The climatic regime shift that occurred in the North Pacific Basin during 1976/’77 have been linked to a decadal mode of climate variability, which long-term behavior could be reconstructed from tree-ring records. We analyzed radial growth patterns of five subtropical tree species in Southeast China in relation to air and sea surface temperature, the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) indices 25 years before and after 1977. In 1953-1977, tree-ring chronologies showed higher correlations with air temperature than in 1978-2002, so that their time-series graphs showed divergence after 1977. The first principal component of the five tree-ring chronologies was significantly correlated with ENSO and PDO indices in 1978-2002, while it had no significant correlations with these variables during 1953-1977. Correlation maps of PC1, PDO and ENSO indices with surface air temperature showed different patterns before and after 1977. Based on these comparisons, altered sensitivity of tree growth to temperature in recent decades could depend on basin-wide climatic shift in the North Pacific, which either changed the effects of local climatic factors on tree growth or modified the relationships between local and regional climate.
A total of 17 rice genotypes consisted of 12 F1 progenies and five parental lines were evaluated for performance of grain qualities, yield and yield components and vegetative traits at the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) Research Station in Seberang Perai, Penang. Except grain length, all other grain quality characters, yield components and vegetative traits varied significantly among the genotypes. Among the studied characters, the highest heritability value was observed in plant height with 99.75% followed by panicle length having 96.90% and grain shape with 56.70% which could be successfully inherited to the next generations. The rest of the traits had low heritability values and ranged from 20.24 to 35.88%. This indicates that the characters are mainly influenced by environmental factors such as geographical effects and climate. However, in the quantitative traits such as grain qualities and yield components, they are usually difficult to inherit to the next generation due to low heritability values. The combinations of Q76 and MR84 had the highest in amylose content while Q76 and MRQ74 had the lowest. Several selected F1 indica rice genotypes from this evaluation are useful for future breeding programme and biotechnological research for the improvement of valuable grain quality traits.
Different type of fibers which is EFB and KC were liquefied in phenol with the presence of sulphuric acid as a catalyst. The liquefied residue was characterized by using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) to determine the functional groups presents in both residues, X-ray diffraction (XRD) to determine the degree of crystallinity in the residue, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to analyze the thermal properties of the residue and scanning electron microscope (SEM) to investigate the structure and morphology of the residue. Phenol-to-EFB/KC ratio shows great effect on the amount of residue in the liquefaction process. Peak appearance can be observed in the FTIR analysis at 810 and 750 cm-1 which is attributed to the para and meta benzene, respectively or to be specific its associated to the p-alkyl phenol and m-alkyl phenol. In the XRD analysis, CrI of lignocellulosic materials increased after liquefaction process. Liquefaction process caused chemical penetration across the grain of the fiber, thus the fiber bundles started to separate into individual fibers shown in the SEM micrograph and the weights lost curve for both liquefied EFB and KC experienced three region decompositions.
The aim of researchers when comparing two independent groups is to collect large normally distributed samples unless they lack the resources to access them. In these situations, there are a myriad of non-parametric tests to select, of which the Mann Whitney U test is the most commonly used. In spite of its great advantages of usage, the U test is capable of producing inflated Type I error when applied in situation of heterogeneity or distinct variances. This current study will present a viable alternative called the refined Mann-Whitney test (RMW). A Monte Carlo evaluation test is conducted on RMW using artificial data of various combinations of extreme test conditions. This study reviews that the RMW test justified its development by enhancing the performance of the U test. The RMW test is able to control well its Type I error rates even though it has a lower power.
MeSH terms: Monte Carlo Method; Research; Research Personnel; Normal Distribution; Statistics, Nonparametric
The effects of the etching time and oxidizer on the surface morphology and surface roughness of the porous zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films, which were formed using ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH) were investigated. The etching time was varied from 1 to 5 min. The oxidizer used was hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) solution. The ZnO thin films were obtained using radio- frequency magnetron sputtering on n-type silicon (111) substrate. The thickness of the ZnO thin films was approximately 1.34 μm. The morphology, topography and surface roughness of the porous ZnO were characterized using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscope. The SEM results showed that the surface morphology of the as-grown ZnO film has a leaf-like structure. However, this structure transformed into irregularly shaped pores upon exposure of the ZnO thin films to the etchant solutions. Increased etching time corresponded to increased pore size, which concurrently resulted in the formation of granular ZnO. Finally, it was found that the etching rate increases with the addition of H2O2 in the NH4OH solution.
