Search Results (92)

Cancer and infectious diseases are major causes of global morbidity and mortality stressing the need to find novel drugs with promising dual anticancer and antimicrobial efficacy. Gold complexes have been studied for the past years due to their anticancer properties, with a few of them displaying antimicrobial properties, which support their pharmacological interest. Within this scope, we investigated six gold bisdithiolate complexes [Au (bdt)₂]⁻ (1), [Au (dcbdt)₂]⁻ (2), [Au (3-cbdt)₂]⁻ (3), [Au (4-cbdt)₂]⁻ (4), [Au (pdt)₂]⁻ (5) and [Au (dcdmp)₂]⁻ (6), and) against the ovarian cancer cell lines A2780 and A2780cisR, the Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus Newman, the Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli ATCC25922 and Burkholderia contaminans IST408, and the pathogenic yeasts Candida glabrata CBS138 and Candida albicans SC5134. Complexes 2 and 6, with ligands containing aromatic pyrazine or phenyl rings, substituted with two cyanonitrile groups, showed after 24 h of incubation high anticancer activities against A2780 ovarian cancer cells (IC₅₀~5 µM), being also able to overcome cisplatin resistance in A2780cisR cells. Both complexes induced the formation of ROS, activated caspase-3/7, and induced necrosis (LDH release) in a dose-dependent way, in a greater extent in the case of 6. Among the bacterial and fungal strains tested, only complex 6 presented antimicrobial activity against S. aureus Newman, indicating that this complex is a potential novel anticancer and antibacterial agent. These results delve into the structure-activity relationship of the complexes, considering molecular alterations such as replacing a phenyl group for a pyrazine group, and the inclusion of one or two cyanonitrile appendage groups, and their effects on biological activity. Overall, both complexes were found to be promising leads for the development of future anticancer drugs against low sensitive or cisplatin resistant tumors. Full article

This paper analyzes the factors affecting the willingness to pay of urban households concerned with efficient waste management in Bangladesh. The multistage random sampling approach selected 1400 families from seven major cities in Bangladesh. This study addresses the socioeconomic and environmental factors that influence urban households’ willingness to pay for improved waste management services in Bangladesh. This study uniquely contributes to the literature by providing a large-scale empirical analysis of 1470 households using a logit model, revealing income, education, and environmental awareness as key predictors of WTP. Detailed survey data from respondents were then analyzed using a logit model based on the contingent valuation method. Indeed, the logit model showed that six variables (education, monthly income, value of the asset, knowledge of environment, and climate change) had a statistically significant effect on the WTP of the households. The results show that 63% of respondents were willing to pay BDT 250 or more per month. The most influential factors driving this willingness to pay were income (OR = 1.35), education level (OR = 1.45), and environmental awareness (OR = 3.56). These variables all contribute positively towards WTP. The idea is that families have some socioeconomic characteristics, regardless of which they are ready to pay for a higher level of waste collection. It is recommended that government interference be affected through various approaches, as listed below: support for public–private sector undertaking and disposal, an extensive cleaning campaign, decentralized management, cutting waste transport costs, and privatization of some waste management systems. These could be used to develop solutions to better waste management systems and improve public health. Full article

The transportation sector in South Asia largely depends on internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, which are responsible for a large share of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, air pollution, and the increase in fuel prices. Although hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and fully electric vehicles (EVs) constitute promising alternatives, the rate of their implementation is low due to factors such as the high initial investment, the absence of the required infrastructure, and the reliance on fossil fuel-based electricity. This study is the first of its kind to examine Bangladesh’s drivetrain options in a comprehensive way, with in-depth real-world emission testing and economic analysis as the main tools of investigation into the environmental and economic feasibility of different technologies used in the vehicles available in Bangladesh, including lifecycle costs and infrastructure constraints. The study findings have shown that hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles are the best options, since they have moderate emissions and cost efficiency, respectively. Fully electric vehicles, however, face two main challenges: the overall lack of charging infrastructure and the overall high purchase prices. Among the evaluated technologies, PHEVs exhibited the lowest environmental and economic burden. The Toyota Prius PHEV emitted 98% less NOx compared to the diesel-powered Pajero Sport and maintained the lowest per-kilometer cost at BDT 6.39. In contrast, diesel SUVs emitted 178 ppm NOx and cost 22.62 BDT/km, reinforcing the transitional advantage of plug-in hybrid technology in Bangladesh’s context. Full article

