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Neoliberalism, Digital Communication Technologies and the Cultural and Creative Industries
Get PDFThis article examines the use of internet-based media platforms for marketing communication among fashion designers as a manifestation of globalization and neoliberal free trade. It highlights some features of neoliberalism, sub-themes of the cultural and creative industries concept, and some impact of using digital media technologies, and argues that there is nexus between these three concepts. It notes that neoliberal globalization has promoted free markets and facilitated the disannulment of barriers which previously excluded many from trading freely. The findings suggest there are inherent economic benefits as well as precarious conditions associated with the use of digital marketing platforms. These conditions, some of which subvert the individuals’ rewards from using their talent, are consistent with the rise of precarious work under neoliberal capitalism. It recommends that cultural producers should seek ways of maximizing the benefits in using these media platforms while minimizing the burdens and precarious conditions
Symptom Severity of Nicotiana benthamiana Plants Inoculated with Agrobacterium Containing Infectious DNA-A Clones of Honeysuckle Yellow Vein Virus (HYVV)
Get PDFTo investigate the pathogenicity and virulence of the Honeysuckle yellow vein virus (HYVV) lacking betasatellites, PCR amplified unit-lengths of DNA-A genome of HYVV-[DJ] were cloned into binary vector pRI101-AN, and generated HYVV-[DJ]-1mer, -1.3mer and -2mer genomes. Each construct was transformed into Agrobacterium cells and agro-inoculated into young leaves of Nicotiana benthamiana. Except for the HYVV-[DJ]-1mer, HYVV-[DJ]-1.3mer and -2mer clones caused pronounced disease symptoms in N. benthamiana. HYVV-[DJ]-2mer agro-inoculated plants showed more severe plant stunting with downward leaf curling and crinkling than those of HYVV-[DJ]-1.3mer agro-inoculated plants. To discriminate the clone’s virulence quantitatively, SYBR Green-based real-time PCR was performed for the quantification of the target virulence gene DNA in agro-inoculated plants that were collected at weekly intervals for 4 weeks. Regression analysis was obtained from the standard curves by plotting Ct values over the logarithm of the amount of V1 protein gene DNA present in a dilution series of plasmid containing the full-length HYVV-[DJ] genome. Equation of the HYVV V1 DNA standard curve was used to quantify V1 gene DNA concentration in agro-inoculated plants with each clone. The accumulation of V1 gene DNA in HYVV-[DJ]-1.3mer agro-inoculated plants reached the peak level at 4 weeks post inoculation, while the accumulation of V1 gene DNA in HYVV-[DJ]-2mer agro-inoculated plants reached the peak level at 3 weeks post inoculation. The amount of V1 DNA in HYVV-[DJ]-1.3mer agro-inoculated plants was significantly more than that in HYVV-[DJ]-2mer agro-inoculated plants. Considering the results, there was a difference between the accumulation of virus DNA and the symptom severity of the analyzed plants agro-inoculated with each clone. It suggested that the infectious clones’ virulence is not necessarily correlated with the symptom severity
Infant with Life Threatening Thymic Carcinoma
Get PDFThymic epithelial neoplasms consist of thymomas, thymic carcinoids and thymic carcinomas. Carcinomas are malignant tumors of the thymus; they compromise only 4%-14% of thymic epithelial neoplasms. Thymic carcinoma cells do not resemble healthy cells but similar to cancer cells that originate from other parts of the body and grow more quickly when the tumor is found and more difficult to treat. Thymic carcinoma rarely occurs in children. We reported a case of undifferentiated thymic carcinoma in 11 months old female. After two courses of chemotherapy the patient developed increasing respiratory compression and unfortunately died because of respiratory failure
Phytochemical Status of Different Solvent Extracts of Anthocleista djalonensis A. Chev Leaves
Get PDFThe choice of suitable solvent is essential in the extraction of much needed bioactive phytochemicals present in medicinal plants. This study assessed the phytochemical status of four solvents (methanol, hexane, ethylacetate and aqueous) extracts of Anthocleista djalonensis, leaves of the plants were extracted with the solvents by cold maceration for three days; screening and quantitative determination of saponin, alkaloid, tannin, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids phenols and terpenoids was done using standard methods. Phytochemical screening indicates the presence of all the phytocompound in the methanol extract, while other extracts shows variation in the availability of different phytochemicals, quantitative results shows alkaloid ranged from 1.79-18.90 mg/100g, flavonoids: 2.54-10.53 mg/100g, saponin: 2.00-12.23 mg/100g, tannin: ND-4.83 mg/100g, phenol: ND-6.65 mg/100g, cardiac glycoside: ND-2.08 mg/100g, and terpenoids: ND-1.98 mg/100g; significant difference (p<0.05) exist in each phytochemicals across the solvents where methanol and the aqueous extracts gave the best extraction efficiency for the phytochemicals. Consequently, the optimum extraction of useful phytochemicals from A. djalonensis could be achieved using either methanol and water