Hantavirus is a serious disease caused by rodents which can lead to mortality. Many efforts have been carried out by researchers to develop and analyze mathematical models of Hantavirus infection. In this paper, the Peixoto and Abramson (2006) biodiversity model is modified to include the effect of predators and study the prediction of the modified model. When rodent and predator populations are in competition, the predator populations have the effect of reducing the prevalence of infection. Predators may be used for control and reduces the number of competing species to stabilize the populations at a persistent equilibrium.
Dalam kajian ini, pendekatan pengelompokan kabur Gustafson-Kessel (Gx) telah digunakan untuk mengelaskan 35 stesen hujan di Semenanjung Malaysia ke dalam rantau homogen. Pertama, algoritma pengelompokan kabur GK digunakan untuk mengenal pasti rantau awal. Kemudian, diuji keserasian dan kehomogenan rantau berkenaan. Akhir sekali, penyesuaian rantau dilakukan untuk mendapatkan rantau homogen. Hasil kajian mendapati 35 stesen hujan kajian boleh dibahagikan kepada enam rantau yang homogen. Rantau 1 meliputi bahagian barat laut dan utara Semenanjung Malaysia, rantau 2, 3 dan 4 meliputi bahagian barat, rantau 5 meliputi bahagian barat daya dan rantau 6 meliputi bahagian timur. Hasil kajian ini juga memperlihatkan bahawa berdasarkan nilai purata Indeks Kerpasan Piawai (sPi) skala masa satu bulan, rantau 2 lebih sering mengalami keadaan kemarau melampau. Walau bagaimanapun, berdasarkan sPi skala masa satu bulan, peristiwa kemarau terjadi secara rawak dalam semua rantau yang dianalisis , bahkan semua rantau tersebut pernah mengalami kejadian kemarau melampau dalam tempoh masa setahun. Hasil kajian ini turut menunjukkan bahawa pendekatan pengelompokan kabur Gustafson-Kessel boleh digunakan untuk membina rantau homogen.
Elektrod komposit dwilogam yang disediakan hasil campuran serbuk argentums (Ag) dan 'carbon (C) (dinamakan AgC-Pvc) memberikan hasil elektrolisis larutan pewarna C. I. Reactive Orange 4 (R04) yang tidak berwarna dan tanpa penghasilan enapan lumpur berbanding elektrod komposit dwilogam lain. Perbezaan nisbah komposisi serbuk Ag:C (30:70, 50:50 and 70:30) dalam penyediaan elektrod seterusnya diuji untuk melihat kesan perbezaan komposisi ini terhadap penyahwarnaan R04. Melalui persamaan Tafel yang diperoleh, elektrod Ag285C 665-PVC 5 yang menggunakan komposisi 30% Ag dan 70% C memberikan nilai perubahan ketumpatan arus, io yang lebih tinggi iaitu 3.555 mAl cm2 berbanding elektrod lain. Elektrod ini mempunyai aktiviti pemangkinan elektrokimia yang lebih baik berbanding elektrod lain. Hasil proses elektrolisis elektrod Ag285C66.5-PVC 5 terhadap larutan RO4 telah dianalisis menggunakan spektrofotometer uv-Nampak dan didapati proses degredasi kumpulan azo dalam pewarna tersebut telah berlaku selepas proses elektrolisis yang menghasilkan larutan tidak berwarna.
