Impact of motivational factors on knowledge sharing behaviour of managers in Ready Made Garments (RMG) Industry of Bangladesh

The study aimed to examine the impact of motivational factors on the knowledge sharing behaviour of managers in the Ready-Made Garments (RMG) industry of Bangladesh. Everyone has knowledge and can be part of knowledge sharing specially in organizations where employees need knowledge from the seniors or other personnel to perform better. However, barriers in the knowledge sharing process are common while some motivators could be effective to overcome those barriers and motivate individuals to share their knowledge with others in the organisations. This study integrates motivational perspectives into the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) to examine the impact of both intrinsic and extrinsic motivators on managers' knowledge sharing behaviour in selected organisational contexts. The study used a quantitative strategy and a cross-sectional survey method for data collection from 110 respondents comprising general managers, product managers, shift managers, quality managers and line managers from randomly selected top 30 RMG organizations in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The results showed that among the selected motivational factors, enjoyment in helping others was highly associated with knowledge sharing behaviour of managers in RMG organizations. However, expected organizational rewards, reciprocal benefits and knowledge self-efficacy have a moderate level of impact on managers' knowledge sharing behaviour. © 2018, Journal of Business and Retail Management Research (JBRMR)

Estimation of loss due to post harvest diseases of potato in markets of different districts in Bangladesh

The storage diseases of potato at Mymensingh, Rajshahi and Dhaka town were surveyed to estimate the loss in potato due to storage diseases. In Mymensingh district, the survey revealed that 3.95, 0.91 and 0.69% of tubers were affected with soft rot, dry rot and scab, respectively. Among the cultivars, maximum loss within the three months namely July, August and September were found in cultivar Cardinal (5.55%), where losses were caused by soft rot (3.97%), dry rot (0.88%) and scab (0.70%). In Rajshahi district, the survey revealed that 3.73, 0.99 and 0.85% of tubers were affected with soft rot, dry rot and scab, respectively. Among the cultivars, maximum loss within the three months were found in Cardinal (5.55%) having soft rot (3.58%), dry rot (1.06%) and scab (0.96%). In Dhaka district, the survey revealed that 3.27, 0.96 and 0.81% of tubers were affected with soft rot and dry rot. Among the cultivars, maximum loss within the three months was found in Diamant (5.55%) due to soft rot (2.49%), dry rot (1.05%) and scab (0.97%). Loss estimated in potato was 5.84, 5.54 and 5.25%, respectively in the months of July, August and September at Mymensingh district. Similarly, in Rajshahi district, it was 5.85, 5.58 and 5.28%, respectively in the month of July, August and September. Again in Dhaka district, it was 5.58, 4.96 and 4.55%, respectively in the months of July, August and September. The study revealed the fact that potatoes were subjected to different diseases in the markets of Bangladesh.Key words: Potato, storage diseases, months, loss, Bangladesh

Impact of substrate on soilless tomato cultivation

An experiment was carried out to determine the effect of four different media based hydroponics on plant growth, yield and nutritional values at Biochemistry laboratory of Patuakhali Science and Technology University (PSTU), Bangladesh during November 2014 to April 2015. Tomato plants were grown in closed soilless system where Hoagland solution as nutrient solution and jute fiber, cotton (jhut), coconut husk as substrate. Among four types of media, the media composed with Hoagland solution and jute fiber showed good impact on growth and nutritional values than the other three media (media of Hoagland solution with coconut husk, Hoagland solution with cotton and only Hoagland solution. It was revealed that the highest plant height, yield, vitamin C, fruit protein, fat and fiber content of all were related to media combination of jute fiber and Hoagland solution. Among all the verities, the highest plant height (106 cm), yield (5.3 kg plant-1), fruit Vitamin C content (64.54 mg 100 g-1), fruit protein (17.67 %), fat (5.2%) and fiber (7.9%) content was recorded from Patharkuchi tomato variety.Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 6 (2): 82-86, December, 201

Impacts of cyclone and flood on crop and fish production in disaster prone coastal Bhola district of Bangladesh

This study assessed the impact of climate change induced disaster on crops and fisheries production at Bhola Sadar and Monpura upazila of Bhola district, Bangladesh during January to June 2018. The study was gathered primary data from primary observation (PO), questionnaire survey (QS), focus group discussion (FGD), and key informant interview (KII). Secondary data were collected from Upazila Agricultural Office and Upazila Fisheries Office of Bhola Sadar and Manpura upazila and moreover, climatic data were collected from Bangladesh Meteorological Department. Results of the study found that trend analysis indicates overall annual maximum temperature increased for Kharif-I, Kharif-II and Rabi season. Average annual minimum temperature also increased for Kharif-I season but decreased for Kharif-II and Rabi season. Study also found that for all cropping season average relative humidity was increased. Annual average rainfall exhibited decreasing trend for Kharif-I and Rabi season but increased for Kharif-II season in (1990-2019) time period. The Aus, T. Aman, Boro and Mung bean was dominant cropping pattern in Kharif-I, Kharif- II and Rabi season in Bhola district. Overall, Aus rice production in Kharif-I season increased but in 2009, 2013 production was decreased because of cyclone Aila (2009) and Cyclone Mahasen (2013). T. Aman production hampered due to Cyclone Sidr (2007) and flood (2014) in Kharif-II season. In Rabi season Boro rice production lessen because of low rainfall and salinity intrusion. Overall, Mung bean production increase but in 2008 and 2009 production become hampered due to late cultivation because of Cyclone Sidr (2007). Fish production rate increase in Bhola specially Hilsha fish because of non-climatic factor like raid in non-fishing time, banned current net but fish production in pond become diminished due to infrequent natural disaster. Practicing of salt and flood tolerant varieties, floating bed vegetable cultivation, and mixed cropping system (mainly for Rabi season), enhanced expedition activities against catching mother Ilish in prohibition period, dredging in the heart of the river which can eventually reduce vulnerabilities and increase crop and fish production in the Bhola region. Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. Tech. 10(1): 40-55, June 202

