Desiccation and Preculture Effects on Survival of Encapsulated Zygotic Embryos of Rubber (Hevea Brasiliensis Muel.-Arg) Following Liquid Nitrogen Exposure

The effects of desiccation, sucrose as cryoprotectant and abscisic acid (ABA) as chemical ameliorant on the cryopreservation of Hevea zygotic embryos were evaluated using the alginate encapsulation method. The first part of the study was on the effects of desiccation on the survival of alginate-encapsulated Hevea zygotic embryos following liquid nitrogen exposure. The embryos need to be desiccated to at least 26% moisture content to enable some survival after exposure to liquid nitrogen. Embryos desiccated to moisture content of 14% and 18% gave comparatively higher survival after cryopreservation (42.5% and 47.5% respectively). Encapsulation of the embryos enhanced desiccation tolerance and desiccation was allowed even until 10% moisture content with some survival even though Hevea seeds are known to be recalcitrant. Encapsulation had broaden the window for cryopreservation by allowing the embryos to survive desiccation and cryopreservation at a broader range of moisture content compared to naked embryos done in previous work. However, a very low percentage of embryos developed into normal plantlets. The importance of sucrose preculture for cryopreservation of encapsulated Hevea embryos is also proven in this study. Sucrose preculture at low concentration of 0.3 M improved viability and survival before and after cryopreservation significantly to 70% and 60% respectively. Desiccation and freezing resistance were further enhanced when the encapsulated embryos were precultured on 0 . 5 M sucrose with viability as high as 82% (after cryopreservation). However, after twelve weeks culture, the percentage of survival after cryopreservation was maintained as when precultured on 0.3 M sucrose, with 1 4% and 1 6% moisture levels showing better results (51% and 59% respectively). Preculture with 0.5 M sucrose improved perculture of embryos developed into normal plantlet (as high as 35% and 32% survival before and after cryopreservation). As the concentration of sucrose preculture was increased further to 0.7 M and 0.9 M, the freezing tolerance of the embryos reduced considerably. A very low percentage of normal plantlet was obtained after cryopreservation (3 to 9%). Desiccation tolerance was also slightly reduced as indicated by lower survival before cryopreservation

The behaviour of laterally loaded masonry panels with openings

Merged with duplicate record 10026.1/2818 on 07.20.2017 by CS (TIS)In recent years the use of masonry as a structural material has increased in advance of the necessary theoretical and corroborative experimental investigations. One aspect of structural masonry where particular problems have been encountered is the design of masonry panels subjected to lateral loadings. Research undertaken, principally in the United Kingdom and Australia, has led to the development of empirical methods of analysis applicable to solid rectangular panels. However, the effects of the presence of openings on the behaviour of a masonry panel has received scant attention. The aim of the research is to rectify this situation. The principal objective of the research is to put the design of this form of panel subjected to lateral load, on a more rational footing. To do this it has been necessary to investigate the behaviour of masonry panels with openings. The research can be divided in four stages. Firstly, an extensive literature survey has raised questions concerning the suitability of the current British Standard Code of Practice ,BS5628, and other design methods such as elastic plate theory, and empirical strip method, for the design of laterally load masonry panels. Secondly, a non-linear finite element analysis has been developed. The analysis is capable of analysing panels under lateral loading up to and beyond the peak load. The results obtained using the computer program were initially validated with the existing results from two previous laboratory investigations [1,2]. Initial analysis of the results from the experimental and theoretical studies highlighted areas where further investigation was required. In conjunction with the development of the computer program, the investigation involved the laboratory testing of 18 full scale panels. One of the major problems encountered was the determination of material parameters. In this work wallettes have been used to obtain flexural strength values, however the strength of the specimen is influenced by the size of specimens and the number of bed and perpend joints [3,4]. In order to clarify the position, a computer based statistics analysis similar to that reported by Lawrence [4], was employed to investigate the format of the specimens. Estimations of the single joint strengths from the wallette results were obtained from the analysis. Single joint strengths obtained from the statistics analysis were then used in the finite element analysis and comparisons with the experimental load-displacement relationships and the failure patterns made. A Monte-Carlo simulation of the finite element analysis was also carried out to investigate the effect of material variability on the failure strength of masonry panels. Good correlation has been obtained. Lastly, parameter studies using the finite element analysis and the experimental results have indicated that yield line method consistently over estimates the failure strength of masonry panels. However, the reduction of strength due to the inclusion of openings predicted by yield line is in a reasonable good agreement with the experimental results obtained. A simple formula for the design of laterally loa

