Bioethanol fuel obtained from biomass and bioenergy crops has been proclaimed as one of the feasible alternative to gasoline fuel, as it is considered to be clean, renewable and green. In this review, the bioethanol production techniques from different lignocellulosic biomass, and its potential ethanol yield are studied. Moreover, this paper has reviewed the effects of bioethanol fuel blends on spark ignition engine combustion characteristics (i.e. cylinder pressure, cylinder temperature, flame speed, combustion efficiency, combustion duration, heat release rate, knocking and cold start); engine performance parameters (i.e. torque, brake power, brake specific fuel consumption, brake mean effective pressure, brake thermal efficiency and volumetric efficiency); and emission characteristics (i.e. carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, unburned hydrocarbon and other unregulated emissions). Recently, many researchers produced bioethanol from herbaceous, industrial and municipal solid wastes (MSW) instead of agriculture and woody biomass. Most of the engine test results showed a remarkable improvement in engine performance and enhanced combustion characteristics for bioethanol fuel. In addition, the carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbon emissions decreased. Conversely, carbon dioxide and oxides of nitrogen emissions were not significantly reduced. Furthermore, there was no significant reduction of unregulated emissions, such as aromatics, acetaldehyde, and carbonyls.

Background: Dengue infection has become endemic in Bangladesh since it hasbeen broken out in June 2000. Although children are the usual victim of dengueinfection, there is paucity of published data regarding dengue infection in children inour country.Objectives: This study was designed to document the presenting features and outcomeof Dengue infection in children.Materials and Methods: This cross sectional study was done among the childrenhaving Dengue infection. Fifty four consecutive patients were enrolled. Purposivesampling was done. In every patient a detailed history was taken. Clinical examinationsand relevant investigations were done. Data were collected in a predesigned structuredquestionnaire. Data were analyzed with the help of descriptive statistics and Chisquare(x2) Test.Results: The mean age of the patients was 6.5±3.5 years with equal male and femaleratio. Among 54 patients, 40.7% presented with dengue fever (DF), the rest (59.3%)presented with dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF). Most of the patients presented withhigh grade continued type of fever (75.9%), followed by abdominal pain (59.3%),vomiting (57.4%). Itchy rash and fever were the most important characteristic signs(75.9% each). Flushed appearance observed in 68.4% and 59.3% patients showedbleeding manifestation of which sub-conjunctival haemorrage was the commonestform (33.3%). Leucopenia were present in only 9.3% of the patients. Platelet countless than 100×109/L were found in 68.5% patients. Tourniquet test was positive in31.5% of cases. All of the patients had packed cell volume (PCV) less than 45%.Raised serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was observed in 40.7% of children.IgM and/or IgG antibodies for dengue virus were positive in 96.29% patients. Majority(94%) of the patients completely recovered from the disease and only 6% died.Conclusion: High grade continued fever, vomiting with abdominal pain and itchy skinrash (with normal platelet count) were the presenting features. Commonest form ofbleeding manifestation was subconjunctival haemorrhage. Bleeding manifestationhad a significant association with the degree of thrombocytopenia but no corelationwas observed with tourniquet test positivity.Key words: Dengue fever (DF); dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF); paediatric.DOI: 10.3329/bjch.v33i2.5678Bangladesh Journal of Child Health 2009; Vol.33(2): 55-58

Our identification of truncating mutations in GPX4 in two families affected with SSMD supports the pathogenic role of mutated GPX4 in this very rare disease. GPX4 is a member of the glutathione peroxidase family of antioxidant defence enzymes and protects cells against membrane lipid peroxidation. GPX4 is essential for early embryo development, regulating anti-oxidative and anti-apoptotic activities. Our findings highlight the importance of this enzyme in development of the cardiac, nervous, and skeletal systems.

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The catalytic potential of calcium oxide synthesized from mud clam shell as a heterogeneous catalyst for biodiesel production was studied. The mud clam shell calcium oxide was characterized using particle size analyzer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and BET gas sorption analyzer. The catalyst performance of mud clam shell calcium oxide was studied in the transesterification of castor oil as biodiesel. Catalyst characterization and transesterification study results of synthesized catalyst proved the efficiency of the natural derived catalyst for biodiesel production. A highest biodiesel yield of 96.7% was obtained at optimal parameters such as 1 : 14 oil-to-methanol molar ratio, 3% w/w catalyst concentration, 60°C reaction temperature, and 2-hour reaction time. Catalyst reusability test shows that the synthesized calcium oxide from mud clam shell is reusable up to 5 times.

Primary CoQ deficiency is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous, autosomal recessive disorder resulting from mutations in genes involved in the synthesis of coenzyme Q (CoQ). To date, mutations in nine proteins required for the biosynthesis of CoQ cause CoQ deficiency with varying clinical presentations. In 2009 the first patient with mutations in COQ9 was reported in an infant with a neonatal-onset, primary CoQ deficiency with multi-system disease. Here we describe four siblings with a previously undiagnosed lethal disorder characterized by oligohydramnios and intrauterine growth restriction, variable cardiomyopathy, anemia, and renal anomalies. The first and third pregnancy resulted in live born babies with abnormal tone who developed severe, treatment unresponsive lactic acidosis after birth and died hours later. Autopsy on one of the siblings demonstrated brain changes suggestive of the subacute necrotizing encephalopathy of Leigh disease. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) revealed the siblings shared compound heterozygous mutations in the COQ9 gene with both variants predicted to affect splicing. RT-PCR on RNA from patient fibroblasts revealed that the c.521 + 2 T > C variant resulted in splicing out of exons 4-5 and the c.711 + 3G > C variant spliced out exon 6, resulting in undetectable levels of COQ9 protein in patient fibroblasts. The biochemical profile of patient fibroblasts demonstrated a drastic reduction in CoQ levels. An additional peak on the chromatogram may represent accumulation of demethoxy coenzyme Q (DMQ), which was shown previously to accumulate as a result of a defect in COQ9. This family expands our understanding of this rare metabolic disease and highlights the prenatal onset, clinical variability, severity, and biochemical profile associated with COQ9-related CoQ deficiencies.

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h i g h l i g h t sMicrowave hydrothermal hydrolysis with CO 2 was carried out for SPW. Batch fermentation and distillation was carried out. GC and FTIR confirmation of distilled ethanol was done. Maximum of 43.8% glucose and 15.6 g ethanol per 100 g SPW was obtained. Lower energy consumption was observed for combined pretreatment and hydrolysis. a r t i c l e i n f o t r a c tBioethanol production from sago pith waste (SPW) using microwave hydrothermal hydrolysis accelerated by carbon dioxide was studied. The structural change in the SPW after hydrolysis, ethanol purity after fermentation, and distillation were investigated. Energy consumption for microwave hydrothermal hydrolysis was evaluated. A maximum of 43.8% theoretical glucose and 40.5% theoretical ethanol yield were obtained. The ethanol yield coefficient obtained in fermentation was 0.47 (g ethanol per g glucose) which was 15.6 g ethanol per 100 g dry SPW. It was also discovered that the lowest energy consumption occurred when energy input was fixed at 108 kJ (900 W for 2 min), amounting to 33 kJ and 69 kJ to produce one gram glucose after hydrothermal hydrolysis and one gram ethanol after fermentation, respectively. The developed technique for SPW resulted in higher energy saving compared to previous techniques in the absence of enzymes, acid or base catalyst.