Influence of Tithonia Diversifolia on Maize (Zea mays L.) Yield, Fertility and Infiltration Status of Two Clay Varied Soils
Get PDFTowards a more sustainable soil management through recycling of readily available weeds in Akure, Nigeria, different rates of Tithonia diversifolia (tithonia) were compared on a field trial to evaluate its effect on soil properties. The experiment was sited at two locations in South gate of the Federal University of Technology, Akure. Prior to the field establishment, a composite soil sample was collected and analyzed for physico-chemical properties. The sites were cleared and tilled. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replicates. The treatments consisted of three levels of tithonia application which are 0, 3 and 6 t ha-1. Each experimental unit size was 2 m x 2 m with 1 m alleyway. Maize (Zea mays L. var.TZB-SR) seeds were sown at a spacing of 75 cm by 25 cm and 10 were randomly sampled per plot for growth and yield parameters. Data were collected on maize yield and soil physical and chemical properties after harvest to ascertain sustainability of the mulch material after cropping. Application of tithonia mulch improved growth, and yield indices of maize as well as soil physical and chemical properties. The contents of soil total N, exchangeable cations, , CEC, Organic matter content, total porosity, moisture content and infiltration rate were found to significantly (p>0.05) increase in treatments with tithonia mulch. The best result was from the application rate 6 tha-1 because it improved and left the soil conserved after harvesting maize. Similar trends were observed at the two sites despite variation in inherent soil properties
Isolation and Activity Determination of Enzyme Phosphatase Secreted by Aspergillus niger
Get PDFThe use of enzymes on industrial scale saves a lot of energy and avoids pollution, thus holding a promise for green and economically sustainable alternative strategies in industrial transformations. Generally, the fungi Aspergillus niger secretes enzymes which can be used in different industries. Thus, coming up with these enzymes in large amounts will definitely result in reduced costs encountered in importing them for industrial use. This study focussed on isolation and activity determination of an enzyme phosphatase secreted by Aspergillus niger. This enzyme can be of great importance in molecular biology industries, particularly for recombinant DNA technology. For this study, pure cultures of Aspergillus niger were used. Aspergillus niger was resuscitated on potato dextrose agar and then subcultured in Adam’s medium, a medium specific for the production of phosphatase. Cells were centrifuged and the filtrate was collected whilst the residue was discarded. The filtrate was expected to contain the crude enzyme phosphatase since Aspergillus niger secretes the extracellular enzyme into the medium. Disodium phenyl phosphate was used as a substrate for the determination of the phosphatase activity. The enzyme activity was determined spectrophotometrically by reading absorbance of phenol formed in the presence of enzyme and the substrate. The concentration of phenol liberated was then used to calculate the enzyme activity expressed in King Armstrong Units (KAU). Further work on enzyme activity determination was done by varying enzyme and substrate concentrations. Results showed that the isolated alkaline phosphatase had activity of 4.0 KAU and 4.5 KAU at 25 ºC and 37 ºC respectively. Acidic phosphatase had activity of 5 KAU and 7 KAU at 25 ºC and 37 ºC respectively. Rate of activity increased upon increasing enzyme concentration and substrate. Thus, Aspergillus niger produces the enzyme phosphatase, however, there is need to induce the production of these enzymes for industrial use
Heavy Metal Resistance by Endophytic Bacteria Isolated from Guava (Psidium Guajava) and Mango (Mangifera Indica) Leaves
Get PDFHeavy metal resistant bacteria are widespread in nature and their application in decontamination of polluted ecosystems is promising. In this study, ability of endophytic bacteria isolated from Psidium guajava (Guava) and Mangifera indica (Mango) for heavy metal resistance was assessed. Leaves samples form the two plants were collected and processed according to the standard laboratory practices. Heavy metals were analyzed using Atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Endophytic bacteria were isolated and identified using morphological and biochemical characteristics; heavy metal resistance was determined by plate dilution method. Heavy metal analysis revealed that the leaves samples contained considerable quantities of Manganese (Mn), Lead (Pb) and Cadmium (Cd) ranging from 1.21±1.6 mg/Kg (for Cd in Guava leaves) to 