Kesan penggunaan kitosan terhadap nanozarah kuprum (Cu) yang disintesis menggunakan sinaran gama sebagai sumber agen penurunan telah dijalankan dalam sistem akues. Dos sinaran terserap yang digunakan adalah 50 kGy manakala penambahan isopropanol adalah penting sebagai penggarut kepada radikal pengoksidaan serta meningkatkan peranan agen penurun yang terhasil daripada proses radiolisis. Analisis serapan optik-uv telah mencirikan sifat optik larutan nanozarah Cu yang disintesis. Ketulenan fasa kristal nanozarah Cu yang terbentuk dalam matrix kitosan telah dibuktikan dengan pembelauan sinar-X (xRD). Berdasarkan imej mikroskop imbasan elektron (TEM), nanozarah Cu yang terhasil adalah berbentuk sfera dengan julat saiz 6-10 nm kecuali nanozarah Cu yang disintesis dalam kepekatan kitosan 03% wlv yang menunjukkan taburan bentuk yang tidak sekata. Analisis spektrofotometer transformasi Fourier inframerah (FHR) yang dijalankan telah mengesahkan kehadiran sebatian kitosan dalam sampel nanozarah Cu dengan kepekatan kitosan 0.1 dan 0.3% wlv. Kajian ini mendapati penggunaan kitosan dapat melindungi nanozarah Cu daripada pengoksidaan oleh persekitaran. Saiz nanozarah juga didapati meningkat seiring dengan peningkatan kepekatan kitosan yang digunakan.
We study and discuss the effect of thermal slip on steady free convection flow of a viscous, incompressible micropolar fluid past a vertical moving plate in a saturated porous medium. The effect of viscous dissipation is incorporated in the energy equation. The associated partial differential equations are transformed into a system of ordinary differential equations using similarity transformations generated by a group method and this system is then solved numerically. The effect of controlling parameters on the dimensionless velocity, angular velocity and temperature as well as friction factor, couple stress factor and heat transfer rate are shown graphically and discussed in detail. It is found that the dimensional velocity and angular velocity decrease whilst the temperature increases with velocity slip parameter. It is further found that thermal slip decreases the dimensional velocity and temperature but increases the dimensional angular velocity. Data from published work and our results are found to be in good agreement.
Long term environmental problems of non-biodegradable plastic, the need to conserve finite fossil fuels and the impact of globalization of food supply are some of the driving forces in looking towards biodegradable plastics as an alternative to the existing petrochemical-based polymers for food packaging application. The stability of nutritional composition, lipid oxidation, physical traits of beef patties packed with different types of plastics and the surface morphology of plastics after 3 months of frozen storage (-18 were studied. Beef patties were packed with either non-biodegradable high density polyethylene (PE), hydro-biodegradable low density polyethylene/ thermoplastic sago starch plastic (PEs), hydro-biodegradable polylactic acid plastic (PIA) or oxo-biodegradable plastic (oxo)). There were no differences in most of the nutrients analyzed and lipid oxidation values of beef patties packed with either biodegradable or non-biodegradable plastics after storage. There were significant (p decreased in fat for cooked patties and moisture for both raw and cooked patties. Lipid oxidation indices of beef patties increased after storage but they were not significant (p Beef patties packed with biodegradable packaging materials were able to retain moisture without jeopardizing the diameter reduction during storage. In summary, the application of biodegradable plastics for packing beef patties was considered acceptable and can be suggested as an alternative packaging item to replace conventional polyethylene plastic packaging.
Ash gourd (Benincasa hispida, Bh) is traditionally claimed useful in treating asthma, cough, diabetes, haemoptysis and hemorrhages from internal organs, epilepsy, fever and balancing of the body heat. One of the major phenolic acids presented in Benincasa hispida is gallic acid, a phenolic compound which is linked with its ability in reducing Type II diabetes. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of different extraction techniques on the concentration of gallic acid in Bh. The Bh extracts were prepared with three different techniques namely; fresh extract (FE), low heating (LH) and drying and heating (DH). The gallic acid has been detected and quantified using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with uv-Vis detector. The amount of gallic acid detected in FE, LH and DH were 0.036, 0.050 and 0 272 mg1100 g, respectively. The limits of detection was 0.75 liglmL while the limit of quantification and recovery were 2.50 liglmL and 95 .53% , respectively. In summary, HPLC technique coupled with vv detector systems able to quantify gallic acid in Bh extracts. The gallic acid were present at higher concentration in Bh extracted using drying and heating, followed by low heating and fresh extract methods.
