ABSTRACT Objective: Sexual dysfunction among women with diabetes is a common but neglected health issue worldwide. The objective of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of sexual dysfunction and its associated factors among women with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Subjects and methods: This cross-sectional comparative study comprises 150 women with diabetes and 100 healthy women without diabetes who visited the endocrinology outpatient department of Mymensingh Medical College Hospital (MMCH). The data were collected from July to December 2019. Sexual dysfunction was assessed by the 19-item Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). Informed consent was obtained before participation. Collected data were analysed by SPSS 26. Results: More women with diabetes than control subjects reported sexual dysfunction (79% vs. 72%; p = 0.864). The global FSFI score was lower among the diabetes patients than among the healthy controls (20.8 ± 7.2 vs. 23.7 ± 4.8; p < 0.001). Patients with T2DM scored significantly lower in the domains of desire (p = 0.04), lubrication (p = 0.01), orgasm (p = 0.01), and satisfaction (p < 0.001), but not the domain of arousal (p = 0.09). A prolonged duration of diabetes was the primary contributor to orgasm problems (adjusted odds ratio, aOR 1.3, 95% CI 1.1-1.7) and painful intercourse (aOR 1.2, 95% CI 1.1-1.5). Conclusion: Sexual problems are frequent in women with diabetes. Inclusion of sexual health in comprehensive diabetes management is crucial to address this problem as well as to improve the quality of life of female diabetes patients.

Abstract Background: Waste-land weeds present around the fields exert their allelopathic influence on crops through their leaf leachates and rhizospheric soils. Objective: A study was conducted to investigate the phytotoxic action of four common waste-land weeds Parthenium hysterophorus L., Achyranthes aspera L., Lantana camara L. and Withania somnifera L. through their aqueous extracts and rhizospheric soils against winter crops Avena sativa L., Cicer arietinum L., Hordeum vulgare L. and Triticum aestivum L. Methods: Experiments were conducted in Agronomy laboratory in College of Agriculture at the University of Sargodha. In first experiment, 5% (w/v) water extract from entire plant of each weed was applied to germinating seeds of crops whereas in second experiment, crop seeds were subjected to the rhizospheric soil of each weed for germination test. Results: Results revealed that aqueous extracts of weeds were more phyto-inhibitory compared to their rhizospheric soils. Minimum germination percentage (42.5%), germination index (7.4), seedling vigor index (665.3), root length (3.27 cm), seedling length (14.15 cm) and seedling biomass (74.2 mg) of crops were recorded in response to aqueous extract of P. hysterophorus. Root growth of the crops was affected more compared to the shoot growth. Minimum germination percentage was observed in A. sativa (13.3) by the action of L. camara aqueous extract. Rhizospheric soil of L. camara and P. hysterophorus resulted in minimum germination percentages (57.5 and 58.3, respectively) and seedling vigor indices (1472.5 and 2008.4, respectively) of crops. The lowest germination (30%) and germination index (3.7) was observed for T. aestivum seeds germinated in the rhizospheric soil of W. somnifera. Among crops, A. sativa and C. arietinum were more susceptible to the aqueous extracts whereas T. aestivum to rhizospheric soils of weeds. Conclusions: It can be concluded that waste-land weeds especially P. hysterophorus and L. camara negatively affect the crops by their allelopathy.

Abstract Background: Parthenium hysterophorus L., commonly known as parthenium weed, poses severe economic and environmental hazards to the agro-ecosystems of Pakistan. Objective: To estimate the yield loss and critical competition period of this weed in the spring sown maize crop. Method: Field studies were conducted at an agronomic research area in the College of Agriculture at the University of Sargodha in Punjab-Pakistan during two consecutive year spring seasons (2014 and 2015). Treatments were comprised of viz., control plots (weed free), and parthenium competition durations of 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 weeks after crop emergence (WAE), as well as weedy check for the full growing season of the crop. Results: Study results showed that the prolongation in parthenium competition duration from 2 WAE to the full crop season resulted in an increase in dry weight up to 541% and 450% in the years 2014 and 2015, respectively. Plant height, stem diameter, biological yield, 1000 grain weight and grain yield decreased significantly at 2 or more WAE parthenium competition periods. The maximum reduction in plant height (8.8 and 11.3%), stem diameter (30.6 and 12.7%), cob number m-2 (35.8 and 33.9%), grain rows cob-1 (26.6 and 29.4%), 1000 grain weight (15 and 9.8%), grain (34.1 and 39.1%) and biological yield (31.4 and 27.9%) were recorded with the longest parthenium competition duration (6 WAE) during the years 2014 and 2015, respectively. Conclusion: Based upon the results above, it is concluded that the critical competition period of parthenium in spring maize, as determined by a three-parameter logistic model, is 17 to 28 and 16 to 26 days after crop emergence during the years 2014 and 2015, respectively. Therefore, this weed must be controlled during these periods in order to avoid significant grain yield loss.

