Mechanism of paraquat resistance in crassocephalum crepidioides (Benth.) S. moore during immature stage

The mechanism of paraquat resistance in Crassocephalum crepidioides at the six-leaf stage was investigated. The extractable paraquat was not metabolized fly the leaf tissue in the resistant (R) and susceptible (S) biotypes. Therefore, differential metabolism does not appear to play a role in the mechanism of resistance. The S biotype absorbed 44% more 14Gparaquat than the R biotype. However, more than 98% of the absorbed 14G paraquat remained on the treated leaf of both biotypes. The difference in absorption had a negative correlation with the amount of epicuticular wax as well as the cuticle of leaf surfaces in both biotypes. The results of this study suggest that differential absorption may be a factor that accounts for resistance to paraquat at the six-leaf stage

The contribution of perceived firm marketing innovation initiatives to customer perceived value and loyalty: does switching experience really matter?

In recent years, perceived firm marketing innovation initiatives (PFMII) are increasingly considered as an important means to ensure customers' continued loyalty. Although customer perceived value is believed to be a potential mediator between PFMII and customer loyalty, much of the evidence to date remains anecdotal or speculative. Furthermore, there is a dearth of knowledge about how the effect of PFMII on customer value differs between switchers and non-switchers. To bridge this knowledge gap, we propose a conceptual framework linking PFMII to customer perceived value and loyalty, and develop hypotheses about the moderating role of switching experience in some of these linkages. Data were collected from Generation Y(18–34 years old) who subscribed to post-paid mobile internet plans. The results showed that both functional and monetary values mediated the relationship between PFMII and customer loyalty. However, there was no significant difference in the effect of PFMII on functional and monetary values between switchers and non-switchers. This research contributes to theory and practice by clarifying linkages between PFMII and customer loyalty by investigating the often widely neglected role of customer perceived value. In addition, this study successfully extended Sweeney and Soutar (2001) PERVAL model by incorporating PFMII as the key driver of customer perceived value

Trans-boundary variations of urban drought vulnerability and its impact on water resource management in Singapore and Johor, Malaysia

Low-latitude areas generally experience relatively large precipitation totals, but droughts/dry spells do occur periodically and are potentially hazardous in these regions - especially within rapidly developing urban settlements. These areas typically have high water demand and therefore may potentially be subjected to water scarcity. Effective local water resource management lowering risks and vulnerabilities to drought is thus paramount, and these policies may be affected in regions with national borders sharing a common transboundary water resource. In this study, we (a) quantify and identify drought episodes using the Palmer Drought Severity Index in the neighbouring equatorial regions of Singapore and Johor, Malaysia, and (b) qualitatively examine each region's drought impacts and consequent responses through archival research over the past fifty years. The data indicate that both frequencies and intensities of drought episodes in both Singapore and Johor have increased over time, suggesting greater exposure to this hazard. However, there are distinct variations in drought impacts in Singapore and Johor, and how each region addresses water resource management to drought with varying degrees of success. Despite the close geographical proximity, significant variations in regional adaptive capacities suggest that different drought vulnerabilities exist. We discuss the efficacy of drought responses over different time scales, and suggest that a combination of demand- and supply-side policies, especially in the long-term, should be considered to reduce vulnerability to this hazard.Published versio

Passive Microwave Remote Sensing for Sea Ice Thickness Retrieval Using Neural Network and Genetic Algorithm