116.58±1.3 mg/Kg (for Mn in Mango leaves). A total of six bacterial species were isolated from both of the plants leaves (3 each). Guava endophytes were identified as Streptococcus sp, Staphylococcus albus and Staphylococcus seiuri whereas Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus xylulose and Staphylococcus intermedius were from Mango leaves. The identified isolates were tested for ability to resist heavy metals in-vitro and were capable of showing different patterns of resistance to MnCl2, PbCl2 and CdCl2. All the endophytes were highly resistant to PbCl2 followed by MnCl2 but susceptible to CdCl2. The ability of plants and bacterial endophytes understudy to tolerate or resist heavy metals is a good indication of their phytoremediation potentials and thus, should be harnessed
He’s Multiple-Scale Solution for the Three-Dimensional Nonlinear KH Instability of Rotating Magnetic Fluids
Get PDFThis paper elucidates a trend in solving nonlinear oscillators of the rotating Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. The system is constituted by the vertical flux or the horizontal flux. He’s multiple-scales perturbation methodology has been applied and therefore the system is represented by a generalized homotopy equation. This approach ends up in a periodic answer to a nonlinear oscillator with high nonlinearity. The cubic-quintic nonlinear Duffing equation is obligatory as a condition to uniformly answer. This equation is employed to derive the stability criteria. The transition curves are plotted to investigate the stability image. It's shown that the angular velocity suppresses the instability. The tangential flux plays a helpful role, whereas the vertical field encompasses a destabilizing influence. Within the existence of the rotation, the velocity ratio reduces stability configuration
Application of Simple Average Weighting Optimization Method in the Selection of Best Desktop Computer Model
Get PDFMulti-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) is one of the most emerging concepts in today’s world which enables a decision maker to select the best strategies among different available alternatives. MCDM technique helps to remove the biasness and confusion while selecting a product or process. In recent few years different MCDM methodologies finds wide area of applications in industries as well as in our daily life. In this paper, such one type of application is broadly described. One example is taken from our daily life, which is generally faced by most of the students while purchasing a desktop computer. The main objective of this paper is to select the best desktop computer models among five different models actual available in the market having different configurations. For this analysis, 100 computer users have been surveyed to know their relative preferences and choices, which of the computer specifications is most important to them. For this present analysis few numbers of criteria have been considered and also there are number of sub-criteria within each criterion (for example, the processor may be different for different models like I3, I5, I7 etc.). The MCDM methodology which is adopted for this selection process is known as Simple Average Weighting (SAW) method
Effects of Biochar Amendment on Soil Problems and Improving Rice Production under Salinity Conditions
Get PDFSoil with poor physio-chemical and biological properties prevent plant growth. These poor characteristics may be due to soil creation processes, but also include largely inappropriate agricultural practices and/or anthropogenic pollution. During the last 4 decades, the world has lost one-third of its cropland due to pollution and erosion. Therefore, a series of operations is required to improve and recover the soil. Biochar is a new multifunctional carbon material extensively used as a modifier to improve soil quality and crop production. Previous studies have discussed the properties of biochar with varying soil pollutants and their effects on soil productivity and carbon sequestration. Comparatively, little attention has been paid to the effects of biochar application on rice growth in the problem of soils, especially in the saline-sodic soils. A comprehensive review of the literature with a high focusing on the effects of biochar application on problem soils and rice-growing under salinity conditions is needed. The present review gives an overview of the soil's problem, biochar amendment effects on physicochemical properties of soil, and how the biochar amendment could interact in soil microbes and root with remediation under salinity conditions for improving rice productivity. The findings of this review showed that biochar application can improve soil quality, reduce soil's problem and increase rice production under salinity conditions. It is anticipated that further researches on the biochar amendment will increase our understanding of the interactions of biochar with soil components, accelerate our attempts on soil remediation, and improve rice production under salinity conditions