RESUMO O potencial do extrato de curcuma e suas frações químicas foram avaliados para controlar a infestação da mosca do pêssego, Bactrocera zonata em um ensaio biológico à base de mortalidade. O extrato de cúrcuma (EC) foi obtido por aparelho de extração de Soxhelt e quimicamente fracionado em seis frações (F1 ... F6) por cromatografia em camada fina e cromatografia em coluna. Cinquenta pares de moscas acondicionadas em gaiolas foram alimentadas com 250 e 500 ppm de EC e suas frações, em separado, durante 20 dias, juntamente com moscas não alimentadas com a dieta para servir de controle. A toxicidade de EC e cada uma das suas fracções foi avaliada calculando a porcentagem de mortalidade de cada população de moscas, a cada 5 dias, em 4 intervalos consecutivos. A mortalidade de população de moscas foi, positivamente, correlacionada com as concentrações de EC e suas frações na dieta. A mortalidade das moscas alimentados em 250 e 500 ppm de EC foi, significativamente, maior em 44,17 e 66,33% em comparação com 28,88% no controle. A mortalidade foi maior no caso de moscas alimentadas com as frações F1, F3 e F6, ou seja, 72,22%, 50,00% e 48,76% respectivamente. O aumento máximo da mortalidade foi observado no final do terceiro intervalo; no caso de moscas alimentadas a 500 ppm de EC, 52,45% de mortalidade foi observada no final do terceiro intervalo. A maior mortalidade foi causada pelas frações F1, 51,39% no caso das moscas alimentadas com 250 ppm e 70,37%, no caso daqueles alimentadas com 500 ppm.

ABSTRACT Potential of turmeric extract and its chemical fractions were evaluated to control the infestation of Bactrocera zonata peach fruit fly in a mortality-based bioassay. The turmeric extract (TE) was taken on Soxhelt's extraction apparatus and chemically fractioned by thin layer followed by column chromatography into 6 fractions (F1 ...F6). Fifty pairs of the flies were fed in cages with 250 and 500 ppm TE and its fractions separately for 20 days along with flies fed on untreated diet to serve as control. The toxicity of TE and each of its fractions was evaluated by calculating percent mortality of fly population after every 5th day in 4 consecutive intervals. Mortality of fly population was observed to be positively correlated with increasing concentrations of TE and its fractions in diet. The mortality of flies fed at 250 and 500 ppm TE was significantly higher at 44.17 and 66.33% compared to 28.88% in control. Percent mortality was much higher in case of flies fed with fractions F1, F3 and F6 i.e. 72.22, 50.00 and 48.76 respectively. Maximum rise of mortality was observed at the end of 3rd interval; in case of flies fed at 500 ppm TE, 52.45 percent mortality was observed at the end of 3rd interval; highest mortality was caused by fraction F1, 51.39% in case of flies fed at 250 ppm and 70.37% in case of those fed at 500 ppm.

The present study was aimed at exploring the native wild isolates of Penicillium chrysogenum series in terms of their penicillin production potential. Apart from the standard medium, the efforts were made to utilize suitable agro-industrial wastes for the maximum yield of penicillin. Two series of P. chrysogenum were isolated from local sources and named as P. chrysogenum series UAF R1 and P. chrysogenum series UAF R2. The native series were found to possess better penicillin production potential than the already reported series of P. chrysogenum. However, P. chrysogenum series UAF R1 was found to be the best candidate for high yield of penicillin starting at 100 hour as compared to P. chrysogenum series UAF R2 which produced the highest yield of penicillin at 150 hours for a shorter period of time. Addition of Corn Steep Liquor (CSL) to the fermentation medium resulted in the production of 1.20g/L penicillin by P. chrysogenum series UAF R1 and P. chrysogenum series UAF R2. The fermentation medium in which Sugar Cane Bagasse (SCB) was replaced with CSL resulted in the highest yield of penicillin (1.92g/L) by both native series of P. chrysogenum. The penicillin production was increased by 62.5% in medium with SCB as compared to that with CSL. The penicillin yield of medium containing lactose and phenyl acetate was higher than that of control medium. Overall results revealed that P. chrysogenum series UAF R1 and P. chrysogenum series UAF R2 may be recommended for better yield of natural penicillin and this efficiency may be further enhanced by utilizing SCB as substrate in the growth medium.