Exogenous salicylic acid positively affects morpho-physiological and molecular responses of Impatiens walleriana plants grown under drought stress

The aim of this experiment was to investigate the exogenous application of salicylic acid (SA) on morpho-physiological and molecular characteristics of Impatiens walleriana plants grown under water deficit stress. Three levels of soil water contents (95, 85, and 75% of field capacity; FC) and three levels of SA (0, 1, and 2 mM) were applied on two impatient cultivars (‘Tempo’ and ‘Salmon’). The results showed that increasing water deficit stress negatively affected growth and flowering characteristics. On the contrary, the foliar application of SA reduced the adverse effect of water deficit stress and improved growth and ornamental plant attributes. Water deficit increased the amount of electrolyte leakage (EL), malondialdehyde (MDA), peroxidase (POD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activities; and proline content. The expression of the gene encoding for Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase (P5CS) was slightly increased under control treatment (95% FC + SA 0 mM) and then significantly increased at 75% FC and after the SA treatments. The expression pattern of P5CR (Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase gene) was similar to that of P5CS, with differences in terms of intensity. The application of SA reduced the amount of EL and MDA through increased antioxidant activities and water balance. Overall, the results of this study showed that ‘Salmon’ cultivar was able to tolerate drought stress conditions better than ‘Tempo.’ The application of 2 mM SA increased growth and physiological indices in drought-stressed impatient, mitigating the detrimental effects of water deficit in this important ornamental species

Interpreting Social Identity in Online Brand Communities: Considering Posters and Lurkers

YesThis study investigates the psychological effects of social identity on both posters and lurkers in online brand communities (OBCs). The results reveal the intermediate mechanisms mediating and moderating members’ social identity effects on members’ brand commitment leading to positive word-of-mouth and their resistance to negative information about the brand. This article treats social identity as a multi-dimensional construct. Differences amongst posters and lurkers on the relationships between the cognitive, affective and evaluative components of social identity are investigated along with their positive effect on brand commitment and behavioral consequences. Using a sample of 752 OBC members, both posters and lurkers emerge as valuable members and equally likely to derive social identity from their membership of an OBC. However, there are counter intuitive results for relationships within the research model between active and passive members of OBCs. These results offer implications for theory and can help managers to be better interactive marketers

The relative risk of second primary cancers in Switzerland: a population-based retrospective cohort study.

More people than ever before are currently living with a diagnosis of cancer and the number of people concerned is likely to continue to rise. Cancer survivors are at risk of developing a second primary cancer (SPC). This study aims to investigate the risk of SPC in Switzerland. The study cohort included all patients with a first primary cancer recorded in 9 Swiss population-based cancer registries 1981-2009 who had a minimum survival of 6 months, and a potential follow-up until the end of 2014. We calculated standardized incidence ratios (SIR) to estimate relative risks (RR) of SPC in cancer survivors compared with the cancer risk of the general population. SIR were stratified by type of first cancer, sex, age and period of first diagnosis, survival period and site of SPC. A total of 33,793 SPC were observed in 310,113 cancer patients. Both male (SIR 1.18, 95%CI 1.16-1.19) and female (SIR 1.20, 95%CI 1.18-1.22) cancer survivors had an elevated risk of developing a SPC. Risk estimates varied substantially according to type of first cancer and were highest in patients initially diagnosed with cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx, Hodgkin lymphoma, laryngeal, oesophageal, or lung cancer. Age-stratified analyses revealed a tendency towards higher RR in patients first diagnosed at younger ages. Stratified by survival period, risk estimates showed a rising trend with increasing time from the initial diagnosis. We observed strong associations between particular types of first and SPC, i.e. cancer types sharing common risk factors such as smoking or alcohol consumption (e.g. repeated cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx (SIR <sub>males</sub> 20.12, 95%CI 17.91-22.33; SIR <sub>females</sub> 37.87, 95%CI 30.27-45.48). Swiss cancer survivors have an increased risk of developing a SPC compared to the general population, particularly patients first diagnosed before age 50 and those surviving more than 10 years. Cancer patients should remain under continued surveillance not only for recurrent cancers but also for new cancers. Some first and SPCs share lifestyle associated risk factors making it important to promote healthier lifestyles in both the general population and cancer survivors

Optimal sizing design and operation of electrical and thermal energy storage systems in smart buildings

Photovoltaic (PV) systems in residential buildings require energy storage to enhance their productivity; however, in present technology, battery storage systems (BSSs) are not the most cost-effective solutions. Comparatively, thermal storage systems (TSSs) can provide opportunities to enhance PV self-consumption while reducing life cycle costs. This paper proposes a new framework for optimal sizing design and real-time operation of energy storage systems in a residential building equipped with a PV system, heat pump (HP), thermal and electrical energy storage systems. For simultaneous optimal sizing of BSS and TSS, a particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is applied to minimize daily electricity and life cycle costs of the smart building. A model predictive controller is then developed to manage energy flow of storage systems to minimize electricity costs for end-users. The main objective of the controller is to optimally control HP operation and battery charge/discharge actions based on a demand response program. The controller regulates the flow of water in the storage tank to meet designated thermal energy requirements by controlling HP operation. Furthermore, the power flow of battery is controlled to supply all loads during peak-load hours to minimize electricity costs. The results of this paper demonstrate to rooftop PV system owners that investment in combined TSS and BSS can be more profitable as this system can minimize life cycle costs. The proposed methods for optimal sizing and operation of electrical and thermal storage system can reduce the annual electricity cost by more than 80% with over 42% reduction in the life cycle cost. Simulation and experimental results are presented to validate the effectiveness of the proposed framework and controller