Estimation of Optimal Size of Plots for Experiments with Radiometer in Beans

An experimental error can lead to rework and, consequently, to the loss of financial and human resources. One way to reduce this problem is the estimation of the optimum size of experimental plot to carry out the treatments. The objective of this study was to estimate the optimal size of plots for reflectance measurements in beans by the modified maximum curvature method and the maximum distance method. Reflectance readings were made on bean plants with the aid of the GreenSeeker® equipment, obtaining basic units of 0.45 m² in an area of lines 6 and 8 m in length, performing 46 combinations of experimental area. X0 was determined using the modified maximum curvature and the maximum distance method. To increase the R², the calculations have been redone using 20 combinations of experimental area. By adopting the bigest obtained area, it was concluded that the optimum size of an experimental plot for works with reflectance in beans is 5.40 m² and the combination that presents the best distribution is 2 lines totalling 6 m long.Keywords: Reflectance, Experimental Error, Modified Maximum Curvature, Maximum Distanc

Re-integration of Former Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam Combatants into Civilian Society in Post-War Sri Lanka

The entire nation paid a high price militarily, politically, economically and socially during the twenty-six-year-old conflict in Sri Lanka. However, May 18, 2009, marked a significant milestone in the written history of Sri Lanka. The three-year-long Humanitarian Operation conducted by the Sri Lankan Security Forces to liberate civilians from the cruel clutches of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) terrorists ended, assigning a total military defeat to the LTTE. As a nation, Sri Lanka is now facing the daunting task of a range of challenges in the post-war era. Above all, much effort is needed to heel the scars of the conflict and to build the Sri Lankan identity. Though the war is over, the remnants of the LTTE may pose a considerable security challenge. Amongst them are many surrendered combatants of the LTTE who are being rehabilitated and absorbed into the society. Sacred responsibility lies with the government in rehabilitating ex-combatants is to ensure a long-term, results-oriented process. Considering the highly sensitive status quo of the issue at the aftermath of its conflict, the Sri Lankan government needs to contribute its share to rebuild the nation. Therefore, this thesis dwells on testing the benchmarks expected by the Sri Lankan government in carrying out this process and the outcome so far, in meeting the said contesting national requirement in comparison to other cases in the world. In this sense, the question arises as to how the programs of reintegration can be successful, and what potential problems could arise in the process of reintegration. Therefore, this thesis attempts to identify the questions of the Sri Lankan case in comparison to other cases, in understanding how de-radicalization and re-integration evolved in these countries, and how they reached the benchmarks by overcoming weaknesses and lapses.http://archive.org/details/reintegrationoff109456824Lieutenant Colonel, Sri Lanka Arm

Analisis Faktor-Faktor Yang Mempengaruhi Penundaan Proses Klaim Jaminan Hari Tua (JHT) BPJS Ketenagakerjaan Cabang Belu Dengan Menggunakan Regresi Linear Berganda

In serving BPJS Ketenagakerjaan participants who make claims for Old Age Benefits (JHT), delays in the claim process often occur. This is due to the fact that the file for submitting a claim is not complete, the officer is overwhelmed because the accumulation of files is increasing and they have to divide their time to do other tasks outside the office. This study aims to see which variables between data completeness and working hours fullness have a more significant effect on delays in claims for Old Age Security (JHT) at the Belu Branch of the Employment Social Security Administration Agency (BPJSTK) and find out the multiple linear regression model. Based on the results of data processing, it can be concluded that the data completeness variable has a more significant effect than the fullness of working hours on delays in JHT claims. The regression model obtained is Y^ = 144.458 – 118.141 + 66.814 .Dalam melayani peserta BPJS Ketenagakerjaan yang melakukan klaim Jaminan Hari Tua (JHT) sering terjadi penundaan proses klaim. Hal ini diakibatkan karena berkas pengajuan klaim yang diberikan belum lengkap, petugas kewalahan karena penumpukan berkas semakin banyak dan harus membagi waktu untuk melakukan tugas yang lain di luar kantor. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk melihat variabel mana antara kelengkapan data dan kepenuhan jam kerja yang lebih berpengaruh signifikan terhadap penundaan klaim Jaminan Hari Tua (JHT) Badan Penyelenggaraan Jaminan Sosial Ketenagakerjaan (BPJSTK) Cabang Belu dan mengetahui model regresi linear berganda. Berdasarkan hasil pengolahan data, dapat disimpulkan bahwa variabel kelengkapan data lebih berpengaruh signifikan dibandingkan dengan kepenuhan jam kerja terhadap penundaan klaim JHT. Model regresi yang diperoleh yaitu Y^ = 144.458 – 118.141 + 66.814 

