements at high temperature resulted in the quaternary arsenides KCdGeAs₂ (650 °C) and RbCdGeAs₂ (600 °C). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that they adopt a new triclinic structure type (space group <i>P</i>1̅, Pearson symbol <i>aP</i>20, <i>Z</i> = 4; <i>a</i> = 8.0040(18) Å, <i>b</i> = 8.4023(19) Å, <i>c</i> = 8.703(2) Å, α = 71.019(3)°, β = 75.257(3)°, γ = 73.746(3)° for KCdGeAs₂; <i>a</i> = 8.2692(13) Å, <i>b</i> = 8.4519(13) Å, <i>c</i> = 8.7349(13) Å, α = 71.163(2)°, β = 75.601(2)°, γ = 73.673(2)° for RbCdGeAs₂). Two-dimensional anionic layers [CdGeAs₂]⁻ are separated by <i>A</i>⁺ cations and are built from ethane-like Ge₂As₆ units forming infinite chains connected via three- and four-coordinated Cd atoms. Being Zintl phases, these compounds satisfy charge balance and are expected to be semiconducting, as confirmed by band structure calculations on KCdGeAs₂, which reveal a band gap of 0.8 eV. KCdGeAs₂ is diamagnetic

Ternary Arsenides A₂Zn₂As₃ (A = Sr, Eu) and Their Stuffed Derivatives A₂Ag₂ZnAs₃

The ternary arsenides A₂Zn₂As₃ and the quaternary derivatives A₂Ag₂ZnAs₃ (A = Sr, Eu) have been prepared by stoichiometric reaction of the elements at 800 °C. Compounds A₂Zn₂As₃ crystallize with the monoclinic Ba₂Cd₂Sb₃-type structure (Pearson symbol <i>mC</i>28, space group <i>C</i>2/<i>m</i>, <i>Z</i> = 4; <i>a</i> = 16.212(5) Å, <i>b</i> = 4.275(1) Å, <i>c</i> = 11.955(3) Å, β = 126.271(3)° for Sr₂Zn₂As₃; <i>a</i> = 16.032(4) Å, <i>b</i> = 4.255(1) Å, <i>c</i> = 11.871(3) Å, β = 126.525(3)° for Eu₂Zn₂As₃) in which CaAl₂Si₂-type fragments, built up of edge-sharing Zn-centered tetrahedra, are interconnected by homoatomic As–As bonds to form anionic slabs [Zn₂As₃]^4– separated by A²⁺ cations. Compounds A₂Ag₂ZnAs₃ crystallize with the monoclinic Yb₂Zn₃Ge₃-type structure (Pearson symbol <i>mC</i>32, space group <i>C</i>2/<i>m</i>; <i>a</i> = 16.759(2) Å, <i>b</i> = 4.4689(5) Å, <i>c</i> = 12.202(1) Å, β = 127.058(1)° for Sr₂Ag₂ZnAs₃; <i>a</i> = 16.427(1) Å, <i>b</i> = 4.4721(3) Å, <i>c</i> = 11.9613(7) Å, β = 126.205(1)° for Eu₂Ag₂ZnAs₃), which can be regarded as a stuffed derivative of the Ba₂Cd₂Sb₃-type structure with additional transition-metal atoms in tetrahedral coordination inserted to link the anionic slabs together. The Ag and Zn atoms undergo disorder but with preferential occupancy over four sites centered in either tetrahedral or trigonal planar geometry. The site distribution of these metal atoms depends on a complex interplay of size and electronic factors. All compounds are Zintl phases. Band structure calculations predict that Sr₂Zn₂As₃ is a narrow band gap semiconductor and Sr₂Ag₂ZnAs₃ is a semimetal. Electrical resistivity measurements revealed band gaps of 0.04 eV for Sr₂Zn₂As₃ and 0.02 eV for Eu₂Zn₂As₃, the latter undergoing an apparent metal-to-semiconductor transition at 25 K

Ternary Arsenides A₂Zn₅As₄ (A = K, Rb): Zintl Phases Built from <i>Stellae Quadrangulae</i>

Stoichiometric reaction of the elements at high temperature yields the ternary arsenides K₂Zn₅As₄ (650 °C) and Rb₂Zn₅As₄ (600 °C). They adopt a new structure type (Pearson symbol <i>oC</i>44, space group <i>Cmcm</i>, <i>Z</i> = 4; <i>a</i> = 11.5758(5) Å, <i>b</i> = 7.0476(3) Å, <i>c</i> = 11.6352(5) Å for K₂Zn₅As₄; <i>a</i> = 11.6649(5) Å, <i>b</i> = 7.0953(3) Å, <i>c</i> = 11.7585(5) Å for Rb₂Zn₅As₄) with a complex three-dimensional framework of linked ZnAs₄ tetrahedra generating large channels that are occupied by the alkali-metal cations. An alternative and useful way of describing the structure is through the use of <i>stellae quadrangulae</i> each consisting of four ZnAs₄ tetrahedra capping an empty central tetrahedron. These compounds are Zintl phases; band structure calculations on K₂Zn₅As₄ and Rb₂Zn₅As₄ indicate semiconducting behavior with a direct band gap of 0.4 eV