cometadata/datacite-titles-descriptions-related-identifiers huggingface dataset:
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2009.1542
title: Leptospirosis DNA detection by gold and silver nanoparticles

description: At present, surface modified gold and silver nanoparticles are widely applied as colorimetric DNA detectors. Binding affinity of ssDNA and dsDNA onto the metal nanoparticles are different. Using Leptospira interogans as a model, a novel DNA detection was designed based on the binding affinity of DNA in corporation with aggregation and oxidation properties of gold and silver nanoparticles. The ssDNA of Leptospira interogans prevented aggregation of silver and gold nanoparticles conducted by saline solution. On the other hand, after hybridisation with the probe DNA, aggregation of gold and silver nanoparticles can be observed as the change of colour of the metal nanoparticles. In oxidation process, dsDNA of probe and target Leptospira interogans DNA prevent oxidation of silver nanoparticles. In contrast, the bleaching of the yellow colour of silver nanoparticles by H2O2 oxidation can be observed in ssDNA/silver nanoparticles mixture. The colour changing of solutions can be calculated from light absorption spectra of nanoparticles
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2009.1543
title: Friedel-crafts acylation of aromatic compounds over InCl₃-impregnated aluminium oxide-pillared clay

description: InCl₃-impregnated aluminium oxide-pillared montmorillonite clay (InCl₃/Al-PLC) was synthesized in order to use as a catalyst for Friedel-Crafts acylation of anisole with benzoyl chloride. Aluminium oxide-pillared clay (Al-PLC) was prepared by the intercalation method and calcination at 500°C for 1 h. The impregnation with indium trichloride was done with calcination at 450°C for 4 h. InCl₃/Al-PLC, Al-PLC and montmorillonite clay were characterized using Powder X-ray Diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorption-desorption, X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry (XRF) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) techniques. The catalytic activity of InCl₃/Al-PLC was compared with those of Al-PLC and montmorillonite. InCl₃/Al-PLC showed significantly higher yield than Al-PLC, and montmorillonite was not catalytic active in this reaction. The optimized condition for the production of 4-methoxybenzophenone was using the 1:3 mole ratio of anisole to benzoyl chloride and InCl3/Al-PLC catalyst with the equivalent of 0.03 mmol InCl₃ in 1,4-dioxane. The reaction was carried out under reflux for 4 h, and gave an excellent yield of 91%. The optimized conditions could be applied to the Friedel-Crafts acylation of different aromatic compounds and acid chlorides with moderate to excellent yields
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2009.1544
title: Technical efficiency of commune health centers in rural Red river delta of Vietnam

description: To measure the technical efficiency of commune health centers in rural Red river delta region in 2006, including 495 commune health centers (CHCs) from the 11 provinces. Data envelopment analysis (DEA) method is used to analyze technical efficiency and ordinary least square regression is used to determine inefficiency score. DEA results showed the average constant return to scale technical efficiency score was 0.472 and the average variable return to scale technical efficiency score was 0.518. The results indicate that the level of technical efficiency in health center is rather low. Regarding the determination of technical efficiency, it is found that staff salary and free-in charge drugs has a positive impact on technical efficiency. Health center in Hanoi has lower technical efficiency than others under constant return to scale assumption. As a result, an increase in compensation to rise motivation of health staffs as an expansion of free of charge drug to attract more patients to utilize CHCs are suggested on policy options
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2009.1545
title: Corporate governance and trading behaviour

description: This study investigates the effect of corporate governance and trading behaviour of various investor types (local retail, local institution and foreign investors) in Thai capital market. By extending the probability of information-based trading (PIN) model by Easley et al. (1998), the study estimates the uninformed arrival rates for each types of investor. Using a sample of firms listed on Stock Exchange of Thailand during 2000-2007, the result shows that there is a positive relation between the corporate governance level and the arrival rates of uninformed trader for local institution and foreign investors. However, there is no association between the corporate governance level and the arrival rate of uninformed local retail investors. These results are confirmed by the associations between the initiated trades and the corporate governance level for these investor types. Overall the results of the study are consistent with the notion that institutional and foreign investors do pay attention to corporate governance of a firm in their trading while retail investors do not
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2009.1546
title: Heavy metal tolerance and oxalate crystallization by wood-rotting fungi

