Social Mobility Springboard: Occupational Prestige of Thai Labour Brokers

International labour migration is one of the major issues of our time. Records at present total around 200 million people working outside their country of birth. This rapidly increasing phenomenon is examined in a large number of studies on migration, most of which, however, focus on experiences and practicalities of migrants at the place of destination. In this study, we provide insight into another issue of migration study by presenting occupational prestige as an indicator of social mobility of Thai labour brokers who were return migrants from overseas employment. The data was collected via structured interview with 321 samples obtained by systematic sampling from all provinces in the Northeast of Thailand during the years 2010-2011. Data analysis for social mobility was performed based on occupational prestige. The results indicated that occupational prestige of labour brokers (0.1934) was higher than their former occupational prestige for agricultural occupations (-0.3100) and industrial/service occupations (0.1800). Moreover, social mobility of labour brokers could be classified in the upper vertical mobility category of the "Occupational Mobility.

Systemic defense activation by COS-OGA in rice against root-knot nematodes depends on stimulation of the phenylpropanoid pathway

Activation of induced plant resistance to control pests and diseases is regaining attention in the current climate where chemical pesticides are being progressively banned. Formulations of chitosan oligomers (COS) and pectin-derived oligogalacturonides (OGA), COS-OGA, have previously been described to induce resistance against fungal diseases in different crop plants. Here, we investigated their potential and mode-of-action as preventive measures to control root-knot nematode Meloidogyne graminicola infection in rice. The results show a significant reduction in root-galling and nematode development in rice plants that were treated through foliar application with the COS-OGA formulations FytoSol (R) and FytoSave (R) 24 h before nematode inoculation. Hormone measurements, gene expression analyses, corroborated by treatments on salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA)-mutants indicated that the systemic COS-OGA induced defense mechanism against nematodes is not based on SA or JA activation. However, phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) gene expression in roots as well as enzymatic PAL activity in the shoots were significantly induced 24 h after foliar COS-OGA spraying in comparison with untreated plants. COS-OGA-induced systemic defense was abolished in the rice OsPAL4-mutant, demonstrating that COS-OGA-induced defense is dependent on OsPAL4 activation in rice plants

Potential of cavalcade, Centrosema pascuorum, leaves for controlling Meloidogyne javanica and quantification of active phytochemicals

Open Access ArticleThe legume cavalcade, Centrosema pascuorum, is used extensively as a cover crop and as a component of conservation agriculture systems. It is also an attractive rotation or cover crop for the management of root-knot nematodes (RKN; Meloidogyne spp.) as it is a non-host. RKN are persistent pests that are well known to be difficult to control. However, the mechanisms governing the non-host status of cavalcade is unknown. The current study established that cavalcade leaves are toxic to RKN as either aqueous extracts or soil amendments. Bioassays conducted using Meloidogyne javanica showed that a 90% concentration of aqueous extract derived from 1-month-old cavalcade leaves (89 mg crude extract ml−1) suppressed nematode hatch (82.9%) and killed infective second-stage juveniles of M. javanica (85.3%). Soil amendments with 1% (w/w) of 1-month-old cavalcade leaves (0.99 mg crude extract g−1 soil) also provided effective control of M. javanica in the glasshouse on okra. One-month-old leaves appeared more effective than 2- or 3-month-old leaves. The soil amendments had no adverse phytotoxic effect on okra seed germination. Our study demonstrates the potential for using cavalcade leaves or extracts to manage RKN. This may be due to the nematicidal activity of the various compounds in the leaves, such as flavonoids, phenols and terpenoids, which should be further assessed

CpG-island methylation study of liver fluke-related cholangiocarcinoma

Background: Genetic changes have been widely reported in association with cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), while epigenetic changes are poorly characterised. We aimed to further evaluate CpG-island hypermethylation in CCA at candidate loci, which may have potential as diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers. Methods: We analysed methylation of 26 CpG-islands in 102 liver fluke related-CCA and 29 adjacent normal samples using methylation-specific PCR (MSP). Methylation of interest loci was confirmed using pyrosequencing and/or combined bisulfite restriction analysis, and protein expression by immunohistochemistry. Results: A number of CpG-islands (OPCML, SFRP1, HIC1, PTEN and DcR1) showed frequency of hypermethylation in >28% of CCA, but not adjacent normal tissues. The results showed that 91% of CCA were methylated in at least one CpG-island. The OPCML was the most frequently methylated locus (72.5%) and was more frequently methylated in less differentiated CCA. Patients with methylated DcR1 had significantly longer overall survival (Median; 41.7 vs 21.7 weeks, P=0.027). Low-protein expression was found in >70% of CCA with methylation of OPCML or DcR1. Conclusion: Aberrant hypermethylation of certain loci is a common event in liver fluke-related CCA and may potentially contribute to cholangiocarcinogenesis. The OPCML and DcR1 might serve as methylation biomarkers in CCA that can be readily examined by MSP

Signs of change : The next two decades of the agricultural women's groups in Thailand

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2008.Clearly, the AWG is a tool for agricultural women. It helps women develop their occupations, increases family income and enhances the quality of life of families and communities. This study shows that almost all NAWGs achieve remarkable successes but not all of them could maintain their successes. The study finds that the internal and external participants of the NAWGs are one of the important elements that could affect the organization especially the leaders of the groups.Thailand is an agricultural country where many women participate in agricultural practice. They work in the fields and also generate other sources of income to support their families. This research deals with the Agricultural Women Groups (AWGs) that have reflected the influence of local, global, world system changes within a policy over the 30 year period and the National Agricultural Women Groups (NAWGs) are quite popular among the AWGs. The dissertation examines the factors associated with the successes of the Agricultural Women's Groups (AWGs) over the past 30 years and considers how those factors have assisted the AWGs in accommodating to the changes that have occurred in rural Thailand during that time. This study investigates the NAWGs in Thailand which had a total of 24 NAWGs throughout the country from 1982 to 2006. The study applies observation, Participatory Action Research (PAR), archival records, face to face in-depth interview and telephone-long interview. In addition, the respondents are the leader, committee, members, people working for the NAWGs, the DOAE's officers working with each group, a total of 176 respondents. The paper attempts to use the organizational theory and the open systems perspectives, to explain the future of the AWGs and find the leadership perspective of the NAWGs.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 212-221).Also available by subscription via World Wide Web221 leaves, bound 29 c