Some physiological effects of the herbicide bromacil (5-bromo-3-sec-butyl-6-methyluracil) on Asparagus officinalis L. : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science at Massey University

The root-absorbed, photosynthesis-inhibiting herbicide bromacil (5-bromo-3-sec-butyl-6-methyluracil) was applied in sand culture to tissue-cultured 18-month-old Mary Washington 500W clone of Asparagus officinalis L. grown under controlled environmental conditions. Dose-response characteristics were determined and ED₂⁰ and ED⁵⁰ values computed by regression analysis for several parameters for asparagus plants exposed to a single application of 0, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, and 512 p.p.m. bromacil in non-draining pots. The results of this initial broad spectrum studies revealed a drastic decline in visually assessed foliage damage score, shoot growth and root fresh weight, and an increase in shoot death at relatively low concentrations. Good dose-response characteristics were obtained, and time-course data showed that the rate and severity of effects increased with increasing dose. The ED⁵⁰ values 18 days after treatment were: visually assessed damage score, 2.7 p.p.m.; shoot growth, 25 p.p.m.; shoot death, 4.6 p.p.m.; and root fresh weight, 2.1 p.p.m. A catalogue of colour plates showing visual phytotoxic effects was compiled. The injury symptoms observed were: yellowing of cladophyll tips followed by bleaching with the effects extending towards the base, cladophyll tipping and progressive cladophyll death leading to shoot death. Equal increment dose-response experiments were conducted at 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 p.p.m. bromacil, using a portable fluorometer (Model SF-10) to obtain fluorescence emission measurements. The results showed a dramatic decline in the initial rise in fluorescence yield from the cladophyll tips 156 hours after treatment. The ED⁵⁰ value was computed to be 2.3 p.p.m. Fluorescence emission measurements from cladophyll tips from excised shoots placed in bromacil solution at the same concentrations showed a dramatic decline in fluorescence yield within 17 hours indicating that uptake and translocation was more rapid without the roots. No significant changes in chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll concentrations, as determined by 80% acetone extraction technique, were evident in the samples in which a dramatic decline in fluorescence yield occurred. The results of this study, conducted under controlled environmental conditions, showed that the asparagus clone tested readily absorbed bromacil through its roots and translocated it to the foliage causing severe initial damage to the photosynthetic apparatus followed by detrimental effects on other parameters such as shoot growth, root fresh weight and shoot death. Even at a bromacil concentration of 2 p.p.m. the asparagus plants were found to susceptible to herbicide damage

Role overload, leader facilitation, workgroup support, employee recognition and turover intention among lecturers in private university colleges in Negeri Sembilan

Retaining talented lectures in Private Higher Education Institutions (PHEI) become an alarming issue for the PHEI’s managements. Lectures face many difficulties in private higher education institutions compare to public higher education institutions. Some scholars have come up with several factors that could provide the impact on turnover intention. However, studies on the impact of role overload, leader facilitation, workgroup support and employee recognition towards turnover intention specifically among PHEIs’ lectures were very limited. The objective of this study is to identify the role overload, leader facilitation, workgroup support and employee recognition that affect turnover intention among PHEIs lectures in Negeri Sembilan. Research data were obtained from two PHEIs in Negeri Sembilan; Inti International University Nilai and KTG Education Group in Mantin. Total five hypotheses were developed in this study. The quantitative research design used to collect the data. Information was collected through questionnaires and was analyzed by using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 16.0. Total 152 respondents were involved in this study. Cross sectional research method has been used to synthesis less biased and more accurate result. This research applied descriptive statistics, reliability analysis and inferential analysis to determine the relationship among the variables. Based on the correlation analysis, it has found that role overload and turnover intention shows a positive relationship (r = .725**, p ≤ 0.01). Meanwhile, leader facilitation (r = -.669**, p ≤ 0.01), workgroup support (r = -.750**, p ≤ 0.01) and employee recognition (r = -.801**, p ≤ 0.01) shows negative relationship. The coefficient of determination value (R2 = 0.709) and indicated that role overload, leader facilitation, workgroup support and employee recognition have contributed 70% to the lecturers’ turnover intention in PHEI in Negeri Sembilan. Based on multiple regression analysis result, it has found that employee recognition (β -.420, p ≤0.00) has the most significant relationship and reported as high contributor for employee turnover intention. Meanwhile, the second highest contributing factor is role overload (β .232, p ≤0.04 ) and following by workgroup support (β -. 195, p ≤0.17). The factor that least contributed for employee turnover intention among (PHEI) in Negeri Sembilan is leader facilitation (β -.086, p ≤0.246). This research study has come up with appropriate suggestions for the (PHEI) management and insights for future researchers and for better researches. This research had fulfilled the objectives set earlier by the researcher