Abstract-Over the years, global warming has gained much attention from the global community. The fact that the sea ice plays an important role and has significant effects towards the global climate has prompted scientists to conduct various researches on the sea ice in the Polar Regions. One of the important parameters being studied is the sea ice thickness as it is a direct key indication towards the climate change. However, to conduct studies on the sea ice scientists are often facing with tough challenges due to the unfavorable harsh weather conditions and the remoteness of the Polar Regions. Thus, microwave remote sensing offers an attractive mean for the observation and monitoring of the changes of sea ice in the Polar Regions for the scientists. In this paper, we will be presenting 2 approaches using passive microwave remote sensing to retrieve sea ice thickness. The first approach involves the training and testing of the neural network (NN) by using data sets generated from the Radiative Transfer Theory with Dense Medium Phase and Amplitude Correction Theory (RT-DMPACT) forward scattering model. Once training is completed, the inversion for sea ice thickness could be done speedily. The second approach utilizes a genetic algorithm (GA) which would perform a search routine to identify possible solutions in sea ice thickness that would match the corresponding brightness temperatures profile of the sea ice. The results obtained from both approaches are presented and tested by using Special Scanning Microwave Imager (SSM/I) data with the aid of the sea ice measurements in the Arctic sea

Light-color-induced Changes in Fatty Acid Biosynthesis in Chlorella SP. Strain Ks-ma2 in Early Stationary Growth Phase

Optimization of light supply remains a critical issue in microalgae biotechnology. The impacts of light color on fatty acid production and biosynthesis in microalgae are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of light color on growth and fatty acid content in Chlorella strain KS-MA2. Cells were cultured on F/2 medium and incubated under blue, green, red or white light. The cells' growth, fatty acid composition and the expression levels of the ketoacyl synthase 1 (KAS-1), omega-6 desaturase (ω-6 FAD) and omega-3 desaturase (ω-3 FAD) genes were measured at the early stationary growth phase. Results of this study indicated that light color affected cell density and fatty acid profile produced by Chlorella sp. strain KS-MA2. Cells cultured under blue, red and white light had higher cell density than those cultured under green light. Palmitic acid (38.62 ± 3.29% of biomass dry weight) and linolenic acid (7.96 ± 0.88% of biomass dry weight) were highly accumulated under white light. Stearic acid was dominant under blue light (11.11 ± 0.14% of biomass dry weight), whereas oleic acid was dominant under red light (30.50 ± 0.14% of biomass dry weight). Linoleic acid was highly produced under green and blue light (28.63 ± 1.36% and 26.00 ± 0.81 % of biomass dry weight, respectively). KAS-1 and ω-6 FAD were highly expressed under blue light, whereas ω-3 FAD was highly expressed under green light. The production of particular fatty acids of interest from Chlorella could be achieved by shifting color of light used during the incubation of the cell cultures. Blue-light is the most suitable light color for producing biomass and stearic acid by Chlorellastrain KS-MA2

25 Theoretical Modeling and Measurement Comparison of Season-long Rice Field Monitoring

Abstract The development of a theoretical model to describe the scattering mechanisms involved in the remote sensing of rice crops is essential, as it ensures correct application of remote sensing data for rice monitoring. The theoretical model used in this study is based on the radiative transfer theory applied on a layered dense discrete random medium. The dense medium phase and amplitude correction theory (DM-PACT), which considers the coherent effects of the scatterers, is incorporated in the development of the phase matrices of the scatterers, which are modeled after the physical geometry of the plants. Ground truth measurements of rice fields were acquired at Sungai Burung, Selangor, Malaysia for an entire season. These measurements are used in the theoretical model to calculate the backscattering coefficients of rice fields. The results are then compared to those obtained from RADARSAT images to test the validity of the model. Comparisons show promising results, but further research is required to improve on the current model