MeSH terms: Asthma; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Cough; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Epilepsy; Fever; Gallic Acid; Hot Temperature; Heating; Hemoptysis; Hemorrhage; Phenols; Limit of Detection; Hydroxybenzoates
The effects of the X-ray irradiation and chemical etching on the physical and optical properties of cR-39 plastic detectors were investigated for different doses of X-ray. cR-39 detectors were etched in the solution of the 3 M of NaOH after irradiation for revelations of the track. The tracks formed on cR-39 either by irradiated X-ray or due to the effect of environment. The changes in the thickness after exposed have significant decrease in 60 kVp and started to increase in the range of 70 kVp up to 100 kVp due to the formation of oxidation layer on surface by free radicals. The optical band gaps before etching and after etching were determined by using Ultraviolet-visible (uv-Vis) spectroscopy. The optical band gap is attributed to the indirect transition due to its amorphous nature which is significantly decline trend energy in increase of the energy fluence of radiation. The Urbach's energy, is defined as the width of the tail localized states in the forbidden band gap which change increment trend as increase in dose delivered due to the distortion structure of the cR-39 in terms of the electron charges in valences electron hence attributes to the induced modification of angle bond between the neighboring atoms.
Often, fluoride based electrolyte was applied to synthesize highly ordered titanium dioxide nanotubes. However, in the present work, bundled titanium dioxide nanotubes were fabricated in chloride based electrolyte through electrochemical method. Structural and morphological investigations were carried out on the nanotubes synthesized under different anodization parameters. The growth mechanism of such nanotubes was elucidated and illustrated. The estimated diameter of the as-anodized nanotube was less than 150 nm while the length varied from hundreds of nanometer to microns. X-ray diffraction patterns and Raman spectra have showed anatase and rutile phases of titanium dioxide within the thermally treated samples.
In this work, the structural properties of radio frequency sputtering-grown zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films on sapphire (Al203), gallium arsenide (GaAs) and n-type silicon (Si) substrates were characterized. Scanning electron microscopy was employed to study the surface morphology of the samples. X-ray diffraction (xRD) measurements were also performed to obtain the structural information of the samples. The xRD results showed that the ZnO layers grown on different substrates have similar lattice constant (c) values, which were used to calculate the strain percentages of the ZnO thin films. The surface morphologies of the ZnO thin films indicated the formation of a granular surface when ZnO is deposited on n-type Si(100) and Si( 111 ) substrates. Meanwhile, a leaf-like surface is obtained when ZnO is deposited on GaAs and Al203 substrates. The results showed that the ZnO thin film grown on n-type Si(100) has the best quality among all the samples.
Cupric oxide (CuO) thin films were prepared on a glass and silicon (Si) substrates by radio frequency magnetron sputtering system. The structural, optical and electrical properties of CuO films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (xRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, ultra-violet visible spectrophotometer, respectively, four point probe techniques and Keithley 4200 semiconductor characterization system. The xRD result showed that single phase CuO thin films with monoclinic structure were obtained. AFM showed well organized nano-pillar morphology with root mean square surface roughness for CuO thin films on glass and Si substrates were 3.64 and 1.91 nm, respectively. Infrared reflectance spectra shown a single reflection peak which is corresponding to CuO optical phonon mode and it confirmed that only existence of CuO composition on both substrates. The optical direct band gap energy of the CuO film grown on glass substrate, which is calculated from the optical transmission measurement was 1.37 eV. Finally, it was found that the deposited CuO films are resistive and the palladium formed ohmic contact for CuO on glass and schottky contact for CuO on Si.
Dalam kajian ini, keupayaan Apigenin, Berberin dan Rutin untuk mengurangkan metabolisme kolesterol pada sel kanser hepatoma manusia (Hep G2) telah ditentukan. Penilaian sitotoksik Apigenin, Berberin dan Rutin telah dilakukan dengan mendedahkan Hep G2 kepada Apigenin, Berberin dan Rutin pada kepekatan antara 7.8 sehingga 1000 ,uglmL selama 24 jam pada suhu 37°C dan 5% atmosfera CO2. Apigenin, Berberin dan Rutin masing-masing mempunyai kepekatan perencat 20 (IC2) 7 .8, 125 dan 1000 liglmL. Keupayaan mengurangkan metabolisme kolesterol oleh Apigenin, Berberin dan Rutin pada Hep G2 telah diuji dengan penyemaian Hep G2 dalam plat 6-telaga. Kumpulan rawatan Apigenin, Berberin dan Rutin telah dirawat dengan kepekatan 7 .8, 31 25 dan 62.5 ,uglmL masing-masing dan didedah dengan lipoprotein ketumpatan rendah (LW sebanyak 10 ,uL. Dalam kumpulan kawalan normal (NC), Hep G2 telah dieram dengan media kultur sahaja. Sel diinkubasikan dan media telah diambil untuk analisis Apo Al , LCAT, LDLR dan FDFT1 dengan menggunakan kit. Rutin didapati mampu merendahkan aktiviti HMGR secara signifikan (p<0.05) berbanding kawalan normal. Apigenin dan Berberin mampu meningkatkan kepekatan APO Al . Ketiga - tiga sampel mampu meningkatkan kepekatan LCAT pada sel yang dirawat. Selain itu, Apigenin mampu meningkatkan kepekatan LDLR. Keputusan ujian untuk FDFT1 menunjukkan Berberin dan Rutin merendahkan kepekatan FDFT1 dan berbeza secara signifikan (p<0.05) berbanding kawalan normal. Penemuan ini menunjukkan bahawa Apigenin, Berberin dan Rutin mempunyai potensi dalam mengurangkan metabolisme kolesterol dalam sel Hep G2.
