Oilseed Rape straw for Cultivation of Oyster Mushroom

Oyster mushroom [_Pleurotus ostreatus_ var. _sajor caju_ (Fr.) Singer] cultivation can play an important role in managing organic waste. It can be cultivated on a wide rang of substrates containing lignin and cellulose. Oyster mushroom was grown on five substrates: Rise straw (Oryza sativa L. var. Alikazemi), Rise straw + Oilseed Rape straw (Brassica napus var. Hyola 401) (75:25 dw /dw), Rise straw + Oilseed Rape straw (50:50 dw /dw), Rise straw + Oilseed Rape straw (25:75 dw /dw) and Oilseed Rape straw alone. Oilseed Rape straw alone and Rise straw + Oilseed Rape straw (25:75 dw /dw) were best for fruit body production of P. ostreatus. Time to fruiting for P. ostreatus was also shorter on Oilseed Rape straw. Protein content of the fruit bodies obtained from Oilseed Rape straw was higher than those from other substrates. Using Oilseed Rape straw as a substrate appears to be suitable for oyster mushroom production

Subjectivity and social resistance: a theoretical analysis of the Matrix Trilogy

The Matrix (1999) is a science-fiction film that successfully bridges modern cinematic action sequences with philosophical parables. It recalls the tradition of philosophical elaboration through science-fiction narratives; a tradition that has existed since the time of Plato. This study aims to bridge the divide between philosophy and psychology by using a theoretical analysis to discuss and explore the ideas of social thinkers (featured in the Matrix Trilogy) and critically analyse them alongside established psychological theories. More specifically, this study provides an in-depth and critical exploration of the ways in which the philosophical works of Jean Baudrillard and Karl Marx, and the widely used and recognised psychological perspectives on human development, cognition and learning offered by both Urie Broffenbrenner and Jean Piaget to simultaneously elucidate a model of human subjectivity and development in today's techno- consumerist society with specific attention to critical resistance. This study suggests that with the rise of the internet and modern communication media; sociocultural and political issues that Broffenbrenner conceptualised as existing in the macrosystem, now have a presence in the microsystem, and correspond to Broffenbrenner's requirements as to what constitutes a proximal process. These processes, according to Broffenbrenner, have the most longstanding effects on our development and contribute the most to our personality. This study also argues that the pre-operational stage and the process of symbolisation both of which Piaget identified are important phases in the child's life that see the accrual and development of signs and discourses. These signs and discourses then contribute to the development of our mind's cognitive structures which Piaget called schema. These structures are developed as we grow and help us make sense of the world by processing information and organising our experiences. This would mean that we perceive and interpret our world through ideologically shaped mental structures. These findings stress the importance of ideological influences and their impact on development and hearken more closely towards ideas about the presence and the effects of ideology by thinkers like Plato and Marx, as well as the dystopian futures explored in science-fiction media like the Matrix Trilogy, George Orwell's 1984 (1948) and Aldous Huxley's A Brave New World (1932), and also the options for critical social resistance explored in the narratives and heroic deeds of these books and their characters

A Tool for Biometric Interpretation of Forensic STR DNA Profiles

Rapid DNA biometric identification applications are becoming more essential and widely used in human identity validation processes. Despite their powerful identification capabilities, processing a sample to generate a forensic DNA profile still takes longer compared with other rapid biometric technologies. Methods used to speed up the analysis could lead to signal artifacts similar to those arising from low copy or degraded DNA samples, making the electropherogram unsuitable for forensic interpretation and analysis. The goal of this research effort is to apply biometrics and mathematical approaches to forensic STR (Short Tandem Repeat) profiles. To accomplish this goal, a multi-function software tool was developed to evaluate STR profiles in the form of electropherograms. This tool is capable of generating degraded and non-degraded STR profiles based on allele statistics from the human population using MATLAB. The software also acts as an interface to apply a previously developed signal processing method to recover alleles in electropherograms produced from degraded DNA samples. The user interface offers the capability of visualizing and comparing those discovered peaks with the allelic ladder to confirm recovery or a rejection. The software is demonstrated on both artificial and real degraded STR electropherograms, indicating a higher allele recovery rate when compared with commercial GeneMapper IDx software. Finally, the software produces a match score based on the number of matching alleles when comparing two or more DNA profiles based on the number of existing and recovered allele peaks in the electropherogram