A search in north Greenland for a new ice-core drill site

This is the published version. Copyright International Glaciological SocietyA new deep ice-core drilling site has been identified in north Greenland at 75.12 ° N, 42 .30 ° W, 316 km north-northwest (NNW) of the GRIP drill site on the summit of the ice sheet. The ice thickness here is 3085 m; the surface elevation is 2919 m. The North GRIP (NG RIP) site is identified so that ice of Eemian age (115- 130 ka BP, calendar years before present ) is located as far above bedrock as possible and so the thickness of the Eemian layer is as great as possible. An ice-flow model, similar to the one used to date the GRIP ice core, is used to simulate the flow along the NNW-trending ice ridge. Surface and bedrock elevations, surface accumulation-rate distribution and radio-echo sounding along the ridge have been used as model input. The surface accumulation rate drops from 0.23 mice equivalent year 1 at GRIP to 0.19 mice equivalent year- 1 50 km from GRIP. Over the following 300 km the accumulation is relatively constant, before it starts decreasing again further north. Ice thicknesses up to 3250 m bring the temperature of the basal ice up to the pressure-melting point 100- 250 km from GRIP. The NGRIP site is located 316 km from GRIP in a region where the bedrock is smooth and the accumulation rate is 0.19 m ice equivalent year 1 • The modeled basal ice here has always been a few degrees below the pressure-melting point. Internal radio-echo sounding horizons can be traceq between the GRIP and NGRIP sites, allowing us to date the ice down to 2300 m depth (52 ka BP ). An ice-flow model predicts that the Eemian-age ice will be located in the depth range 2710 - 2800 m, which is 285 m above the bedrock. This is 120 m further above the bedrock, and the thickness of the Eemian layer of ice is 20 m thicker, than at the GRIP ice-core ite

Structural thermal stability of graphene oxide-doped copper-cobalt oxide coatings as a solar selective surface

3d transition metal oxides based thin film coatings such as copper-cobalt oxides exhibit high absorption in the visible region and low emittance in the infra-red to far-infra-red region of the solar spectrum which is favourable for use as potential selective surface materials in photothermal devices. These materials have the potential to minimize heating while increasing absorption in the operative spectrum range and therefore achieve higher solar selectivity. A series of mixed copper-cobalt metal spinel oxides (CuxCoyOz) doped with graphene oxide thin films were deposited on commercial grade aluminium substrates using a sol–gel dip-coating technique at an annealing temperature of 500 °C in air for 1 h. Characterizations of the synthesized films were carried out by high temperature synchrotron radiation X-ray Diffraction (SR-XRD), UV-Vis, Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron microscopy (XPS) techniques. High thermal stability of coatings with multiple phases, binary and ternary metal oxides, was defined through SR-XRD study. FTIR analysis shows moderate (<80%) to high (up to 99%) reflectance in the infra-red region while the UV-Vis investigations demonstrate that, in the visible region, solar absorption increases gradually (up to 95%) with the addition of graphene oxide to the CuxCoyOz coatings. With the incorporation of 1.5 wt% of graphene oxide to the copper-cobalt oxide coatings, a high solar selectivity of 29.01 (the ratio of the average solar absorptance in visible and the average thermal emittance in infra-red to far infra-red region; α/ε) was achieved

Efficient In Vivo Liver-Directed Gene Editing Using CRISPR/Cas9

n vivo tissue-specific genome editing at the desired loci is still a challenge. Here, we report that AAV9-delivery of truncated guide RNAs (gRNAs) and Cas9 under the control of a computationally designed hepatocyte-specific promoter lead to liver-specific and sequence-specific targeting in the mouse factor IX (F9) gene. The efficiency of in vivo targeting was assessed by T7E1 assays, site-specific Sanger sequencing, and deep sequencing of on-target and putative off-target sites. Though AAV9 transduction was apparent in multiple tissues and organs, Cas9 expression was restricted mainly to the liver, with only minimal or no expression in other non-hepatic tissues. Consequently, the insertions and deletion (indel) frequency was robust in the liver (up to 50%) in the desired target loci of the F9 gene, with no evidence of targeting in other organs or other putative off-target sites. This resulted in a substantial loss of FIX activity and the emergence of a bleeding phenotype, consistent with hemophilia B. The in vivo efficacy of the truncated gRNA was as high as that of full-length gRNA. Cas9 expression was transient in neonates, representing an attractive “hit-and-run” paradigm. Our findings have potentially broad implications for somatic gene targeting in the liver using the CRISPR/Cas9 platform