Adsorbents derived from Merrifield’s resin and a reaction with three functionalizing ligands namely 1,2-ethanedithiol (M-EDT), 1,2-benzenedithiol (M-BDT), and 2-benzimidazolylmethylthio acetic acid (M-BITAA) were synthesized for the recovery and separation of PGMs from simulated solutions. M-EDT, M-BDT and M-BITAA resins were characterized by the FTIR, UV-Vis, TGA, CHNS and SEM techniques, which confirmed significant structural modifications in these resins. A batch adsorption study revealed that M-BITAA exhibited the highest capacity for Pd(II), with about 0.244 mmol·g⁻¹, while that of both M-EDT and M-BDT resins was below 0.094 mmol·g⁻¹. The adsorbents obeyed the Langmuir isotherm in 0.8 M HCl solution. Batch adsorption further showed, in a competitive study, that M-BITAA was not selective for Pd(II) but an attractive sorbent for other PGMs such as Pt(IV), which may be advantageous for solutions containing these PGMs. Full article

Accurate estimation of forest canopy height and understory terrain in mountainous regions is crucial for carbon stock assessment under the Paris Agreement but remains challenging. This study aimed to evaluate ICESat-2’s performance in these complex environments. To achieve this, ICESat-2 ATL03 Version 6 photon data were processed using a novel adaptive DBSCAN algorithm (BDT-ADBSCAN) in Pu’er City, China, a biodiversity hotspot, and results were validated against airborne LiDAR. ICESat-2 achieved high terrain retrieval accuracy (R² = 1.00, RMSE = 0.91 m), primarily affected by slope, while canopy height retrieval was less accurate (R² = 0.53, RMSE = 6.45 m) with systematic underestimation, mainly influenced by canopy height itself. Nighttime strong-beam acquisitions substantially improved accuracies for both products. This research demonstrates ICESat-2’s viability for high-resolution digital terrain modeling and provides quality control thresholds for forest structure estimation in challenging regions, addressing validation gaps in Asian biodiversity hotspots and supporting carbon monitoring for UN Sustainable Development Goals. Full article

The current study represents a machine-learning (ML)-assisted reverse polymer engineering for the rational design of high-performance benzothiophene (BT) benzodithiophene (BDT) polymers for photodetector applications. By integrating their 5617 units with various acceptor moieties, a total of 72,976 unique polymer combinations are generated. The optical properties of these polymers are predicted with high accuracy (R² = 0.86) using a Gradient-Boosting Regression (GBR) model. The SHAP value-based feature importance analysis indicates that Chi0 is the most influential factor in predicting the absorption maxima (λ_max) of polymers, followed by LabuteASA, Chi0V, Chi1, SlogP_VSA12, and other molecular descriptors. The robustness of the employed model is further validated through K-Fold cross-validation, with the highest mean squared error (MSE) observed at 2.02 in the fold-2 subset. The designed polymers exhibit λ_max within the range of 400–750 nm, demonstrating their suitability for photodetector applications. Moreover, a Transformer-Assisted Orientation (TAO) approach is employed to optimize polymer design, successfully achieving bandgaps as low as 0.42 eV. This approach facilitates the rapid design and optimization of high-performance polymers with tailored electronic properties, effectively addressing the limitations of conventional trial-and-error methods. The current ML-assisted approach presents a promising strategy for expediting the development of high-performance photodetectors and other advanced optoelectronic devices. Full article