Service quality in general insurance industry

The main purpose of this study is to investigate service quality of the general insurance industry using the service performance gap model. Under the service performance gap model a service performance gap is defined as the discrepancy between service performance expectations of customers and actual service delivered (A Parasuraman,Valeria A. Ziethaml, Leonard L. Berry, 1988). An ANOVA and Independent Sample T-Test were deployed to explore on the variables data. Factor Analysis using Principal Component Analysis approach had been deployed in looking for the "clumps" among the inter correlations of a set of variables. Result had indicated that even though the gap between the perception and expectation was nominal, continuous effort need to be taken by the insurance company in order to increase the level of satisfaction. Assurance is known to be the priority in the service dimensions irrespective of the general insurance agents' demographic. Empathy dimension however is not a priority in this study

Analisis Potensi Pengembangan Ekowisata di Kawasan Taman Nasional Rawa Aopa Watumohai Kabupaten Konawe Selatan Provinsi Sulawesi Tenggara

Kawasan Taman Nasional Rawa Aopa Watumohai (TNRAW) merupakan salah satu kawasan konservasi di Indonesia yang berpotensi untuk dikembangkan sebagai obyek wisata alam dan sebagai tujuan ekowisata. Dalam pemanfaatannya kawasan TNRAW dikelola dengan sistem zonasi yang dimanfaatkan untuk tujuan penelitian, ilmu pengetahuan, pendidikan, menunjang budidaya, pariwisata, dan rekreasi alam. Kawasan TNRAW memiliki 4 (empat) tipe ekosistem, terdiri dari : (1) ekosistem savana, (2) ekosistem mangrove, (3) ekosistem rawa, dan (4) ekosistem hutan hujan dataran rendah dan pegunungan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui (a) mengkaji kelayakan pengembangan ekowisata di kawasan Taman Nasional Rawa Aopa Watumohai. (b) mengetahui permintaan pengunjung terhadap kegiatan ekowisata di kawasan Taman Nasional Rawa Aopa Watumohai. Penelitian dilaksanakan pada zona pemanfaatan untuk kegiatan pariwisata alam dan rekreasi di hutan pendidikan Tatangge dan safari savana Kawasan Taman Nasional Rawa Aopa Watumohai, abupaten Konawe Selatan, Provinsi Sulawesi Tenggara. Populasi penelitian terkait dengan kelayakan pengembangan ekowisata di kawasan Taman Nasional Rawa Aopa Watumohai yaitu wisatawan, pelaku USAha dan masyarakat local. Kelayakan pengembangan ekowisata di kawasan TNRAW digolongkan hutan pendidikan Tatangge dan safari savana di kawasan Taman Nasional Rawa Aopa Watumohai layak untuk dikembangkan sebagai kawasan ekowisata. Disisi lain permintaan pengunjung terhadap kegiatan ekowisata di kawasan TNRAW adalah kesediaan membayar pengunjung terhadap kegiatan ekowisata hutan pendidikan Tatangge dan safari savana rata-rata jangkauan kesediaan membayar sebesar Rp. 1.250, dengan persentase responden sebesar 47,46 % dengan populasi pengunjung sebanyak 171 oran

