Relational HR practices in Malaysian SMEs: An Ethics of Care perspective

Adopting an Ethics of Care theoretical framework, this paper aims to investigate the way in which the owner-mangers (OMs) of small and medium-sized enterprises in Malaysia engage in human resource management. Based on in-depth interviews with 48 OMs, the findings show that HRM practices occur within the remit of management but are described by the managers in terms of relational obligations and cannot be fully accounted for using a strategic, instrumental, or critical lens. The present study highlights the importance of the caring attitudes of OMs who adopt a humanistic management approach, responding to the varied needs of their employees and the obligations which are inherent to relationships between humans

Effects of cowdung application on the production of mud crab (Scylla serrata Forskal) in brackishwater pond

A culture experiment of mud crab for 84 days was conducted in earthen pond at Brackishwater Station, Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, Paikgacha, Khulna. The aim of the experiment was to study the effects of cowdung application on crab production and water quality. There were three treatments as without cowdung (T1), 500 kg cowdung/ha/fortnight (T2) and 750 kg cowdung/ha/fortnight (T3) with three replicates for each. The result was evaluated on the basis of growth, production, survival rate etc. The experimental months were mid-April '96 to mid-July '96. To maintain a good water quality, water was exchanged in every spring tide. The range of salinity during the experiment was 8-19 ppt. Trash fish and fresh shrimp head were used as feed on raw basis in every alternate week at a rate of 8% body weight of crab at the same time rice bran and wheat flour were used at a rate of 2% body weight as a source of carbohydrate. The production of T1, T2 and T3, were 720.35 kg, 862.16 kg and 669.19 kg/ha respectively. Though the effects of cowdung on production of crab is insignificant but in terms of production, survival rate and growth, the study suggest that the application of cowdung in addition to feed can be recommended for mud crab culture at a rate of 500 kg/ha/fortnight

Optimization of stocking density for environmental-friendly improved extensive shrimp farming system in south-west part of Bangladesh

An experimental culture practice of P. monodon on extension approach was conducted in two brackish water earthen ponds of Demonstration Farm and Training Center (DFTC), Kaliganj, Satkhira. The experiment was aimed to provide farmers with appropriate technology that can immediately improve pond yield with keeping the environment in friendly condition. For optimization of stocking density of a cost effective environmental friendly improved extensive shrimp farming, the ponds were stocked with coastal river post larvae of P. monodon at the stocking rates of 2 pls/m² and 2.5 pls/m² without supplementary feeding. To control experimental error another five farmer's gher were used as replicates of each demo-pond. Considering the farmers buying ability, cost of inputs and other facilities kept minimal. The impact of stocking density was evaluated on the basis of growth, survival rate, production and economic return. Better production (average 299.01 kg/ha) with same survival rate (39.33%) were found with a stocking density of 2.5 pls/m² without causing any deterioration in the culture environment

Impact of stocking density on growth and survival rate of mud crab (Scylla serrata Froskal)

A 10-weeks culture trial of mud crab, Scylla serrata in brackish water earthen pond was conducted in different stocking densities. The aim of the experiment was to identify a suitable stocking density for optimum production. There were three treatment as 5000 crab lings/ha, 10000 crab lings/ha and 15000 crab lings/ha of each with three replications. The initial mean weight of crab lings were same (5.5 ± 0.13 g). The experimental month was June '95 to August '95. The size of each pond was 500 m². To maintain good water quality water was exchanged in every spring tide. The salinity during the experiment were 2-18ppt. Prepared feed of about 32% protein consisting fish meal, MOC rice bran and wheat flour was used at 5% of their body weight. In terms of production, survival rate, growth and carapace width, the stocking density having 10000/ha showed the best (P<O.O5) performance followed by 5000/ha and 15000/ha

Reduction of Coincident Photomultiplier Noise Relevant to Astroparticle Physics Experiment

In low background and low threshold particle astrophysics experiments using observation of Cherenkov or scintillation light it is common to use pairs or arrays of photomultipliers operated in coincidence. In such circumstances, for instance in dark matter and neutrino experiments, unexpected PMT noise events have been observed, probably arising from generation of light from one PMT being detected by one or more other PMTs. We describe here experimental investigation of such coincident noise events and development of new techniques to remove them using novel pulse shape discrimination procedures. When applied to data from a low background NaI detector with facing PMTs the new procedures are found to improve noise rejection by a factor of 20 over conventional techniques, with significantly reduced loss of signal events.Comment: Submitted to NIM

