Mechanism and pathway of glucose transportation in a digenetic trematode Ceylonocotyle scoliocoelium

The mode of absorption, kinetics and mechanism of transportation of 14C--glucose in a digenetic trematode, Ceylonocotyle scoliocoelium were studied by culturing the trematodes under in vitro condition in Hank's saline supplemented with radioactive tracer. It was then followed separately by autoradiography and liquid scintillation. Autoradiographic study reveals that the maximum amount of glucose uptake occurs through cuticle whereas the role of intestinal canal is insignificant in this respect. Maximum cpm is recorded in the precipitate followed by TCA treatment. This is due to the presence of a protein-bound 14C-glucose which is assumed as the carrier protein. The inhibitor, phlorizin, used here presumably acts noncompetitively.     

利用孟加拉巴苦竹和龙竹生产竹质集成材

在孟加拉,由于木材资源持续下降,引发了对木材的替代原料的研究兴趣。竹子是一种生长快、可更新、经济实用的材料,是一种极有希望的木材代替品。选择两个当地竹种(巴苦竹和龙竹)研究生产竹质集成材的可行性。分别从巴苦竹和龙竹基部向上的5.4 m和3.6m截取一段竹秆,加工成方形竹块,以加工层积材。采用硼酸,漂白和碳化等防腐处理来处理竹片,以延长集成材的使用寿命。用处理过的竹片分别制成两种不同纹理方向(顺纹和交错纹理)的3层竹板材,其厚度为12 mm。以脲醛胶和聚醋酸乙烯酯作为胶粘剂。与交错纹理相比,用脲醛胶和聚醋酸乙烯酯胶合的顺纹层积材的机械强度(如断裂模数和弹性模数)较高。但用聚醋酸乙烯酯胶合的顺纹层积材的尺寸稳定性较弱。在这2个竹种中,龙竹制成的顺纹层积材性能较好。竹质集成材是一种中高强度的材料,可用作结构单板、组合家具构件、地板和墙板等。然而,需要进一步研究产品在使用期的稳定性和蠕变行为。     

Berechnung der Durchforstungen

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Binding characteristics of methyl parathion to photosynthetic membranes of Chlorella

When methyl parathion is added at a given concentration to exponentially growing Chlorella cultures containing different numbers of cells, the inhibition of cell number, packed cell volume, pigment content, or photosynthesis has been found to be a function of the cell number, the inhibition being decreased with increased number of cells. Inhibition of photosynthesis has been studied further with a view to characterizing the mechanism of inhibition with a simple assumption that methyl parathion binds to a specific component in Chlorella cells to form an inhibitory complex. The concentration of methyl parathion causing 50% inhibition (I₅₀) of photosynthetic O₂ evolution increases linearly with increasing concentration of chlorophyll in the culture medium. With whole cells the inhibition constant (K_i) is 15 times greater than that with cell-free photosynthetic membranes. This shows that the cell wall acts as a permeability barrier. The relation between the I₅₀ and K_i values and the analyses of the Hill plot of the inhibition curves reveal one binding site per 0.5 chlorophyll molecule and a cooperative binding of methyl parathion with at least three binding sites per binding molecule. Mild treatment of the photosynthetic membranes with trypsin makes the photosynthetic electron transport insensitive to the insecticide, suggesting that the binding component is proteinaceous in nature and the binding sites are located on the external surface of the membrane. The reversal of methyl parathion inhibition is parallel to that of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethyl urea (diuron) inhibition during trypsin treatment suggesting that the binding proteins for these two inhibitors are similar.     

RELEVANCE OF A RAPID APPRAISAL APPROACH TO IDENTIFY LOCALLY AVAILABLE FEED INGREDIENTS TO SMALL-SCALE NILE TILAPIA (Oreochromis niloticus L.) AQUACULTURE

Applications of a rapid appraisal approach to identify locally available feed ingredients in feed formulation, production, and socio-economics of Nile tilapia aquaculture in Bangladesh are discussed. Three diets of 35%, 30%, and 25% crude protein were formulated using locally available ingredients, and their essential amino acid profiles were assessed for Nile tilapia. Six production scenarios were constructed using these diets and two culture periods of 100 and 150 days were considered. The production scenarios with 35% protein yielded the highest productivity and profitability over the 150-day culture period followed by the 30% protein scenario. Identification of locally available ingredients and their application in small-scale Nile tilapia aquaculture may lead to: (1) increased availability of inexpensive sources of fish production for poor people; (2) increased fish consumption; (3) increased self employment and involvement of women in productive activities; and (4) increased household income to reduce poverty.     

A Review on Heavy Metal Ions and Dye Adsorption from Water by Agricultural Solid Waste Adsorbents

Agricultural solid wastes either in natural or in modified forms have been successfully used for decades as non-conventional cost-effective adsorbents for removing metal ions and dyes from their aqueous phase and have been recognized as a sustainable solution for wastewater treatment. Therefore, this review article provides extensive literature information about heavy metals and dyes, their classifications and toxicity, various treatment methods with emphasis on adsorption characteristics by numerous agricultural solid wastes, or agricultural solid waste-derived adsorbents under various physicochemical process conditions. This review article not only provided an up-to-date information on the application of sustainable low-cost alternative adsorbents such as agricultural solid wastes, agricultural by-products, and biomass-based cost-effective activated carbon and various other natural materials in the batch adsorptive removal of heavy metal and dye from aqueous phase but also presented a comprehensive compilation of adsorptive pollutant removal information based on various reported continuous column operation studies which is one of the new aspect to this review article. The effectiveness of various batch and column operational process parameters on mechanistic adsorptive removal of both heavy metals and dyes by various agricultural solid waste-based adsorbents has been critically discussed here. Batch and column adsorption mechanism, batch kinetics, column dynamic modeling, and adsorptive behavior of adsorbents under various process parameters have also been critically analyzed and compared. Finally, literature information on recovery and regeneration through desorption techniques and cost comparison of various agricultural solid waste adsorbents with commercial activated carbons have also been reported here. Conclusions have been drawn from the literature reviewed, and few suggestions for future research direction are proposed.     