Determinants Of Online Purchase For Agroproducts Among Pasarborong.Com Customers

Online-purchasing for agricultural products in Malaysia is not well received, despite the encouragement by the government and local vendors. This study examines the online purchasing behavior of consumers for selected agricultural products in Malaysia. The research objectives are: to document the profile of online shoppers; to document the types of products that are being purchased online; to determine the consumers behavior towards online purchasing; and to analyze factors affecting online purchases. An online survey was posted at www.geocities.com/sothy_46 . The survey focused only on online shoppers for agro products. Notice of the survey was posted through www.pasarbong.com website. The notice was also sent to the customers through www.parksononline.com.my and www.egroceries.com.my. A total of 46 participants responded. The data were analyzed using mean average, factor analysis, gap analysis and linear regression. Descriptive statistics was used to describe the respondent profile, consumer’s behavior and their beliefs of online purchasing of selected agro- products such as mean average. Factor analysis was used to uncover the dimension of the beliefs of online marketing for selected agro- products. Gap Analysis refers to the activity of studying the differences between standards and the delivery of those standards. Linear Regression model was used to predict the relationship between dependent variable of happy dealing online to independent variables used in the factor analysis. The results showed that a majority of the respondent used e-commerce to purchase services such as, providing reservation/booking online and online banking rather than to purchase goods. The survey also included questions to determine the consumers’ expectation before they first purchase online as well as their perception after they had made online purchases. In general, the experience of the respondents was not up to their expectation. Based on factor analysis, there are five factors which influenced consumer’s perception towards online marketing. They are after sales services, communication, product attribute, satisfaction and delivery. The regression analysis also found that some factors were significant in influencing the level of consumers’ satisfaction regarding online purchasing

Future of Tele-echocardiography

Telemedicine is defined as the ‘delivery of health care and sharing of medical knowledge over a distance using telecommunication systems’. Echocardiography is often used to diagnose and exclude important cardiac diagnoses in adults and children. Evolving telemedicine technology has boosted access to echocardiography and has created a network that offers many possibilities for clinical, research and teaching activities.The two primary modes of telemedicine practise are ‘ store and forward’ and ‘real time’ videoconferencing. Using these technologies, relevant, up-to-date scientific information is instantly available for analysis and interaction. Studies have also shown these to be accurate, cost effective, improves patient care, enhances echocardiography quality and sonographer proficiency and promotes practice expansion.The growing use of technology such as smart phones, laptops and computer tablets as well as newer technologies like cloud computing, picture archiving computer systems(PACS) and the standardization of medical images(DICOM) has fuelled the now accelerating specific demands for tele-echocardiography. However, all these are not without challenges and obstacles. Some of these include lack of standardization of telemedicine components, confusing medico-legal and licensure issues, privacy/confidentiality, poor reimbursement, training issues as well as attitude and acceptance.These issues need to be addressed by all those involved in medical practice. Clinicians must work with sonographers, medical IT experts, hospital management and hospital physicists as well as manufacturers and insurance companies to ensure that the new system is integrated as an extra function within ultrasound consoles. National and international societies such as the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) could play a role in bringing everyone together and define the necessary training programmes. In conclusion, the revolution in digital technology is rapidly changing the world of telecommunications. Tele-echocardiography has a bright future to become an integrated part of our clinical available echocardiographic tool set – in a matter of tim

Performance Analysis of Empirical Open-Circuit Voltage Modeling in Lithium Ion Batteries, Part-2: Data Collection Procedure

This paper is the second part of a series of papers about empirical approaches to open circuit voltage (OCV) modeling and its performance comparison in lithium-ion batteries. The first part of the series introduced various sources of uncertainties in the OCV models and established a theoretical relationship between uncertainties and the performance of a battery management system. In this paper, clearly defined approaches for low-rate OCV data collection are defined and described in detail. The data collection is designed with consideration to several parameters that affect the experimental time. Firstly, a more suitable method to fully charge the battery at different C-Rates is defined. Secondly, the OCV characterization following the full charge is described for various performance comparisons. Finally, optimal and efficient resistance estimation profiles are discussed. From the voltage, current and time data recorded using the procedure described in this paper, the OCV-SOC relationship is characterized and its uncertainties are modeled in the third part of this series of papers

FORMULATION OF IN SITU GELLING SYSTEM FOR OPHTHALMIC DELIVERY OF ERYTHROMYCIN

Eye is a unique organ which exerts various limitations for the delivery of drug due to its physiology barriers. Therefore, the posterior part of the eyes remains a major concern for formulation scientists to develop ocular drug delivery system which can overcome the barriers of theeye and provide local or systemic effect with immediate or sustained release dosage forms. Conventional ophthalmic dosage forms such as eye drop, ointment and gel provide low bioavailability and less pre-corneal drug residence time due to nasolacrimal drainage of the eyes. The major challenge is to formulate a system to improve the contact time of the drug in eyes. This is achieved by in situ gel system where the drugs are incorporatedwith various types of polymers which exhibit solution to gel phase transition. An in situ gelling technique provides greater bioavailability by resisting ocular drainage leading to longer residence time. This paper proposes the formulation of in situ gels for effective delivery of Erythromycin used to treat conjunctivitis and to evaluate dosage form characteristic such as pH, gelling capacity, gel strength, sterility testing, drug content, in vitro diffusion study, antibacterial activity and accelerated stability studies to ensure the safety and stability of the dosage form. Hence an attempt will be made to develop novel in situ gelling systems using Erythromycin, antimicrobial agent as a promising alternative to the conventional dosage forms for the effective treatment of various eye infections