Effect of Ca-substitution on the magnetic and dielectric properties of Mn-Zn ferrites

Spinel Mn-Zn ferrites with composition MnxZn0.4Ca0.6-2xFe2+xO4,where x = 0.10, 0.15, 0.20, 0.25 and 0.30 have been prepared by conventional ceramic technique sintered at 1300 °C for 4 hours. The influence of Ca-substitution on various properties of Mn-Zn ferrites have been studied in this work. Investigations were carried out by the measurements of Curie temperature, permeability, loss tangent, Q-factor, dielectric constant and AC resistivity of the samples. Curie temperature (Tc), the real part of initial permeability (µ´), loss tangent (tan ?), and AC resistivity have been found to be decreased while the Q-factor increases with the increase in Ca-content. The frequency characteristics of the dielectric constant and AC resistivity have been found to be decreased as the frequency increases. Maxwell-Wagner interfacial type of dielectric polarization was observed with the addition of Ca-content over the entire range of frequency considered

Micronutrients and Anaemia

Micronutrient deficiencies and anaemia remain as major health concerns for children in Bangladesh. Among the micronutrient interventions, supplementation with vitamin A to children aged less than five years has been the most successful, especially after distribution of vitamin A was combined with National Immunization Days. Although salt sold in Bangladesh is intended to contain iodine, much of the salt does not contain iodine, and iodine deficiency continues to be common. Anaemia similarly is common among all population groups and has shown no sign of improvement even when iron-supplementation programmes have been attempted. It appears that many other causes contribute to anaemia in addition to iron deficiency. Zinc deficiency is a key micronutrient deficiency and is covered in a separate paper because of its importance among new child-health interventions

Chapter 1 - Introductory chapter

Working Group III (WGIII) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is charged with assessing scientific research related to the mitigation of climate change. 'Mitigation' is the effort to control the human sources of climate change and their cumulative impacts, notably the emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and other pollutants, such as black carbon particles, that also affect the planet's energy balance. Mitigation also includes efforts to enhance the processes that remove GHGs from the atmosphere, known as sinks. Because mitigation lowers the anticipated effects of climate change as well as the risks of extreme impacts, it is part of a broader policy strategy that includes adaptation to climate impacts - a topic addressed in more detail in WGII. There is a special role for international cooperation on mitigation policies because most GHGs have long atmospheric lifetimes and mix throughout the global atmosphere. The effects of mitigation policies on economic growth, innovation, and spread of technologies and other important social goals also implicate international concern because nations are increasingly inter-linked through global trade and economic competition. The economic effects of action by one nation depend, in part, on the action of others as well. Yet, while climate change is fundamentally a global issue, the institutions needed for mitigation exist at many different domains of government, including the local and national level. This chapter introduces the major issues that arise in mitigation policy and also frames the rest of the WGIII Contribution to the AR5. First we focus on the main messages since the publication of AR4 in 2007. Then we look at the historical and future trends in emissions and driving forces, noting that the scale of the mitigation challenge has grown enormously since 2007 due to rapid growth of the world economy and the continued lack of much overt effort to control emissions. This trend raises questions about the viability of widely discussed goals such as limiting climate warming to 2 degrees Celsius since the pre-industrial period. Then we look at the conceptual issues - such as sustainable development, green growth, and risk management - that frame the mitigation challenge and how those concepts are used in practice. Finally, we offer a roadmap for the rest of the volume

Potential antagonistic fungal species from Ethiopia for biological control of chocolate spot disease of faba bean

