Fabrication polyethersulfone mixed matrix membrane incorporated with silica nanoparticles for BPA removal

The introduction of inorganic nanoparticles in polymeric dope solution for the fabrication process of membrane can potentially enhance the separation performances of membrane without negatively affecting its permeability. In this study, hollow fiber mixed matrix membranes were prepared by incorporating polyethersulfone (PES) membranes with silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanoparticles at different concentration. Prior to separation tests, the prepared membranes were characterized by SEM, EDX, DSC, water contact angle, and FTIR-ATR in order to study the impact of silica nanoparticles on the properties of the membranes. Bisphenol A (BPA) was selected as the subject compound of this study because it is one of the emerging pollutants that have been frequently detected in the water treatment plant (WTP). BPA was spike into the pre-treated water sample taken from the WTP and was used as the feed solution to evaluate the membrane performance in terms of water flux and removal rate. The addition of SiO2 was reported to improve the hydrophilicity of membrane and induce greater micro-voids formation in the membrane structures, leading to increased water flux during BPA filtration process. The presence of more silanol (Si-OH) and siloxane (Si-O-Si) bonding groups resulted from increased SiO2 contents in membrane has improved membrane adsorption rate and further increased BPA removal

Diversity And Capability Analyses Of Fertility Restorer Genes Of Cytoplasmic Male Sterile Rice Lines Using Ssr

Development of hybrid rice depends on the effectivity of cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) and restorer (R) lines. The molecular genetic approach is expected to help the breeder in identification of suitable parental lines to hybrid rice improvement. The study aimed to assess genetic relationship among three types of CMS systems (wild abbortive/WA Kalinga and Gambiaca) as female parents and to identify diversity of genes controlling fertility restoration in rice. The study used nine F1 hybrids and F2 populations obtained from the hybridization of three different CMS lines (IR58025A-WA, IR80156A-Kalinga and IR80154A-Gambiaca) with three restorer lines (PK90, PK12 and BP11). Fifteen SSR markers were used to select genomic regions of chromosome 1 and 10 on which Rf3 and Rf4 genes located in the hybrids. The results showed that fertility restoration in CMS-WA and CMS-Gambiaca was governed by two independent and dominant genes (Rf3 and Rf4), while in CMS-Kalinga the fertility restoration was controlled by one single dominant gene. Biological processes occurred in the fertility restoration of the hybrids were the same based on the pollen and spikelet fertilities of F1 hybrids derived from three CMS and R lines, i.e. 76.1–78.3% and 69.1–76.6%, respectively. A restorer line PK12 had a higher capability in fertility restoration than PK90 and BP11. The SSR primers RM490 and RM258 were capable of identifying the Rf3 and Rf4 genes controlled fertility restoration in CMS-WA. The study supports the use of male sterile WA in rice hybridization

Force Appropriation Method for Two Degrees of Freedom Nonlinear System

In this paper, the vibrations of structures are investigated via force appropriation method in which modes are excited individually by forces. Multivariate mode indicator function (MMIF) is used in the modal testing for investigating the prospective nonlinearities in the structures. The method is applied to simulate two degree of freedom with simple nonlinearities. The results are presented and evaluated to indicate that the method has advantages when it comes to involving in mode by mode identification. Results calculated from modal assurance criteria (MAC) and modal purity indicator (MPI) show that the qualities of evaluating a pure normal mode are in satisfactory. This suggests that force appropriation method for nonlinear structures is reliable and efficient, particularly in terms of the isolation of individual modes and determination of high quality modal parameters

Plant tissue culture as a tool for sustainable production of bentong ginger (Zingiber officinale var. Bentong) plantlets

Bentong ginger (Zingiber officinale var. Bentong) is an exotic ginger variety that can only be grown at highlands of Bentong district, Pahang, due to the fertile soil and cold temperate climate. Morphologically it has larger rhizome, thinner skin and contains less fibrous pulp compared to the domestic gingers. Besides, bentong ginger also has higher content of pharmaceutically important compounds (i.e. gingerol and shogaol) compared to other varieties of Malaysian gingers. However, cultivating this ginger through conventional agricultural practice has several constraints. Every season, almost 40% of the harvested rhizomes are set aside to be used as seeds for next cycle of cultivation. This has been a major drawback, hindering the continuous supply of ginger to fulfil the increasing market demand. Thus, in this final year project (FYP) research a systematic approach was taken to establish in vitro cultures of Bentong ginger plantlets. Prior to introduction into Murashige and Skoog (MS) media, young rhizome shoot bud explants were surface sterilised using different sterilization methods. Various responses were obtained from shoot bud explants cultured on MS basal medium supplemented with different concentrations of BAP and NAA; either alone or in combinations. Cultures were maintained under light condition 16 h/day photoperiod from white light of fluorescent lamps. In this preliminary study, augmentation of MS-medium with 3 mg/l BAP and with 1 mg/l NAA recorded the highest number of shootlets and roots multiplication. This in vitro regenerated Bentong ginger plantlets could serve the increasing needs of the planting materials for smallholder farmers. Indirectly, this could also improve the economic wellbeing of local farmers

Determinants of quality pledge among five-star hoteliers: a PLS-SEM approach

Abstract:Employee commitment to service quality so-called 'Quality Pledge' initially encompasses an employee's loyalty and their willingness to put an extra effort in their work by following the organizational values which lead them to remain in the organization. Nevertheless, in order to measure the quality pledge in five-star hotel industry, more investigation on the hoteliers ' ethical climate is required. Besides, hoteliers will look for and choose to work in the hotel that matches their ethical preferences. Therefore, the aim of this study is to determine the determinants of hotelier's ethical climate towards quality pledge. Convenient sampling was used, and 167 five-star hoteliers participated. Based on the findings, the results show that only benevolence and principled climates were the determinants of the hotelier's quality pledge. This study recommends that the hotel should maintain and cultivate suitable ethical climates based on employees commitment to service quality, thus enhance their commitment to provide excellent quality service. It is hoped that this research will contribute to the body of knowledge and shed some light on the possibility of achieving the national aims of becoming a high-income economy by 2050