Articles
Sustainable energy and water collection
The intense energy demand of the modern world is a major driver for the burning of fossil fuels. If humanity is to stand a chance of controlling climate change, we must move towards sustainable energy. Professor Bin Su and Dr Zheng Ma, of the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China, have created technology that allows for the conversion […]
Open range cattle herding in Texas: A very European affair
Cowboys on horseback are an icon of Texas. The commonly accepted scenario is that cattle herding, first introduced into Mexico, expanded northward via the arid central highlands. However, Professor William E. Doolittle (University of Texas at Austin), has revealed a much more important route via the tropical lowlands of Mexico’s east coast. Cattle were first introduced to this region by […]
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All’s swell: Greener replacements for hazardous solvents in peptide synthesis
There is growing awareness of the impact that solvents have on pollution, energy usage, contributions to air quality, and climate change. Consequently, sustainable solvents are a topic of growing interest, both within the research community and the chemical industry. A research team at Ipsen, Dublin, are forging the way ahead in the development of new, greener ways of manufacturing. Notably, […]
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Longer not stiffer: Targeting jute fibre quality
Jute is a phloem bast fibre crop grown for its fibres that are used in the manufacture of various goods. Due to its cheapness and biodegradable nature, jute is now in greater demand than other natural fibres. However, the fibre is short, making it hard to produce some jute products; moreover, the fibre is also stiffer than other plant fibres, […]
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Whither now for jute wither? Emergence of a new pathogen
Being sessile, plants face a number of threats, in the form of changing climate and microbes that cause disease. Plant diseases can wipe out entire fields of crops, leading to huge economic losses. In the jute fields in Bangladesh, there have been incidences of wilting of the plants, leading to their ultimate death. Scientists at the Bangladesh Jute Research Institute […]
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Understanding SARS-CoV-2: A closer look into its genome
A team of BARJ scientists from the Bangladesh Jute Research Institute, Dhaka, Bangladesh have conducted significant research on SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for causing COVID-19. In a recent research project, BARJ researchers collected samples from positive coronavirus patients and conducted a comparative study to analyse differential host responses in various SARS-CoV-2 infection systems. In another project, the research team predicted […]
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Cellular decoding via jute CDPKs
Plants grow and survive by cellular responses to various signals from the environment, other organisms, or from within themselves. The cellular machinery to decode these signals in plants is highly complex and consists of several specialised proteins. One such protein family is the calcium-dependent protein kinase (CDPK) group of proteins that decode developmental and environmental stimuli-induced calcium changes into physiological […]
Getting retting better by bacterial blending
Jute is the second most important fibre crop after cotton. Harvesting of jute is followed by retting, where the fibres are separated from stems. This is performed in open waters where natural microorganisms decompose the plant material. The fibre quality depends on retting efficiency. Given the water scarcity in Bangladesh and the resulting delays in harvest, the quality of fibres […]
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Integrating social media and CSR into strategic planning for a competitive advantage
The current theory for strategic planning involves assessing the business environment and identifying key assets within an organisation. Social media and corporate social responsibility (CSR) are currently considered unnecessary in strategy formulation. However, research conducted by Dr Gordon Bowen, associate lecturer at Northumbria University amongst other institutions, indicates that incorporating social media and CSR into an organisation’s strategy can allow […]
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Doing good: Social change initiatives and ethical thinking
Social change is complex. Program designers and implementers need to deal with complexity in ethical ways. Ms Susan Igras and Dr Anjalee Kohli at Georgetown University and their co-authors examine the power dynamics of norms-shifting interventions in fostering health improvement. Their aim is to develop an approach to designing and carrying out interventions which more systematically take into account values, […]
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