Search for new phenomena in final states with an energetic jet and large missing transverse momentum in pp collisions at √ s = 8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Results of a search for new phenomena in final states with an energetic jet and large missing transverse momentum are reported. The search uses 20.3 fb−1 of √ s = 8 TeV data collected in 2012 with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Events are required to have at least one jet with pT > 120 GeV and no leptons. Nine signal regions are considered with increasing missing transverse momentum requirements between Emiss T > 150 GeV and Emiss T > 700 GeV. Good agreement is observed between the number of events in data and Standard Model expectations. The results are translated into exclusion limits on models with either large extra spatial dimensions, pair production of weakly interacting dark matter candidates, or production of very light gravitinos in a gauge-mediated supersymmetric model. In addition, limits on the production of an invisibly decaying Higgs-like boson leading to similar topologies in the final state are presente

Defects, Dopants and Sodium Mobility in Na₂MnSiO₄

Sodium manganese orthosilicate, Na2MnSiO4, is a promising positive electrode material in rechargeable sodium ion batteries. Atomistic scale simulations are used to study the defects, doping behaviour and sodium migration paths in Na2MnSiO4. The most favourable intrinsic defect type is the cation anti-site (0.44 eV/defect), in which, Na and Mn exchange their positions. The second most favourable defect energy process is found to be the Na Frenkel (1.60 eV/defect) indicating that Na diffusion is assisted by the formation of Na vacancies via the vacancy mechanism. Long range sodium paths via vacancy mechanism were constructed and it is confirmed that the lowest activation energy (0.81 eV) migration path is three dimensional with zig-zag pattern. Subvalent doping by Al on the Si site is energetically favourable suggesting that this defect engineering stratergy to increase the Na content in Na2MnSiO4 warrants experimental verification

E. coli promotes human Vγ9Vδ2 T cell transition from cytokine-producing bactericidal effectors to professional phagocytic killers in a TCR-dependent manner

γδT cells provide immune-surveillance and host defense against infection and cancer. Surprisingly, functional details of γδT cell antimicrobial immunity to infection remain largely unexplored. Limited data suggests that γδT cells can phagocytose particles and act as professional antigen-presenting cells (pAPC). These potential functions, however, remain controversial. To better understand γδT cell-bacterial interactions, an ex vivo co-culture model of human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) responses to Escherichia coli was employed. Vγ9Vδ2 cells underwent rapid T cell receptor (TCR)-dependent proliferation and functional transition from cytotoxic, inflammatory cytokine immunity, to cell expansion with diminished cytokine but increased costimulatory molecule expression, and capacity for professional phagocytosis. Phagocytosis was augmented by IgG opsonization, and inhibited by TCR-blockade, suggesting a licensing interaction involving the TCR and FcγR. Vγ9Vδ2 cells displayed potent cytotoxicity through TCR-dependent and independent mechanisms. We conclude that γδT cells transition from early inflammatory cytotoxic killers to myeloid-like APC in response to infectious stimuli

Graphene-based high-performance pseudo-ductile glass-carbon/epoxy composites

High-performance fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites offer outstanding specific strength and stiffness. However, their inherent brittleness can result in sudden and catastrophic failure without adequate warning, making them unsuitable for many applications. To overcome this limitation, we developed graphene-based glass-carbon FRP hybrid composites with excellent pseudo-ductile properties. Our method involves coating glass and carbon fibre fabrics with graphene-based materials using a scalable pad-dry-cure technique, followed by epoxy matrix reinforcement via vacuum-assisted resin infusion (VARI). Tensile and flexural tests reveal remarkable pseudo-ductile behaviour, with 1 wt% GNP-coated composites showing approximately ∼ 17.05 % higher Young's modulus, ∼18.52 % higher ultimate failure stress, and ∼ 31.73 % higher strain% compared to glass-carbon/epoxy hybrids. By enabling the manufacture of high-performance pseudo-ductile composites at scale using a cost-effective manufacturing method, these composites hold significant potential for next-generation applications

An overview of the utilisation of microalgae biomass derived from nutrient recycling of wet market wastewater and slaughterhouse wastewater

Microalgae have high nutritional values for aquatic organisms compared to fish meal, because microalgae cells are rich in proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates. However, the high cost for the commercial production of microalgae biomass using fresh water or artificial media limits its use as fish feed. Few studies have investigated the potential of wet market wastewater and slaughterhouse wastewater for the production of microalgae biomass. Hence, this study aims to highlight the potential of these types of wastewater as an alternative superior medium for microalgae biomass as they contain high levels of nutrients required for microalgae growth. This paper focuses on the benefits of microalgae biomass produced during the phycore-mediation of wet market wastewater and slaughterhouse wastewater as fish feed. The extraction techniques for lipids and proteins as well as the studies conducted on the use of microalgae biomass as fish feed were reviewed. The results showed that microalgae biomass can be used as fish feed due to feed utilisation efficiency, physiological activity, increased resistance for several diseases, improved stress response, and improved protein retention