Outdoor recreation resources in the Manawatu : with a preliminary case study of Foxton Beach as a water-based recreation resource

The subject of supply of outdoor recreation resources is discussed in this thesis. The nature of the resources suitable for outdoor recreation and the present use made of them are determined. The extent and use of one type of recreation resource in the Manawatu - the Water-based recreation resource - is extensively reviewed. A preliminary case study is made of Foxton Beach as a water - based recreation environment. The results of the study of the ecological implications of recreation on the beach and the visitor surveys conducted there are presented. Major areas of 'ecological intolerance' are described and the recreation behaviours exhibited by the visitors at the beach are reported. Foxton Beach is reported to be able to attract visitors from within and outside the Manawatu region

Suitability Of Exserohilum Longirostratum (Subram.) As A Bioherbicide For Integrated Management Of Barnyard Grass [Echinochloa Crus-Galli (L.) Beauv. Spp. Crusgalli] In Malaysia

An ideal bioherbicide should be easy and cheap to mass produce, viable and efficacious in controlling the target weed within definite time. A better understanding of the strategies of mass producing of inoculum is important to evaluate the suitability of Exserohilum longirostratum as bioherbicide. Exserohilum longirostratum has been reported as potential bioherbicide in controlling several grassy weeds; however, its control efficacy has several shortcomings. A study was conducted to determine the suitability of E. longirostratum as bioherbicide for controlling barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv. spp. crusgalli) both in the glasshouse, and in the field. In the Carbon:Nitrogen (C:N) ratio test, 10:1 (C:N) produced the highest biomass (0.75g/100mL) and, 7.5:1 and 10:1 (C:N) resulted in highest production of healthy spores (6.4 x 105 spore per mL and 6.6 x 105 spore per mL respectively) compared with control treatment without external carbon and nitrogen source (1.4 x 105 spores per mL). The later produced about 4 times less than in the 7.5:1 and 10:1 C:N ratio test. An early infection of target plant by the pathogen may assure a successful disease development. A 105 spores/mL with 30% oil and a 5 day-old (DO) mycelium culture in the ratio of 1:5 (wt:vol) with 30% oil infected high disease severity on barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv. spp. crusgalli). Both inoculum forms are effective in causing severe disease on the weed. The overall disease progress rate for the conidia on barnyard grass (rLc= 2.50 unit/day) was not significantly different with disease progress rate for mycelium (rLm= 2.27 logit/day). With the presence of herbicide resistant biotype of barnyard grass, pre-disposing the barnyard grass with sublethal dose of chemical herbicides will enhance better control of the weed and are crucial in integrated weed control. Base on this study, E. longirostratum was able to grow in some of the herbicides tested at the sublethal dose. Pretilachlor and cyhalofop/buthyl supported high germination of E. longirostratum compared with other chemical herbicides at all doses and to non-chemical amended control. These chemicals also supported > 60% appressorium formation at 0.25x of the recommended rate compared with the control. Compatibility of E. longirostratum with chemical herbicide may increase fungus efficacy on weed control. Sublethal rate of herbicide combined with pathogen may lead to synergistic effect, potentially increasing weed control and reducing producing costs. Understanding the course of the infection and development of E. longirostratum aids in elucidating the mechanism of host death and in determining the suitability of E. longirostratum as the biocontrol agent on barnyard grass. Germination of E. longirostratum took place about 4 hours after inoculation on both barnyard grass (67%) compared with rice (51.25%) 24 hours after inoculation. Many of the germ tubes extended along the surface of the junction of the epidermal cells. Appressoria formation were significantly higher on barnyard grass (92.4%) compared with only 10.9% on rice. Most infection process ceased at the stage of germ tubes elongation in rice. The fungus fails to cause infection. This observation indicated that rice is not a compatible host for this fungus. This conclusion was further supported by the result of the mini plot trial. Rice plants produced more tillers and high biomass compared with the untreated counterpart. However, barnyard grass was effectively controlled by E. longistratum with or without pretilachlor added as auxiliary. High mortality of barnyard grass caused its numbers of tillers and dry weight dramatically low compared to rice. Barnyard grass reduced >90% of dry weight from the control. The result of this research indicated E. longirostratum has the potential to be used as bioherbicide for integrated management of barnyard grass in rice field