The MIKC-type MADS-box (MIKC) gene family is essential for controlling various plant developmental processes, including flowering time and dormancy transitions. Although the MIKC gene family has been widely studied across different plants, its characterization and functional study in herbaceous peony remain limited. In this study, 19 Paeonia lactiflora Pall. MIKC-type (PlMIKC) genes were identified from the transcriptome of a low-chilling requirement Paeonia lactiflora Pall. cultivar ‘Hang Baishao’. These MIKC genes were categorized into seven clades: six were classified as MIKC^C-type, including FUL/AP1, DAM, PI, AGL18, AGL12, AG, and SOC1, and one, AGL30, was classified as MIKC*-type. Notably, the FLC clade genes were absent in Paeonia lactiflora Pall. The PlMIKC genes were predominantly localized to the nucleus, and their sequences contained highly conserved MADS and K-domains. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that PlMIKC genes share a strong evolutionary affinity with the MIKC genes from grapevine (Vitis vinifera) and poplar (Populus trichocarpa). A low-temperature-induced bud dormancy transition (BDT) experiment revealed that PlMIKC genes, such as PlFUL and PlDAM, were highly expressed during dormancy maintenance, while PlSOC1, PlAGL12, and PlAGL30 were upregulated during BDT. Additionally, the transient overexpression of PlSOC1 in ‘Hang Baishao’ significantly accelerated BDT and promoted bud break, suggesting that SOC1, traditionally linked to flowering regulation, also plays a key role in dormancy transition. Since limited literature on the MIKC gene family is currently available in herbaceous peony, this study expands the knowledge of the MIKC genes in Paeonia lactiflora Pall. and offers valuable insights into the molecular regulation of bud dormancy in response to low temperatures. Full article

The reactivity of the benzenedithiolate (bdt)-bridged complex [Fe₂(CO)₆(µ-bdt)] with arsine, stibine and phosphine ligands has been studied. The new mono- and disubstituted complexes [Fe₂(CO)₅(EPh₃)(µ-bdt)] (E = As, 1; E = Sb 3) and [Fe₂(CO)₄(EPh₃)₂(µ-bdt)] (E = As, 2; E = Sb, 4) and the previously reported [Fe₂(CO)₄(PPh₂H)₂(µ-bdt)] (5) have been prepared by Me₃NO-initiated carbonyl substitution reactions of [Fe₂(CO)₆(µ-bdt)] with appropriate ligands at 80 °C. Spectroscopic and single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies reveal that in all cases the introduced ligands occupy apical coordination site(s) lying trans to the iron–iron bond. Their electrochemistry has been probed by cyclic voltammetry and selected complexes have been tested as proton reduction catalysts. Monosubstituted complexes 1 and 3 show two irreversible reductions at ca. −1.7 V and −2.0 V, respectively, relative to Fc⁺/Fc, while the disubstituted complexes 2 and 5 show a single irreversible reduction at ca. −2.2 V and −1.84 V, respectively. Complexes 1, 3 and 5 can catalyse electrocatalytic proton reduction in the presence of either p-toluene sulfonic acid (TsOH) or trifluoroacetic acid (CF₃CO₂H). Full article

The Haor region in northeastern Bangladesh, characterized by seasonal wetlands and a heavy reliance on fisheries, faces significant challenges due to climate change. Erratic rainfall, prolonged flooding, and ecosystem degradation threaten traditional fishing practices and community livelihoods. This study investigates the potential of climate-resilient cage aquaculture as a sustainable, alternative income-generating solution for vulnerable Haor communities. An 80-day experiment was conducted in five villages of Sunamganj district, Sylhet division, Bangladesh, where tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fry were reared in climate-resilient floating cages at five stocking densities: T1 (800 fry/m³), T2 (900 fry/m³), T3 (1000 fry/m³), T4 (1100 fry/m³), and T5 (1200 fry/m³). Key environmental parameters, including temperature (28.12–29.55 °C), dissolved oxygen (4.61–6.55 mg/L), pH (7.53–7.72), and ammonia (0.05–0.76 mg/L), remained within optimal ranges across treatments. Growth performance, survival rate, and economic feasibility were evaluated with T5 yielding the highest gross production (51.77 ± 4.80 kg/m³) and net benefits (7500 ± 500 BDT/m³), achieving a benefit–cost ratio of 1:2.86. The survey findings revealed that a majority of fishers (82%) identified tilapia cage culture as a promising alternative livelihood, yet financial constraints and limited access to credit hinder adoption. Despite these socioeconomic challenges, our findings suggest that tilapia cage culture offers a viable income-generating solution, particularly during flood periods. The study highlights floating cage aquaculture as a climate-resilient strategy to mitigate climate impacts, enhance food security, and improve economic resilience in flood-prone and ecologically sensitive regions. Full article