TJAssist : Car Autopilot System to Assist Driver on Traffic Congestion

This project is about a car autopilot system which take over driving during traffic jam condition. As traffic jam is very serious in Malaysia especially in major cities like Kuala Lumpur, this system will be able to help the driver to utilize the time during traffic jam to conduct other works. The reason for building this system even though autopilot system already existed in the market is because the existing autopilot system in the market are too complex to be implemented into daily use car due to the high number of sensor used in the vehicle and high computing power required. To prove the validity of this project, a prototype of the system will be created with Lego Mindstorms EV3 Education Set. Increment methodology is used to build this prototype as it provide the ability to do rapid analysis and development. The prototype are equipped with the function to follow the car in front at straight road and slight turns. In case of sharp turns or any interference by the driver, the system will stop and return the driving control to the driver. Throughout the autopilot, the driver will be notified continuously on the decision made by the autopilot system via voice notification system. In case the car in front reverses, the system will stop the system and warn the driver about it. After a testing has been done, this prototype managed to achieve an average accuracy level of 89

Ultrasonic characterization of engineering performance of oriented strandboard

Direct-contact (DC) and non-contact (NC) ultrasonic transmission (UT) methods were developed to characterize the structural performance of oriented strandboard (OSB). The UT variable velocity was shown to be sensitive to the physical impediments caused by flake interfacial boundaries and embedded voids. Both attenuation and root mean square (RMS) voltage were good indicators of the “zero void” densification level for OSB, a point of the greatest transmissivity of the stress wave energy. For both DC and NC methods, the predicted densities of the model were validated for spatial distribution over each OSB type. Based on the EN300 standard for panel manufacturing, the control limits were ±10% of the panel average density. The density prediction was found to improve with higher resin content (RC) and higher nominal density (ND) levels. From the out-of-limits plots, the predicted in-situ densities produced a reasonably spatial coherence to the measured values. All panels made with ND 0.60 g/cm3 or greater conformed well within the limits, with declining conformity towards lower RC panels. For each composite type made of different particle sizes, the equilibrium moisture content showed a decreasing trend toward smaller particle panels. The attenuation and RMS were good indicators for moisture change and densification level for each composite type. The velocity, sensitive to physical resistance of particle sizes, increased with increasing IB strength and sample density, manifesting the positive influence of layering, resin content, and the negative effect of bark as a constituent. The results of the creep rupture tests on commercial OSB using an acoustic emission (AE) technique indicated that the cumulative AE event count parameter was highly correlated with deflection parameter and appropriately represented the accumulation of incipient damage. Under high stress levels, specimens with high moisture content (MC) sustained the worse damages having the shortest creep rupture time followed by specimens with dynamically rising MC. Defects on the compression-side of the bending specimen were found critical to creep rupture than those on the tension-side. The in-plane fracture patterns tended to follow the defect trenches of low-density valleys, and worsened with greater variability of the horizontal density, indicating the need to measure and control the horizontal density variation within reasonable limits

Enhancing the Reading Engagement of University English Language Learners: An Action Research Project