Genotypic variability in plant water status of French bean under drought stress

Seven genotypes of French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) were evaluated under semi-controlled conditions at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Bangladesh to analyze genotypic variability in leaf water status under water stress. The plants were grown under two moisture regimes, viz. 80% field capacity (FC) and 50% FC throughout the growing season. The genotypes showed significant variation in water relation traits. Genotypes BB24 and BB43 maintained higher relative water content (RWC), but lower turgid weight/dry weight ratio (TW/DW) and water uptake capacity (WUC). When drought susceptibility index (DSI) among the genotypes was considered, BB24 was found the most tolerant to drought and BB04 was the most susceptible one. A close positive relationship between leaf TW/DW and DSI under drought was recorded (R ² = 0.627). Leaf TW/DW was decreased considerably due to water stress by 10% in genotype BB24 followed by BB43 (13%), and both BARI bushbean-2 and BB04 (19%). Stomatal aperture and whole plant transpiration rate were found minimal in the BB24 and BB43 compared to that of BB04 and BARI bushbean-2. Considering these water relation traits, genotypes BB24 and BB43 may be considered as relatively tolerant to tissue dehydration. The study also revealed that the TW/DW, WUC, stomatal aperture, and whole plant transpiration rate was negatively and significantly associated with yield; however, the RWC was positively correlated with yield under water stress conditions.     

Wheat bran oil and its fractions inhibit human colon cancer cell growth and intestinal tumorigenesis in Apc(min/+) mice

This study was designed to investigate the cancer preventive activities of wheat bran (WB) oil. We studied the colon cancer preventive effects of WB oil and its subfractions in the Apc(min/+) mouse model, a recognized mouse model for human colorectal cancer, and used human colon cancer cell lines (HCT-116 and HT-29) to identify possible active fractions in WB oil. Our results showed that the oil fraction of WB was more active than the water fraction against the growth of human colon cancer cell lines and that 2% WB oil significantly inhibited the overall tumorigenesis by 35.7% (p < 0.0001) in the Apc(min/+) mouse model. The WB oil was further fractioned into nonpolar lipids and phytochemicals and the phytochemical fraction was fractionated into phytosterols and phytosterol ferulates, 5-alk(en)ylresorcinols, and unidentified constituents by normal phase silica gel column chromatography. Results on cell culture showed that the phytochemical fraction had a higher inhibitory effect on HCT-116 human colon cancer cells than that of WB oil, whereas the nonpolar lipid fraction had less growth inhibitory effectiveness. However, neither fractions showed a stronger inhibition than WB oil in the Apc(min/+) mouse model. The current results demonstrate, for the first time, the intestinal cancer preventive activity of WB oil. The active ingredients, however, remain to be identified.     

Phytoremediation Potentials of Sunflowers (Tithonia diversifolia and Helianthus annuus) for Metals in Soils Contaminated with Zinc and Lead Nitrates

Two species of sunflower, i.e., Tithonia diversifolia and Helianthus annuus, were investigated for their potential to remove heavy metals from contaminated soils. Dried and mature T. diversifolia (Mexican flower) seeds were collected along roadsides, while H. annuus (sunflower) seeds were sourced from the Department of PBST, University of Agriculture Abeokuta, Nigeria. The contaminants were added as lead nitrate (Pb (NO₃)₂) and zinc nitrate (Zn (NO₃)₂) at 400 mg/kg which represents upper critical soil concentration for both Pb and Zn. The results indicated that T. diversifolia mopped up substantial concentrations of Pb in the above-ground biomass compared to concentrations in the roots. The concentrations in the leaf compartment were 87.3, 71.3, and 71.5 mg/kg at 4, 6, and 8 weeks after planting (AP), respectively. In roots, it was 99.4 mg/kg, 97.4 mg/g, and 77.7 mg/kg while 79.3, 77.8, and 60.7 mg/kg were observed in the stems at 4, 6, and 8 weeks AP, respectively. Observations with H. annuus followed the pattern found with T. diversifolia, showing significant (p?<?0.05) accumulation of Pb in the above-ground biomass. Results obtained from Zn contaminated soils showed significant (p?<?0.05) accumulation in the above-ground compartments of T. diversifolia and H. annuus compared with root. However, the highest accumulation of Zn was observed in the leaf. The translocation factor and enrichment coefficient of Pb and Zn with these plant species are greater than 1, indicating that these metals moved more easily in these plants. However, this result also showed that the translocation of Zn from root to the shoot of the two plants was higher than Pb. In conclusion, this experiment showed that these plants accumulated substantial Pb and Zn in their shoots (leaf and stem) at 4 weeks AP which diminished with time. This implies that the efficiency of these plants in cleaning the contaminated soils was at the early stage of their growth.