Chocolate spot disease ( Botrytis fabae Sard) is one of most yield limiting constraints of faba bean ( Vicia faba ). There is promise in using biological control agents to control chocolate spot diseases, nevertheless, this strategy has not been fully exploited. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of different antagonistic fungi on phyloplane of faba bean in Ethiopia and to evaluate their antagonistic potential against the pathogen. A total of 110 isolates of Trichoderma species were obtained from faba bean leaves from 12 districts, which were grouped into 18 distinct groups differing in colony and other characters. Similarly, 26 distinct isolates belonging to species of Penicillium , Aspergillus , Fusarium and Phioalophora were identified from leaves of faba bean. In vitro and in vivo studies revealed strong antagonistic potential of many isolates. Thirteen isolates of Trichoderma produced 4 mm or more inhibition zone and reduced growth of pathogen colony, when grown in dual culture with it. Antagonistic isolates caused lysis of pathogen mycelium more than 6 mm on agar plates. The antagonists significantly reduced pathogen growth in a range of 24.5 to 0.8 mm. The efficacy of the Trichoderma isolates ranged from 47.6 to 98% and that of the other fungal isolates ranged from 13.1 to 34.5%. On detached leaves, isolates 6-1T, 18-3T and 87T of T. ovalisporum and 52-BT, 108-1T and 108-4T of T. longibrachiatum were found to reduce development of chocolate spot on four genotypes of faba bean. The outcome indicates that biocontrol agents, particularly of species Trichoderma are prevalent on faba bean leaves and can be further explored and developed into effective mycofungicides for management of chocolate spot disease of faba bean.La maladie de t\ue2che du chocolat ( Botrytis fabae Sard) est une des contraintes limitatives du rendement du haricot faba ( Vicia faba ). L\u2019utilisation des agents biologiques de contr\uf4le serait promettant, par ailleurs, cette strat\ue9gie n\u2019a jamais \ue9t\ue9 amplement exploit\ue9e. L\u2019objectif de cette \ue9tude \ue9tait d\u2019\ue9valuer la pr\ue9valence de diff\ue9rents champignons anatagonistiques sur la phylloplane du haricot faba en Ethiopie et d\u2019\ue9valuer leur potentiel antagonistique contre le pathog\ue8ne. Un total de 110 isolats d\u2019esp\ue8ces de Trichoderma \ue9tait obtenu des feuilles du haricot faba dans 12 districts, et group\ue9es en 18 groupes diff\ue9rents en colonie et autres caract\ue8res. Similairement, 26 diff\ue9rents isolats appartenant aux esp\ue8ces de Penicillium , Aspergillus , Fusarium et Phioalophora \ue9taient identifi\ue9es des feuilles de haricot faba. Des \ue9tudes in vitro et in vivo ont r\ue9v\ue9l\ue9 un fort potentiel anatagonistique de beaucoup d\u2019isolats.Treize isolats de Trichoderma ont produit 4 mm ou plus de zones d\u2019inhiition et ont r\ue9duit la croissance de colonies pathog\ue9niques lorsque cultiv\ue9s ensemble. Sur plateaux agar, des isolats anatagonistiques ont caus\ue9 plus de 6 mm de lysis des mycelium pathog\ue9niques. Les anatagonistes ont significativement r\ue9duit de 24.5 \ue0 0.8 mm la croissance des pathog\ue8nes. L\u2019efficacit\ue9 des isoltas de Trichoderma variait entre 47.6 et 98% et celle d\u2019autres isolats fongiques variait entre 13.1 et 34.5%. Sur des feuilles d\ue9tach\ue9es, les isolats 6-1T, 18-3T et 87T de T. ovalisporum et 52-BT, 108-1T et 108-4T de T. longibrachiatum \ue9taient trouv\ue9es susceptibles de r\ue9duire le d\ue9veloppement de la t\ue2che du chocolat sur quatre g\ue9notypes du haricot faba. Le r\ue9sultat indique que des agents biocont\uf4les, particuli\ue8rement des esp\ue8ces Trichoderma sont pr\ue9valants sur des feuilles de haricot faba et peuvent \ueatre examin\ue9s et d\ue9velopp\ue9s en mycofungicides efficaces pour la gestion de la maladie de t\ue2che du chocolat du haricot faba

Dependency of the Spindle Assembly Checkpoint on Cdk1 Renders the Anaphase Transition Irreversible

SummaryActivation of anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/CCdc20) by Cdc20 is delayed by the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC). When all kinetochores come under tension, the SAC is turned off and APC/CCdc20 degrades cyclin B and securin, which activates separase [1]. The latter then cleaves cohesin holding sister chromatids together [2]. Because cohesin cleavage also destroys the tension responsible for turning off the SAC, cells must possess a mechanism to prevent SAC reactivation during anaphase, which could be conferred by a dependence of the SAC on Cdk1 [3–5]. To test this, we analyzed mouse oocytes and embryos expressing nondegradable cyclin B together with a Cdk1-resistant form of separase. After biorientation and SAC inactivation, APC/CCdc20 activates separase but the resulting loss of (some) cohesion is accompanied by SAC reactivation and APC/CCdc20 inhibition, which aborts the process of further securin degradation. Cyclin B is therefore the only APC/CCdc20 substrate whose degradation at the onset of anaphase is necessary to prevent SAC reactivation. The mutual activation of tension sensitive SAC and Cdk1 creates a bistable system that ensures complete activation of separase and total downregulation of Cdk1 when all chromosomes have bioriented