In organic solar cells, the aggregation and crystallization of polymers are significant for bulk heterojunction. Blending with acceptor materials, polymer donor materials can adjust their aggregation by the movement of the chain segments. In this paper, the unfused structures based on thiophene and carbazole are respectively designed and introduced into the donor-acceptor copolymer donor materials to investigate the influence of flexible and rigid structures on polymer-aggregation leading photoelectric performance. The material and quantum chemical property investigations show that the selection and design of the blocks are important for the properties of the terpolymers, and the resulting polymer:Y6 devices achieve improvements in performance from 13.85% to 15.66% (especially for fill factors from 63.37% up to 69.81%). This result contributes to designing and optimizing efficient polymers. Full article

Background/Objectives: Cough variant asthma (CVA) is characterized by nonspecific symptoms and normal spirometric values, which makes diagnosis challenging. To diagnose CVA it is necessary to document airway hyperreactivity (AHR). The aim of our study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of body plethysmography in the assessment of AHR using the methacholine challenge test (MCT). Methods: In CVA-suspected patients, a bronchodilation test (BDT), an MCT with spirometry, and body plethysmography were performed. The MCT was considered positive if there was a 20% decrease in forced expiratory volume in 1 s from the baseline value (PC₂₀FEV₁) or a 40% reduction in specific conductance (PC₄₀sGaw) after inhaling methacholine of concentration < 8 mg/mL. Sensitivity and specificity were generated for different cut off points of sGaw (PC₄₀sGaw, PC₄₅sGaw, PC₅₀sGaw). Anti-asthma treatment was started for those with proven AHR. The diagnosis of asthma was made after one year of follow-up based on the response to treatment. Results: AHR was diagnosed in 83.5% (91/109) of patients by either a BDT, PC₂₀FEV₁, or PC₄₀sGaw. After one year of follow-up, asthma was confirmed in 76 patients. The sensitivities of the BDT, PC₂₀FEV₁, and PC₄₀sGaw were 25%, 64%, and 97%, respectively. The specificities of the BDT, PC₂₀FEV₁ and PC₄₀sGaw were 94%, 88%, and 67%, respectively. The sensitivities for a PC₄₅sGaw and PC₅₀sGaw were 88% and 63%, and the specificities were 82% and 91%, respectively. Conclusions: Body plethysmography is a valuable tool in the assessment of AHR in CVA, with the best sensitivity-to-specificity ratio found at a PC₄₅sGaw. Full article

One of the oldest techniques for preserving food is drying. Dehydrating foods reduces their moisture content and increases their shelf life by preventing microbiological activity. Food placed on the ground to dry in the sun is a common sight in rural areas of low- and middle-income countries but requires a large amount of land and can lead to food degradation by overexposure to the sun, insects, and vermin. This study designed, fabricated, and evaluated the performance of a solar dryer in comparison to direct sun drying for efficiency and product quality, utilizing bananas and potatoes as representative foods. The dryer was produced and tested within the context of Bangladesh, unlike other commercial devices. With its mild steel frame, fan, solar collector, and DC battery, the dryer achieved a drying efficiency of 49.2% by reaching a drying chamber temperature of 71 °C, which is 30 °C higher than ambient. Drying times were decreased, and samples of potatoes and bananas reached equilibrium moisture content in 6 h as opposed to 9 h for direct sun drying. The moisture content of solar-dried foods was between 12 and 13 percent, making them appropriate for long-term storage. Bioactive substances such as phenolic content and DPPH scavenging activity were reduced by 18% and 21%, respectively, in comparison to direct sun drying. Quality assessments showed that there was little loss in color and nutrients for solar-dried samples. With a one-year payback period, an economic attribute of 3.26, and a life cycle benefit of BDT 310,651 (USD 2597.68), economics show the dryer’s feasibility. The solar dryer functioned faster than direct sun drying due to its significantly higher heat generation. The solar dryer was more efficient, effective, and economic within the context of Bangladesh and other low- and middle-income countries. Full article

