Artificial Seed Production from Encapsulated Microshoots of Cauliflower (Brassica oleraceae var botrytis)

A cost effective protocol for the production of cauliflower microshoots suitable for encapsulation was designed. Microshoots were encapsulated in sodium chloride matrices. The use of 2% of sodium alginate and 15 g/L of dehydrate calcium chloride produced the optimal quality of artificial seeds (rigidity, conversion rate and viability). Of the various plant growth regulator combinations used with the microshoot liquid culture medium, the use of 1 mg/L of IBA (indole butyric acid) and 1 mg/L Kinetin was found to be optimal in terms of the conversion rate and viability of artificial seeds. To standardize a medium composition of artificial endosperm of synthetic seeds, different concentrations and combinations of plant growth regulators with S23 (4.4 MS + 30 g/L sucrose) medium were used in the beads to achieve optimum conversion rate and viability on an in-vitro medium. Whilst several combinations of plant growth regulators gave a conversion rate up to 100% (for example (0.5 mg/L Kinetin + 0.5 mg/L IBA), (1 mg/L Kinetin + 0.5 mg/L NAA (naphthaleneacetic acid)) and (1 mg/L Kinetin + 1 mg/L IAA (indole-3-acetic acid)), no significant effect on the viability of artificial seeds was found when these combinations were used. Artificial seeds were cultivated in a semi-solid medium containing several types and concentrations of auxin, 2 mg/L of IBA gave the best results in terms of artificial seed viability. However, artificial seed conversion rate was not significantly affected by the auxins and full conversion rate was obtained using many different treatments. This research indicated the feasibility of using artificial seeds as a promising alternative to seeds produced by traditional methodology

Active motions of Brownian particles in a generalized energy-depot model

We present a generalized energy-depot model in which the conversion rate of the internal energy into motion can be dependent on the position and the velocity of a particle. When the conversion rate is a general function of the velocity, the active particle exhibits diverse patterns of motion including a braking mechanism and a stepping motion. The phase trajectories of the motion are investigated in a systematic way. With a particular form of the conversion rate dependent on the position and velocity, the particle shows a spontaneous oscillation characterizing a negative stiffness. These types of active behaviors are compared with the similar phenomena observed in biology such as the stepping motion of molecular motors and the amplification in hearing mechanism. Hence, our model can provide a generic understanding of the active motion related to the energy conversion and also a new control mechanism for nano-robots. We also investigate the noise effect, especially on the stepping motion and observe the random walk-like behavior as expected.Comment: to appear in New J. Phy

Asymptotic entanglement transformation between W and GHZ states

We investigate entanglement transformations with stochastic local operations and classical communication (SLOCC) in an asymptotic setting using the concepts of degeneration and border rank of tensors from algebraic complexity theory. Results well-known in that field imply that GHZ states can be transformed into W states at rate 1 for any number of parties. As a generalization, we find that the asymptotic conversion rate from GHZ states to Dicke states is bounded as the number of subsystems increase and the number of excitations is fixed. By generalizing constructions of Coppersmith and Winograd and by using monotones introduced by Strassen we also compute the conversion rate from W to GHZ states.Comment: 11 page

EPL and Job Contract Conversion Rate: The Italian CFL Case

This paper analyzes the effect of EPL on the conversion rate of temporary contracts into permanent ones in the same firm. Once EPL is enforced, two effects might arise: employers could tend to replace their permanent workforce with short-term employment because of the lower expected value of a filled job, but firms might also prefer to stabilize part of their temporary workforce. In fact, firms already know about workers' skills and attitudes and workers have acquired information about wages, career prospects and employers' expectations. This in turn implies a lower risk of job-breakup. Which of these two effects is dominant is ultimately an empirical question. I exploit a natural experiment set up yielded by the Italian 1990 reform which introduced unjust dismissal costs for small businesses to identify the effect of EPL on the conversion rate of working and training contracts (Contratti di formazione e lavoro - CFL) into permanent ones in the same firm.dimissal costs; job contract conversion rate; temporary workers