Rice fields are traditional landscape in Malaysia that sustains various species of birds .Waterbirds, raptors, Passeriformes and Columbiformes were observed and counted using point count method at rice fields in Bandar Baharu, Kedah from March 2009 to February 2010. The current status of birds in the rice fields of Malaysia has not been widely researched. The objective of this study was to document the bird species richness and diversity and temporal bird distribution during the annual rice growing cycle. There were 5120 birds representing 67 species belonging to 29 families being recorded. The diversity index (Shannon-Wiener) varied monthly between 2.154 and 3 .321 . The most abundant bird family observed was Ardeidae (29.09%), followed by Sturnidae ( 10.15%) and Hirundinidae (7.86%). Rice growing seasons involve three main stages; direct seedling/transplanting, growing and harvesting. Each stage attracts different bird species to exist in the rice field and surrounding areas. Statistical analysis showed the alternative hypothesis that states abundance of bird species is different monthly was accepted (F1124= 3.033, p< 0.05). Farming activities and rice growing seasons regularly influenced birds' presence in the rice fields and attracted different bird species. Reclamation and urban development on the rice fields is a major concern. Conservation efforts and strict regulation of pesticide use should be implemented to develop sustainable agriculture practices that are beneficial to human and wildlife communities.
A combined similarity-numerical solution of the magnetohydrodynamic boundary layer slip flow of an electrically conducting non-Newtonian power-law nanofluid along a heated radiating moving vertical plate is explored. Our nanofluid model incorporates the influences of the thermophoresis and the Brownian motion. The basic transport equations are made dimensionless first and then suitable similarity transformations are applied to reduce them into a set of nonlinear ordinary differential equations with the associated boundary conditions. The reduced equations are then solved numerically. Graphical results for the non-dimensional flow velocity, the temperature and the nanoparticles volume fraction profiles as well as for the friction factor, the local Nusselt and the Sherwood numbers are exhibited and examined for various values of the controlling parameters to display the interesting aspects of the solutions. It was found that the friction factor increases with the increase of the magnetic field (M), whilst it is decreased with the linear momentum slip parameter (a). The linear momentum slip parameter (a) reduces the heat transfer rates and the nanoparticles volume fraction rates. Our results are compatible with the existing results for a special case.
MeSH terms: Electricity; Hot Temperature; Motion; Temperature; Friction; Nanoparticles; Physical Phenomena; Magnetic Fields
Polarization in antiferroelectric liquid crystals has two origins: The piezoelectric polarization which is of chiral origin and the flexoelectric polarization which originates in different orientation of tilts in neighboring layers. The flexoelectric polarization is perpendicular to the tilt direction only if the structure is uniformly helicoidally modulated. In structures like SmC*F11andSmC;12 the flexoelectric contribution might be significant and it can be non-parallel to the piezoelectric component. Hence it may deviates the direction of polarization from the perpendicular direction significantly. The angle formed by the polarization and the tilt is therefore general and as such the basic characteristic of the SmCG* phase can be recognized. It seems that this aspect was completely overlooked in the past. In this contribution we analyze the dependence of the polarization direction on the phase structures and on the values of piezoelectric and flexoelectric coefficients in the discrete phenomenological model.