Despite burgeoning research that has been conducted on the broad term “engagement” in the past decades, research into engagement in English as a Second Language (ESL) or English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts remains scarce. Furthermore, in the English Language Learners (ELLs) context in Malaysia, where reading avoidance seems to be an issue, no research has specifically addressed reading engagement. This qualitative case study aims to increase student reading engagement through a strategy-based intervention, Comprehensive Approach to Reading Engagement (CARE), designed to engage ELLs with whom it was conducted under an action research paradigm. Another purpose of the study is to investigate the extent to which reflective practice and development as an action researcher would empower the practitioner in her professional development. Data were collected from 41 students enrolled in an intact university class for 36 hours; a duration of a semester. Six participants, each representing different engagement levels, were selected for close study. Data collected from the six participants in this study were obtained from multiple sources, including transcriptions of participants’ reflective reading logs; transcriptions of audio-recordings of group discussions and a group interview; transcriptions of audio-recordings of the researcher’s private speech during lessons; and the researcher’s reflective journal. Most of the data were qualitative, but some - such as the word count in logs, speech size, number of turns in discussion, and reading engagement scores - were quantitative. In the first phase of the action research cycle, students received explicit instruction and teacher modelling, and in the second phase, they worked more independently. The data were subject to a procedure of grounded analysis, and triangulated to achieve a thick description. The results showed that interactional opportunities such as retelling and group discussion supported four dimensions of ELLs’ reading engagement: behavioural, cognitive, emotional and agentic. From a sociocultural perspective, ELLs need one another to achieve engagement. Peer scaffolding, or collective scaffolding, in ways analogous to teacher scaffolding exemplified students’ agency. The findings of the present investigation showed that sustained silent reading, when effectively scaffolded, tended to have positive effects on ELLs. Evidence in the present study showed that growing engagement appeared to be attributed to Comprehensive Approach to Reading Engagement (CARE), which allowed ELLs to move along the reading pathways from initial engagement, to emergent engagement, and finally, deeper engagement with texts. As a means of examining the practitioner’s position and practice, action research revealed the teaching style and tacit knowledge of the practitioner’s everyday practice. As a reflective teacher, I moved along a continuum comprised of identifying a problem (students were disaffected with reading), developing a research design, collecting data, refining the procedures, analysing the data, and presenting aspects of the study in the public domain. The present case study can be related, rather than generalised, to similar contexts. The study can make an original contribution to an academic understanding of reading engagement and the teacher’s reflective practice in relatable contexts. These findings have important implications for practitioners and researchers; they suggest that neglecting the role of reading engagement could be the cause of missed opportunities to support ELL literacy development and students’ critical thinking stance. The present study also shows that developing reflective opportunities has evident consequences for teachers who are engaging in action research

Revisiting \u3ci\u3eThe Handmaid’s Tale\u3c/i\u3e: Feminist Theory Meets Empirical Research on Surrogate Mothers

After briefly reviewing laws on surrogate motherhood in Canada, the United States, and Britain, the authors consider nearly 40 empirical research studies on the characteristics and experiences of women who have been surrogate mothers. Empiricism meets feminist theory as we revisit arguments against surrogacy arrangements, including the inability to give informed consent, the inherently exploitative nature of the arrangements, and the dangers of commodification. In light of our observations based on the empirical research, we argue that it may be time to review Canadian surrogacy laws

New records of florivory on dipterocarp flowers

Peer reviewedPreprin

PVT Compensation for Single-Slope Measurement Systems

A pulse-width locked loop (PWLL) circuit is reported that compensates for process, voltage, and temperature (PVT) variations of a linear ramp generator within a 12-bit multi-channel Wilkinson (single-slope integrating) Analog-to-Digital (ADC). This PWLL was designed and fabricated in a 0.5-um Silicon Germanium (SiGe) BiCMOS process. The PWLL architecture that is comprised of a phase detector, a charge-pump, and a pulse width modulator (PWM), is discussed along with the design details of the primary blocks. Simulation and silicon measurement data are shown that demonstrate a large improvement in the accuracy of the PVT-compensated ADC over the uncompensated ADC

ASSESSMENT OF SUSTAINED CASING PRESSURE ON WELL INTEGRITY

Sustained casing pressure (SCP) is commonly known as one of the well integrity problems in oil and gas industry. In fact, the term of „annular pressure‟ implies a similar definition to SCP (Attard, 1991) if the annular pressure is unmanageable or leaking in well components. The leaking problem can be due to tubing/casing leak, poor primary cementing job and interuption to cement integrity due to the pressure and temperature changes when the well starts to produce hydrocarbon. Hence, there is a necessity to manage SCP effectively in order to ensure the integrity of well. This project is based on modeling approach, where the objective is develop a series of computer codes with the reference of existing pressure bleed-off time Mathematical model. The results generated from the model is based on effect of temperature, type of gases filled in annulus and depth of well. These 3 type of parameters can affect the pressure bleed-off time in annulus itself, provided the condition where the size of needle valve is fixed. From the model generated in Wolfram Mathematica 8.0, it is able to notify engineer to receive any early sign of warning if the well is suspected a leakage. Meanwhile, based on the matching process of field data and modeled data, engineers will be able to aware and determine whether the occurence of annular pressure is due to thermal induced annular pressure buildup or it is because of the leakage in well components. Finally, this model is economic and able to save cost until the well is needed for any further confirmation. In addition, the project also studied the effect of SCP on the well integrity. With this, the well will eventually loss in production, severe failure in well‟s integrity or consider the worst case scenario, the excessive of SCP may cause an underground blowout at subsurface. Currently, the report was referred 18 documents as references in this research topic