Groundwater depletion in arid regions poses a significant threat to agricultural sustainability and rural livelihoods. This study employs geospatial analysis and economic modeling to address groundwater depletion in the arid Barind region of Northwest Bangladesh, where 84% of the rural population depends on agriculture. Using remote sensing and GIS, we developed an elevation map revealing areas up to 60 m above sea level, exacerbating evaporation and aquifer dryness. Field data collected through Participatory Rural Appraisal tools showed farmers exhibiting “ignorant myopic” behavior, prioritizing short-term profits over resource conservation. To address this, an Increasing Block Tariff (IBT) water pricing model was developed, dividing water usage into three blocks based on irrigation hours: 1–275 h, 276–550 h, and 551+ h. The proposed IBT model significantly increases water prices across the three blocks: 117 BDT/hour for the first block (from current 100–110 BDT/hour), 120 BDT/hour for the second block, and 138 BDT/hour for the third block. A demand function (y = −0.1178x + 241.8) was formulated to evaluate the model’s impact. The results show potential reductions in groundwater consumption: 59 h in the first block, 26 h in the second block, and 158 h in the third block. These reductions align with the principles of integrated water resource management (IWRM): social equity, economic efficiency, and environmental integration. The model incorporates economic externalities (e.g., well lifting costs) and environmental externalities (e.g., crop pattern shifts), with total costs reaching 92,709,049 BDT for environmental factors. This research provides a framework for sustainable groundwater management in arid regions, potentially reducing overextraction while maintaining agricultural productivity. The proposed IBT model offers a locally driven solution to balance resource conservation with the livelihood needs of farming communities in the Barind tract. By combining remote sensing, GIS, and economic modeling, this research provides a framework for sustainable groundwater management in arid regions, demonstrating the power of geospatial technologies in addressing complex water resource challenges. Full article

Introducing collaborative relay and simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT) techniques into a cognitive wireless network, named the SWIPT-enabled cognitive relay network (CRN), is considered a promising approach to deal with insufficiency and the low utilization of spectrum resources, as well as the node’s energy-constrained issues in wireless networks. In this paper, to improve the network spectrum efficiency (SE) and energy efficiency (EE) of the SWIPT-enabled CRN, we design an energy-efficient adaptive bidirectional transmission strategy. To be specific, we first select an energy-constrained best relay node with the consideration of signal-to-noise ratio and global channel gain to achieve a better bidirectional relay transmission (BRT). At the same time, we let the energy-constrained best relay node transmit a signal with the SWIPT technique, which can solve the node’s energy-constrained issue and improve the network EE. Then, with the selected energy-constrained best relay node, we design a total transmit power threshold (TTPT) determining algorithm to find the TTPT, which lets the total transmission rate of the BRT be equal to the bidirectional direct transmission (BDT). Based on this TTPT, we further design an adaptive bidirectional transmission strategy and let the network achieve adaptive transmission between the BRT and BDT to obtain a higher network SE. Furthermore, to further achieve the energy-efficient transmission of the adaptive bidirectional transmission strategy, we optimize the nodes’ power under the requirement of primary users’ interference threshold and obtain the analytical expressions of the optimal power. Simulation results show that the transmission rate, the outage probability, and the EE of the designed energy-efficient adaptive bidirectional transmission strategy in the SWIPT-enabled CRN are, respectively, 3.01, 0.07, and 3.10 times that of the non-collaborative transmission, which show the effectiveness of our designed transmission strategy. Full article

This study presents a novel approach for the optimization of genomic parental selection in breeding programs involving categorical and continuous–categorical multi-trait mixtures (CMs and CCMMs). Utilizing the Bayesian decision theory (BDT) and latent trait models within a multivariate normal distribution framework, we address the complexities of selecting new parental lines across ordinal and continuous traits for breeding. Our methodology enhances precision and flexibility in genetic selection, validated through extensive simulations. This unified approach presents significant potential for the advancement of genetic improvements in diverse breeding contexts, underscoring the importance of integrating both categorical and continuous traits in genomic selection frameworks. Full article