Tomato is one of the major solanaceous vegetables, which has a unique place in the global vegetable market. Instead of being a high-value crop, there is still a need to do improvement in its potential against various biotic and abiotic stressors that adequately demolish its real yield. Alternaria solani (causing early blight disease) is designated as one of the fatal organisms that may reduce tomato crop yield by up to 80%. There were lots of methods, viz., chemical, cultural and biological suggested to overcome it. However, chemical strategies are much in vogue, but they have several negative consequences for human health and the ecosystem. Enlightening this issue, the efficacy of various treatments, viz., chemical fungicides (Amistar Top^®, Nativo^®, and Contaf^®), biochar and fungal bioagent (Trichoderma viride) was assessed under both in vivo and in vitro conditions. Induced resistance is mediated by several regulating pathways, like salicylic acid and jasmonic acid. These mediating pathways manipulate different physiological processes like growth and development, stress tolerance, and defence mechanisms of the plant. The assessment of results revealed that among all treatments biochar at 3.25% by weight consistently displayed remarkable effectiveness against the early blight infection by triggering resistance and improving the overall performance of tomato plants. This result is attributed to improved soil health, fastening mineralization as well as absorption processes, and boosting the plant’s immunity with the use of a higher concentration of biochar. Hence, it could be recommended for the overall improvement of tomato crop and its sustainability.

Prepolymers containing isocyanates must be prevented from curing when exposed to moisture, which can be achieved by blocking the isocyanate groups with a suitable agent. The study carefully examines several blocking agents, including methyl ethyl ketoxime (MEKO), caprolactam, and phenol, and concludes that methyl ethyl ketoxime is the best choice. Spectroscopic and thermal analyses, as well as oven curing studies, are conducted with various blocking agents and isocyanate prepolymer to castor oil ratios, revealing MEKO to be the most effective blocking agent which gets unblocked at higher temperatures.

This study investigated the students’ perceptions of a self-paced fitness program that is integrated with SitFit, a fitness tracker that measures body inclination during sit-up exercises, and their acceptance of digital innovation in physical education. The data was gathered from a survey of 1001 Thai undergraduates. Results revealed that attitudes toward using the technology and the perceived ease of use were important predictors of behavioral intention to use the sit-up fitness tracker. consistent with previous TAM studies. Subsequently, SitFit was developed based on exercise principles and expert advice to enable users to exercise more effectively while reducing injury risk.

The present study demonstrates the fabrication of heterogeneous ternary composite photocatalysts consisting of TiO₂, kaolinite, and cement (TKCe),which is essential to overcome the practical barriers that are inherent to currently available photocatalysts. TKCe is prepared via a cost-effective method, which involves mechanical compression and thermal activation as major fabrication steps. The clay-cement ratio primarily determines TKCe mechanical strength and photocatalytic efficiency, where TKCe with the optimum clay-cement ratio, which is 1:1, results in a uniform matrix with fewer surface defects. The composites that have a clay-cement ratio below or above the optimum ratio account for comparatively low mechanical strength and photocatalytic activity due to inhomogeneous surfaces with more defects, including particle agglomeration and cracks. The TKCe mechanical strength comes mainly from clay-TiO₂ interactions and TiO₂-cement interactions. TiO₂-cement interactions result in CaTiO₃ formation, which significantly increases matrix interactions; however, the maximum composite performance is observed at the optimum titanate level; anything above or below this level deteriorates composite performance. Over 90% degradation rates are characteristic of all TKCe, which follow pseudo-first-order kinetics in methylene blue decontamination. The highest rate constant is observed with TKCe 1-1, which is 1.57 h⁻¹ and is the highest among all the binary composite photocatalysts that were fabricated previously. The TKCe 1-1 accounts for the highest mechanical strength, which is 6.97 MPa, while the lowest is observed with TKCe 3-1, indicating that the clay-cement ratio has a direct relation to composite strength. TKCe is a potential photocatalyst that can be obtained in variable sizes and shapes, complying with real industrial wastewater treatment requirements.

This paper highlights the opportunities as well as challenges posed for Bangladesh by the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) of China. BRI is being considered as the most expensive project ever initiated connecting more than half of the world population from Asia, Europe and Africa. For writing this paper, the authors utilized published sources such as journal articles, newspaper articles and web-based information published from 2013 to 2024. The article proposes that although the involvement of Bangladesh in the BRI is not absolutely free of challenges, it can serve the ultimate national interest through greater connectivity with other countries, increased volume of trade and economic activities and socio-cultural exchange. Although, as the originator and major contributor of the BRI, China will be the principal benefiter, other partner countries can also attain considerable benefits out of this historical mega scheme through the application of appropriate vision and strategic implementation. This paper has highlighted those benefits/opportunities and challenges for Bangladesh that can be beneficial for upcoming research projects particularity aimed at development studies, political economy and international relations. On the other hand, based on the arguments made on this paper, policymakers and businessmen can formulate their best policies as well as trading strategies with mutual benefits for all the stakeholders involved.