Modeling soil-water dynamics for diverse environmental needs

Accurate representation of the top soil matrix with special attention to the scales present is important to the dynamics of water flow and fate of pollution at field, farm and watershed scales. It is also important from an agronomic stand point since agriculture still constitutes the main source of pollution at a time when many agronomic models still use empirical notions of soil hydraulic properties. The soil dynamics literature describes soil hydraulic properties independently from the soil-water medium hydro-structural dynamics. This leads to an empirical approach to represent and estimate soil hydro-structural properties such as shrinkage, water potential, field capacity, available water, hydraulic conductivity, etc. This study presents a computer model of structured soil-water medium in which the thermodynamic equilibrium is characterized by its internal hydro-structural changes. (Résumé d'auteur

Konvergensi Pendapatan Provinsi Jawa Timur: Pendekatan Panel Kota/Kabupaten Periode 2000-2013

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis profil pertumbuhan antar kabupaten/kota di Jawa Timur sejak era otonomi daerah tahun 2000 mulai bergulir. Isu utama yang dianalisis adalah kesenjangan ekonomi di Provinsi Jawa Timur selama periode 2000 – 2013. Sejumlah kajian sebelumnya menunjukkan bahwa otonomi daerah tidak memiliki imbas yang signifikan terhadap pemerataan. Untuk menguji hipotesis konvergensi atau divergensi, penelitian ini menggunakan kerangka riset yang diperkenalkan oleh Barro. Hasil uji model Solow-Swan yang diperkenalkan oleh Barro, menunjukkan bahwa terdapat kecenderungan bahwa perekonomian antar daerah di Jawa Timur bersifat konvergen. Pengujian OLS menunjukkan bahwa hipotesis konvergensi belum dapat dibuktikan. Setelah mengoreksi faktor spesifik daerah yang diformulasikan melalui pendekatan analisis data panel, hipotesis konvergensi dapat dibuktikan cukup signifikan.  Dengan kata lain, terdapat potensi bahwa kesenjangan ekonomi antar daerah semakin mengecil. Dari sudut internal, perekonomian Jawa Timur dapat dikatakan relatif aman karena terdapat indikasi bahwa kesenjangan antar wilayah yang semakin berkurang. Setelah determinan pertumbuhan dapat diidentifikasi, diharapkan kesenjangan antar daerah akan lebih cepat dieliminasi

Modal analysis of pipe joint spiral wound gasket

This project report deals with dynamic behaviour of spiral wound gasket using theoretical and experimental analysis method. This project report is to study the dynamic properties and behaviour of spiral wound gasket by using modal analysis and compare with the finite element analysis. The structural three-dimensional solid modelling of spiral wound gasket was developed using the SOLIDWORK drawing software. The finite element analysis was then performed using ALGOR (FEA). The finite element model of the components was analyzed using the linear modal analysis approach. Finally, the experimental modal analysis was performed using Impact Hammer Testing method. The natural frequency of the mode shape is determined and comparative study was done from both method results. The comparison between natural frequencies of finite element modelling and model testing shows the closeness of the results. From the results, the percentage error had been determined and the limitation in the natural frequency of the spiral wound gasket is observed

Molecular Characterization of Chicken Anemia Virus (CAV) and Expression of the CAV VP3 Protein