Bioclimatic distribution and prevalence maps for Fasciola hepatica in Espírito Santo State, Brazil

Background Fasciolosis affects different ruminant species and leads to great economic losses for cattle farmers worldwide. Thus, the current study aimed to evaluate bovine fasciolosis prevalence in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil, using slaughter maps provided by slaughterhouses and verifying the origin of cattle. Methods : A map was created based on analysis of epidemiological data. The ArcGIS/ArcINFO 10.1 software was employed in order to elaborate updated bioclimatic maps that displayed the fasciolosis prevalence within the state – per city– between 2009 and 2011. Results According to the bioclimatic map it was clear that 52.24% of the state’s total area comprise regions considered favorable for the development and survival of Fasciola hepatica. According to the data provided by slaughterhouses, the parasite was more frequent in the cities of Atílio Vivácqua, Itapemirim and Anchieta with respective prevalence of 28.41, 25.50 and 24.95%. Although the northern portion of the state is also favorable for the disease maintenance (reaching rates above 90%), several cities presented prevalence of only 0.99 and 1.94% respectively. These findings indicate that climatic and environmental factors only cannot be considered preponderant to fasciolosis occurrence. Regarding the slaughterhouse located in Anchieta city, the higher prevalence was registered in the cities of Jerônimo Monteiro, Alegre and Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, with mean prevalence of 1.21, 1.07 and 2.09% respectively. Conclusion Although the present findings suggest a pattern for the prevalence of fasciolosis, records of the cities for the occurrence of the disease usually do not reflect the true origin of animals

Zn 1−x_{1-x} 1 - x Ni x_x x Te semiconductor nanocrystals in transparent glass for optoelectronic device applications

