Forest-based betel leaf and betel nut People in Bangladesh： approach Lawachara National Park （LNP） farming of the Khasia indigenous to biodiversity conservation in

An exploratory survey was conducted among the Khasia living in Lawachara National Parkt （LNP） to investigate their depend- ency on the protected area （PA） for livelihoods, betel leaf hill farming, traditional forest conservation and perceptions of the PA, Field data were collected by interviewing 48 household heads from two villages （punjis） located inside the LNP and visiting their farms.： The economy of the Khasia was forest-based. They were largely dependent on betel leaf hill farming in LNP and nearly 71% of their mean annual income was de- rived from this irrespective of farmer category. On average, about 14% of the incomes of the poorer farmers came from forest produce followed by 10% and 6% for medium and rich farmers respectively. Hills and forests were the foundations of their lives and livelihoods, and LNP was the life-blood of Khasia survival. As a sustainable production system, this farming practice plays a vital role in conserving biodiversity in LNP and might be replicated elsewhere.     

Validation of Molecular Markers and Haplotype Diversity at the SalTol Locus on Chromosome 1 of Rice

Rice （Oryza sativa L.） is the most important economic activity on earth as it is second largest single use of the land for food production and also consumed by the half of the world＇s population. Salinity is the one of the most common abiotic problem in rice growing areas of the world. Millions of hectares in the tropics, arid and semi arid region could be potential rice growing areas but either left idle or cropped with very low yielding varieties due to the lack of suitable salt tolerant high yielding modem varieties.     

Vegetation structure of subtropical forest of Tabai,South Waziristan,Pakistan

Phytosociological parameters, soil and temperature conditions, importance values of species, life form, leaf size, and biomass were investigated at the village Tabai during autumn 2006. There was very little difference in air and soil temperature due to similar elevation. There was a great difference in biomass production for various stands. The original vegetation structure has been altered due to deforestation and overgrazing. There is a need for restoration of the habitat.     

Management of type 2 diabetes mellitus by lifestyle, diet and medicinal plants

Globally, the prevalence of chronic, noncommunicable diseases is increasing at an alarming rate and diabetes is one of them. If diabetes is not controlled then a lot of complication like coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, retinopathy, nephropathy and neuropathy arise in diabetic patients and causes morbidity and/or mortality. Diabetes is increasing at an epidemic form and in near future the largest increases will take place in the regions dominated by developing economies. So, it will be a great social and economical burden to developing countries as well as the developed. But if we be aware about our diet and lifestyle and take proper medication we may prevent and reduce the prevalence of diabetes. Oral medicine plays an important role in management of diabetes. But most of the oral drugs are costly and have a lot of side effects. For this it is also necessary to take medicines with fewer or no side effects. And antidiabetic medicinal plants may play an important role in this case. In this article we have tried to describe how diet and lifestyle with using medicinal plants may help to prevent or maintain diabetes and help to reduce the mortality and morbidity due to diabetes or complication related to it.     

Respiratory bacterial flora from healthy as well as respiratory symptoms' subjects

Respiratory system is the primary settlement place of opportunistic organisms and considered as chief carrier of common respiratory pathogens. The aim of the study was to know the opportunistic organisms present in the healthy subjects as well as subjects that were suffering from respiratory symptoms. The organisms were identified as per standard bacteriological protocol and pathogenicity tests of the identified organisms were performed in mouse model. Antibiotic sensitivity of the identified organisms was performed. The bacterial flora present in the throat swab of apparently healthy as well as subjects suffering from respiratory symptoms were: Staphylococcus spp. (39.44%) of which Coagulase positive Staphylococcus (21.13%) and Coagulase negative Staphylococcus (18.31%), Klebsiella spp. (19.72%), Pseudomonas spp. (15.49%), Proteus spp. (4.23%), E. coli (9.86%) and Bacillus spp. (11.27%). Among the isolates Staphylococcus, Klebsiella and Pseudomonas were the predominant species. Percentages of identified bacteria were higher in respiratory symptoms exhibiting individuals (53.52%) than apparently healthy individuals (46.48%). All coagulase positive Staphylococcus, Klebsiella spp. and Pseudomonas spp. isolated from respiratory symptoms' subjects were found to be pathogenic. The isolated bacteria were resistant to amoxicillin and ampicillin but sensitive to ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin. Isolated Pseudomonas spp. showed multidrugs resistant properties. The study provided information about the pathogenic organisms' present respiratory systems of apparently healthy as well as subjects suffering from respiratory symptoms. The pathogenic natures of the isolated organisms were determined to make aware of scientists as well as clinicians. Antibiotics sensitivity assays would provide information to the clinicians for the selection of appropriate antibiotics to treat their patients.     

Development of a measurement method for abrasion irrigation channel using underwater ultrasonic wave

Paddy and Water Environment - Japan has many concrete irrigation channels with total length of about 400,000 km. Most of these channels are now too old for continued use. It would be too...     