Impact of Internet banking and social media adoption on profitability of local commercial banks in Malaysia

This study investigated the impact of Internet Banking and social media adoption on the profitability of local commercial banks in Malaysia. A sample of eight local commercial banks in Malaysia for the period ranging from 1998-2016 was chosen for this study. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify the relationship between the dependent variable namely Net Interest Margin and independent variables including Internet Banking and social media which were in the form of dummy variables. Two control variables namely Loan Deposit Ratio and Loan Loss Provisions over Total Loans ratio were included to assure robustness and comparability in findings. Findings show that there was negative significant relationship between Internet Banking and social media on the profitability of local commercial banks in Malaysia at 0.01 significance levels. Thus, increasing usage of Internet Banking and social media by Malaysia’s local commercial banks caused margin compression in banks. Despite the reduction in term of bank profitability associated with Internet Banking and social media adoption, margin compression actually promote market efficiency in the long-term

The Characterization Of Prescribing Errors And Assessment Of The Impact Of An Educational Interventions Among Medical Officers Working In Kuala Kangsar Hospital

The increasing trend of prescribing error in the healthcare institutes cause it became an issue of concern in Malaysia’s healthcare system. Pharmacist plays an important role to improve and prevent patients receiving these errors. Identification of prescribing errors is important to ensure the interventions successfully improve the prescribing errors. The seriousness of prescribing errors can be evaluated by assessing the errors’ severity. The objectives of the present study were to identify the five most common types of prescribing error characteristics, evaluate the severity of the prescribing errors incidence, determined the percentage of prescribing errors prevented by pharmacists and evaluate the effectiveness of the education intervention. A retrospective study reviewing newly written prescriptions with fulfilled criteria which wrote between 1st April and 30th May 2008 was conducted in a secondary care setting government hospital to analyse the type of prescribing errors. At the same time, the evaluation of severity of each error was done to identify the seriousness of prescribing errors in the hospital. Besides, the restrospective review of prescriptions provided the data on how far the pharmacists practicing their role in preventing prescribing errors. A prospective study on the prescriptions was conducted after 4 month period of educational interventions to evaluate the effectiveness of the improvement plan. Ninety four percent of prescribing errors were clinical potential prescribing errors

Effects on the two-point correlation function from the coupling of quintessence to dark matter

We investigate the effects of the nonminimal coupling between the scalar field dark energy (quintessence) and the dark matter on the two- point correlation function. It is well known that this coupling shifts the turnover scale as well as suppresses the amplitude of the matter power spectrum. However, these effects are too small to be observed when we limit the coupling strength to be consistent with observations. Since the coupling of quintessence to baryons is strongly constrained, species dependent coupling may arise. This results in a baryon bias that is dif- ferent from unity. Thus, we look over the correlation function in this coupled model. We find that even the non-coupled quintessence model gives the better fit to the correlation function compared to the cosmo- logical constant model. We are also able to observe the enhancement of the baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) peak due to the increasing bias factor of baryon from this species dependent coupling. In order to avoid the damping effect of the BAO signature in the matter power spectrum due to nonlinear clustering, we consider the coupling effect on the BAO bump in the linear regime. This provides an alternative method to constrain the coupling of dark energy to dark matter.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, To match the version accepted by Physical Review D Rapid Communicatio

Scalar field fluctuations in Schwarzschild-de Sitter space-time

We calculate quantum fluctuations of a free scalar field in the Schwarzschild-de Sitter space-time, adopting the planar coordinates that is pertinent to the presence of a black hole in an inflationary universe. In a perturbation approach, doing expansion in powers of a small black hole event horizon compared to the de Sitter cosmological horizon, we obtain time evolution of the quantum fluctuations and then derive the scalar power spectrum.Comment: 16 pages and 4 figures, accepted by Classical and Quantum Gravit