Analisis Yuridis Asas Freies Ermessen dalam Menyelenggarakan Fungsi Pajak

Tulisan ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui penerapan diskresi dalam menyelenggarakan fungsi pajak dan untuk mengetahui tolok ukur serta bentuk atau mekanisme pengujian asas freies ermessen manakala terjadi kerugian bagi masyarakat. Pada dasarnya freies ermessen muncul karena sebagai ketentuan tertulis (written law), peraturan Perundang- undangan memiliki jangkauan yang terbatas bila dibandingkan dengan Perubahan atau perkembangan masyarakat yang semakin cepat, sementara pada prinsipnya badan/pejabat administrasi pemerintahan tidak boleh menolak untuk memberikan pelayanan kepada mayarakat dengan alasan hukumnya tidak ada ataupun hukumnya ada tetapi tidak jelas sepanjang hal tersebut masih menjadi kewenanganya, untuk itu asas freies ermessen hadir sebagai dasar pemerintah untuk membuat peraturan kebijakan agar penyelenggaraan fungsi pajak dapat terlaksana sebagaimana mestinya. Meskipun demikian kesewenag-wenangan maupun kelalaian pejabat adminisgtrasi negara bisa saja terjadi dan mengakibatkan kerugian Sehingga untuk mencegah kemungkinan terjadinya kesewenang wenangan atau kelalaian pejabat administrasi negara yang mengakibatkan kerugianuntuk itu, maka diperlukan adanya tolok ukur dan pengujian terhadap peraturan tersebut

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF CEMENT-FREE GEOPOLYMER CONCRETE MADE WITH RECYCLED CONCRETE AGGREGATES AND STEEL FIBERS

Sustainable and innovative alternatives have been investigated to replace concrete’s main components, natural aggregates, and cement. Previous studies have been carried out to replace NA and cement with recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) and inorganic alkali-activated geopolymer binders, respectively. Yet, such sustainable concrete has only been proposed for non-structural purposes, owing to the inferior properties of RCA. This research work aims to assess the feasibility of reutilizing RCA from construction and demolition waste and locally available industrial solid by-products in the production of sustainable geopolymer concrete for structural applications. The binding materials were either in the form of a single precursor, ground granulated blast furnace slag (simply slag), or a blend of slag and class F fly ash. Steel fibre reinforcement was added at different volume fractions to promote the use of structural geopolymer concrete made with 100% RCA. The mechanical behaviour of such steel fibre-reinforced RCA geopolymer concrete was studied through extensive testing of compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, and modulus of elasticity. The flexural strength, toughness, deflection, and residual strength were used to describe the flexural performance. In turn, the durability properties were assessed by measuring the bulk electric resistivity, water absorption, sorptivity, and abrasion resistance. Experimental findings revealed the ability to produce 100% RCA slag-based and slag-fly ash blended geopolymer concrete incorporating a 2% steel fibre volume fraction having superior mechanical performance and comparable durability properties relative to those of the plain NA-based control mix. The steel fibre-reinforced RCA geopolymer concrete developed in the current study is considered a feasible and sustainable alternative to conventional concrete that promises to recycle industrial wastes, alleviate carbon dioxide emissions, and conserve natural resources without compromising performance

Targeting cellular signaling pathways in cancer by Lactobacilli

Purpose: Presenting lactobacilli therapy for cancer treatment targeting cancer signaling Lactobacilli as Probiotic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are a group of fermentative gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria that produces a large number of intracellular and extracellular metabolites used in the food manufacture industry as well as complementary and alternative medicines against many diseases including cancer. Description: Some LAB has been found to have inhibitory activity against colon liver cancer, cancer, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, and lung cancer in vivo or in vitro. These fermentative bacteria induced the autophagy cell death either by GRP78 and Beclin-1 or by induction of Bak and Bcl-2 as well as boosted the apoptosis induction ability of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). They also participate in the downregulation of the gene product of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB), controlling the cell proliferation (Cox-2, cyclin D1) and survival (Bcl-2, Bcl-xL) which help to stop cancer. They are tested in vitro/in-vivo as whole live cells, fermentative broth, or purified molecules and found to associate with cellular signaling pathways such as the intrinsic mitochondrial pathway, Stat3/IL-6, NF-κB signaling pathway that is involved in cancer. Looking Ahead: The pathways associated with metabolic activities of intestinal microflora, bile acid-metabolizing bacteria colon conditions, and enhancing the host\u27s immune response. Thus, the anticancer therapeutic potential of bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. reuteri, L. acidophilus, and L. rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium longum and L. acidophilus, Streptococcus thermophiles, LTA-deficient L. acidophilus, Pediococcus pentosaceus FP3, L. salivarius FP25, Enterococcus faecium FP51 could be benefited for the cancer treatment either by use of themselves bacteria or their metabolites targeting cancer signaling