Chicken anemia virus (CAV) from non-attenuated and attenuated isolates were characterized based on sequence and phylogenetic analysis. The CAV BL-5 isolate, isolated from UPM was propagated and attenuated in MSB-1 cells until passage 90. The whole genome of non-attenuated isolate, BL-5P5 and attenuated isolate, BL-5P90 were amplified, cloned and subjected for sequencing. The sequences were analyzed and compared with other 25 isolates from local and foreign countries. Sequence analysis of VP1, VP2 and VP3 coding regions revealed that most of the variations were at the VP1 region. Sequence analysis of VP1 revealed that the BL-5P5 isolate was closely related to BL-5P90, CAF475 (China), AF313 (USA), C140 and A2 (Japan) and 3-1/P60 (Malaysia) isolates between 98% to 99% homology and distantly related to CAU269/7 (Australia) and SMSC-1 (Malaysia) isolates with 95% homology. However, analysis based on amino acid sequence indicated that the BL-5P5 isolate was closely related (98% to 99%) to all the above isolates, including the CAU269/7 isolate. It was found that the CAU269/7 has a very unusual low nonsynonymous/synonymous (NS/S) ratio of 0.188 when compared to the BL-5P5. Similarly, phylogenetic analysis based on the VP1 nucleotide sequences revealed that the BL-5P5 was closely related to BL-5P90, CAF475 (China) and AF313 (USA) and distantly related to CAU269/7 (Australia) and SMSC-1 (Malaysia) isolates . Analysis based on amino acid sequences revealed that the BL-5P5 was closely related to BL-5P90, CAU269/7 (Australia), Cf.F475 (China) and AF313 (USA) and distantly related to ConnB (USA), SMSC-1 (Malaysia) and P3102A9-resist isolates. The BL-5P90 showed only 15 nucleotide differences compared to BL-5P5 isolates. However, these differences associated with 11 amino acid changes which were found mainly in the hypervariable region of VP1. Thus, the NS/S ratio (2.75) is significantly higher than the SINS ratio (0.36). The BL-5P90 isolate has an amino acid substitution at position 144 from glutamic acid (E) to lysine (K) in VP1 hypervariable region. This amino acid substitution might play an important role in viral attenuation. The CAV VP3 gene from nonattenuated BL-5P5 isolate was expressed as a fusion protein in prokaryotic system. The SOS-PAGE and Western blot analysis indicated that the expressed VP3 protein of a pproximately 18 kOa was observed from the cell lysate sample after 4 hours post induction with isopropyl-I3-0-thiogalactosidase (IPTG). However, the protein was expressed in insoluble form and was relatively non-immunogenic since hyperimmune serum against the expressed protein showed non-specific reactions following Western blot and indirect immunofluorescence anti body test (IFAT) assay. Thus, the expressed VP3 protein in the present form is not suitable for use as antigen in production of antibody for the development of VP3 protein as diagnostic marker. Further studies on the application of the VP3 as diagnostic protein of CAV remains to be confirmed

Social influence and price, influence on consumer resistance to innovation

The basic purpose of this study is to investigate the consumer buying behavior.In this study smartphone used as innovation.In the technological advancement smartphone is best communication tool and playing significant role in the society. In this study researcher identified some factor that influence the consumer buying behavior and consumer always buy new product through focusing all these factors.Data were collected from 250 respondents through self administered questionnaires and SmartPLS 2.0 M3 was used to analyze the data

Exploring the opportunities and perceived success of internationalization strategies in Malaysian SME’s

There is a complete transforming process all around the global economy. Technological displacement is displacing all the business activities into information oriented or information based activities. Internationalization has the great contribution in the fundamental changes which took place all over the world. In fact due to internationalization a revolution has been introduce globally. Due to the web there is availability of extended opportunities for Malaysian customer and small & medium enterprises (SME‟s). There is a need of an orderly frame work, due to limited research on the role of internet in international marketing. In order to have the better understanding to the role of internet in international marketing strategy, it is needed to examine the purpose for which SME‟s use the internet in the international marketing context(Shanker & Meyer, 2009). This paper will be providing a significant contribution in the development of internationalization process among Malaysian SME's. This paper will also help Malaysian SME's to improve their internationalization strategies in contrast with the electronic commerce

Associations between integrator, grower involvement and business performance: Emphasis on validity & reliability

The aim of this study is to explain an investigation over the potential relationships between integrator and grower involvement towards business performance in broiler production. The potential role of employees’ skill levels as moderating variable between the aforementioned independent and the dependant variables are discussed.Broiler supply chain practices and its corresponding performance indicators in the form of broiler farming operations are among the important measures in the dependant variable (business performance).Based on the extensive survey of relevant literatures, a research framework is then proposed.The content validity has been done by getting opinion from the experts, namely veterinary officers.Besides that the construct reliability is determined through value from Cronbach’s Alpha.The data obtained was satisfactory for content validity and construct validity also fit the model as proposed previously