Effect of mercerization on mechanical, thermal and degradation characteristics of jute fabric-reinforced polypropylene composites

Jute fabric reinforced polypropylene composites were fabricated by compression molding technique. Fiber content in the composites was optimized at 45 % by weight of fiber by evaluating the mechanical parameters such as tensile strength, tensile modulus, bending strength, bending modulus. Surface treatment of jute fabrics was carried out by mercerizing jute fabrics with aqueous solutions of NaOH (5, 10 and 20 %) at different soaking times (30, 60 and 90 mins) and temperatures (0, 30 and 70 °C). The effect of mercerization on weight and dimension of jute fabrics was studied. Mechanical properties of mercerized jute-PP composites were measured and found highest at 20 % NaOH at 0 °C for 60 min soaking time. Thermal analytical data from thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis showed that mercerized jute-PP composite achieved higher thermal stability compared to PP, jute fabrics and control composite. Degradation characteristics of the composites were studied in soil, water and simulated weathering conditions. Water uptake of the composites was also investigated.     

Chromium stress alleviation by salicylic acid in Malabar spinach (Basella alba)

Abstract

Phytoremediation is a natural approach to use plants for decontaminating soil. A pot-culture factorial experiment in completely randomized design was conducted to evaluate the effects of four levels [0, 25, 50, and 100?mg/kg] of chromium (Cr) with three levels [0, 0.5, and 1-M solution) of plant defense inducer salicylic acid (SA) on growth, physiological processes, and biochemical responses of Malabar spinach (Basella alba). Results showed that Cr significantly decreased vine length (VL), leaf number (LN), leaf area (LA), fresh- (FBM), and dry-biomass (DBM), root length (RL), and dry-matter ratio (DMR). Cr also significantly decreased SPAD (chlorophyll contents), by 9% to 29% and net photosynthesis (Pn) rates, by 36% to 71%, but increased transpiration (E) rates, by 1.5 to 2.7 times and stomatal conductance (C), by 1.7 to 3.5 times, as compared with the control. Proline contents increased with an associated decrease in oxidative enzyme activities such as peroxidase, (POD) and catalase, (CAT) with increasing Cr levels. Cr significantly reduced the Dry Matter Ratio (DMR) (12% to 42%) and LA (10% to 35%), RL -stress (11% to 27%), and SPAD (10% to 28%) stress tolerance indices. The integrated stress tolerance index (IST_Index) of Malabar spinach was reduced (by 6% to 23%) by Cr stress, as compared to the control. SA application, in contrast, partially alleviated the severity of Cr toxicity effects on VL, LN, LA, FBM, DBM, RL, and DMR and increased the SPAD (by 12%), Photosynthesis Net (Pn) (by 53% to 68%), and stomatal conductance (C) (by 35% to 50%), respectively. Furthermore, SA increased plant stress tolerance indices by increasing antioxidant enzymatic functions. SA application recovered the IST_Index at all Cr levels, and the recovery effect on plants was more pronounced by 0.5-M SA than by other SA treatments. The mechanism of stress tolerance as induced by SA application may help plants to better survive and maintain growth in presence of higher Cr contents in soil. Results suggested that SA, as a plant defense inducer, can be exploited for improving Cr phytoremediation potential of Malabar spinach to decontaminate soil.     

A Compendium on Host Genes in Flax Conferring Resistance to Flax Rust

A list with information about named host genes controlling resistance to rust in both cultivated and wild flax has been compiled. These will be useful for genetic, physiological and biochemical research as well as breeding for resistance. Information regarding mutation, temperature sensitivity and the effect of inhibitor/avirulence gene interaction on expression of certain host genes is included.     

Methylene Blue Adsorption onto Water Hyacinth: Batch and Column Study

The adsorption of methylene blue cationic dye by water hyacinth root was studied in a batch system. The experimental data isotherms were analyzed using the Langmuir and Freundlich equations. The monolayer adsorption capacity for methylene blue dye was found as 0.187?kg?kg^?1. Three kinetic models (the pseudo-first order, the pseudo-second order, and the unified approach) were used to calculate the adsorption rate constants. The kinetic data along with equilibrium constants (maximum monolayer capacity and Langmuir constant) fitted well with unified approach model for different initial concentrations, and the rate constants were determined. Laboratory column experiments were conducted to evaluate the performance of water hyacinth root for methylene blue sorption under dynamic flow conditions. Breakthrough curves were plotted for the methylene blue adsorption on the adsorbent using continuous flow column operation by varying the bed height (0.06?C0.12?m) and the feed concentrations (0.1?C0.2?kg?m^?3). Different column design parameters, such as depth of exchange zone, adsorption rate, and adsorption capacity, were calculated. At the end, an attempt has also been made to model the data generated from column studies using the empirical relationship based on Bohart?CAdams model.