Abstract Doping glass with semiconductors, particularly with nanostructured semiconductors, has attracted attention due to the large optical absorption cross-sections of the latter. Based on this property, Ni $$^{2+}$$ 2 + (5 wt%) doped phosphate glass and Zn $$_{1-x}$$ 1 - x Ni $$_x$$ x Te (x = 0.5, 1.0, 5.0 and 10.0 wt% of Ni $$^{2+}$$ 2 + ) nanocrystals (NCs) doped phosphate glasses (GCs) were prepared by fusion method and subsequent heat treatment. Influence of Ni $$^{2+}$$ 2 + on structural, thermo-optical and third-order nonlinear optical properties have been analysed through various spectroscopic characterizations. The XRD pattern of the glass (G) exhibits the amorphous nature of the host material while GCs exhibit not only amorphous halo but also the presence of quantum dots (QDs) or nanocrystals (NCs) phases. TEM analysis of the studied GCs samples confirm the presence of quantum dots (QDs) and bulk NCs with an average diameter of approximately 4.2 $${\pm }$$ ± 0.3 nm and 13.4 $${\pm }$$ ± 0.2 nm, respectively. Several phosphate groups were observed and reported from Raman and FTIR-ATR spectra. The absorption band positions confirmed that Ni $$^{2+}$$ 2 + ions resemble to the octahedral symmetry. The intensity of absorption band around 1352 nm ( $$^3$$ 3 T $${_1}$$ 1 (F) $$\rightarrow$$ → $$^3$$ 3 A $${_2}$$ 2 (F)) increased with the increase of Ni $$^{2+}$$ 2 + in GCs which is an indicative of the $$^{[6]}$$ [ 6 ] Ni $$^{2+}$$ 2 + coordination. The emission properties such as emission cross-sections ( $${\sigma }_{emi}$$ σ emi ) full width at half maxima (FWHM) for the $$^1$$ 1 T $${_2}$$ 2 (D) $$\rightarrow$$ → $$^3$$ 3 T $${_2}$$ 2 (F) (visible) and $$^3$$ 3 A $${_2}$$ 2 (F) $$\rightarrow$$ → $$^3$$ 3 T $${_1}$$ 1 (F) (near-infrared) emission transitions were reported. Among the glass-containing semiconductor nanocrystals (GCs), the emission cross-sections in GC4 sample (x = 10% of Ni $$^{2+}$$ 2 + ) are the largest for both the visible (11.88 $$\times$$ × 10 $$^{-18}$$ - 18 cm $$^2$$ 2 ) and infrared (0.98 $$\times$$ × 10 $$^{-20}$$ - 20 cm $$^2$$ 2 ) transitions. Thermal diffusivity (D), thermal conductivity (K) and temperature dependent optical path length change (ds/dT) were obtained through time-resolved thermal lens (TL) and thermal relaxation (TR) methods. The D and K parameters do not change significantly with increase of Ni $$^{2+}$$ 2 + ions (0.5–5%) in GCs. Nonlinear-refractive index and nonlinear absorption of the studied samples were also obtained using femtosecond Z-scan technique. The increase of nonlinear absorption coefficient ( $$\beta$$ β ) is observed from GC2 (2.53 $${\times }$$ × 10 $$^{-10}$$ - 10 cm/W) to GC4 (7.98 $${\times }$$ × 10 $$^{-10}$$ - 10 cm/W). The GC4, sample with 10 wt% of Ni $$^{2+}$$ 2 + , showed the lowest ds/dT (1.22 $$\times$$ × 10 $$^{-6}$$ - 6 K $$^{-1}$$ - 1 ) with good lasing (FOM and emission cross-sections) and nonlinear absorption properties suggesting that it can be a good candidate for visible-red emission light conversion in LED technology

Conditioned medium from human bone marrow stromal cells attenuates initial inflammatory reactions in dental pulp tissue

Aim: To evaluate the effect of MSC-conditioned medium (CM) on the secretion of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines from dental pulp cells (hDPC) in vitro, and on the gene expression in vivo after replantation of rat molars. Materials and methods: hDPC were cultured in CM for 24 h, and the concentration of interleukin IL-10, IL-4, IL-6, and IL-8, regulated on activation, normal T Cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in the media were measured by multiplex assay and ELISA, respectively. Expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) was also examined by Western blot analysis after 24 h. Left and right maxillary first rat molars (n = 20) were elevated for 2 min and then replanted with or without application of CM into the tooth sockets. Levels of IL-1β, IL-10, IL-4, IL-6, and IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) mRNA were evaluated by real-time qRT-PCR 3 and 14 days following tooth replantation. Results: The production of IL-8, IL-10, and IL-6, RANTES and PGE2 by cells cultured in CM was significantly higher than production by cells cultured in standard medium (DMEM). At day 3 following replantation in vivo, the levels of IL-1β and IL-6, and TNF-α mRNA were significantly lower in the CM-treated replanted teeth compared with control teeth. Further, at day 3, the IL-6/IL-10 ratio was significantly lower in the CM-treated replanted teeth compared with control. At day 14 following replantation, no differences in the mRNA ratios were detected between the pulp tissues of replanted and control teeth. Conclusions: These findings indicated that CM promotes secretion of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines from hDPCin vitro and attenuates the initial inflammatory response in the rat dental pulp in vivo following tooth replantation