description: This study was conducted to select wood-rot fungal strains which showed high metal tolerance and were able to remove heavy metals by precipitation as metal oxalate crystals. The result showed that among sixty fungal isolates, only five isolates which included three brown-rot fungal isolate MR40, KYO and WR4, and two white-rot fungal isolate WR4 and WR5, were able to tolerate and produce the metal crystals in the agar medium amended with various concentrations of heavy metals. Especially brown-rot fungal isolate KYO was able to grow at high concentration of heavy metals and produced numerous metal crystals. Metal crystals formed by wood-rotting fungi consist mainly of oxalic acid which indicated that oxalic acid as an important metabolite elaborated in the response of wood-rotting fungi to toxic metal stress. Oxalate production could result in the transformation of zinc sulfate into zinc oxalate hydrate (C2O4Zn.2H2O), copper sulfate into copper oxalate hydrate (moolooite)(C2CuO4.xH2O), cadmium sulfate into cadmium oxalate hydrate (C2CdO4.2.5H2O and C2CdO4.3H2O), and lead nitrate into lead oxalate (PbC2O4), which were resistant to further solubilization and less inhibitory effect on the fungal growth. An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of heavy metals on fungal growth and heavy metal accumulation by wood-rotting fungi. The result showed that the presences of the metal compounds did not stimulate the pH reduction and/or acid production. Moreover, increasing concentrations of heavy metal compounds in the culture medium caused a significant decrease in the radial growth of the most fungal isolates, whereas the fungal biomasses were significantly increased. The analysis of metal content in the fungal mycelia cultivated on media containing heavy metals showed that the accumulated heavy metals significantly increased when the concentrations of heavy metals increased. These results provide the evidence that these wood-rotting fungi could tolerate high concentrations of heavy metals and able to remove heavy metals from the metal-amended media by precipitation as metal oxalate crystals. Moreover, these fungi were capable to accumulate heavy metals within their biomass during immobilization of the soluble metal compounds therefore fungal biomasses should be applied as biosorbent for heavy metals which may provide potential for metal removal and recovery of valuable elements.
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2009.1547
title: Effect of a brief intervention model on reducting alcohol consumption among moderate drinkers in two high drinking prevalence communities

description: This study investigated the effectiveness of the Tailored Goal Oriented Community Brief Intervention Model (TGCBI) to reduce alcohol consumption among moderate drinkers. Two high risk drinking prevalence communities (Nong-Na and Bua-Choom, in Lopburi province) took part in the study (the Bua-Choom community serving as the control). Subjects were 97 volunteer moderate drinkers, aged 19-65 years (47 from Nong-Na and 50 from Bua- Choom). TGCBI consisted of four sessions over two months. Alcohol consumption (drinking frequency, heavy drinking frequency, daily average alcohol and intensity of drinking) was assessed before intervention and at one, three and six month follow-up. Observed change on these ,measures was assessed using repeated measures general linear regression model and linear regression. The intervention community was associated with relatively great (statistically significant) in drinking frequency, heavy drinking frequency, daily average alcohol at all follow-up points. In contrast, there were averaged increases in drinking frequency, heavy drinking frequency and daily averaged alcohol consumption among the Bua-Choom group at all follow-up points. This TGCBI is empirically validated in this study, supporting further developmental work
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2009.1548
title: Chinese overseas students perceptions of Thai society and culture : a case study of Yunnan students in universities in Thailand

description: This research devotes itself to surveying and analyzing the perceptions of Thai culture and society from the perspective of overseas Chinese students enrolled in international programs of Thai universities. This thesis operates on the premise that firstly, perceptions of Thai society and culture differ between senior year (third year and fourth year) Chinese students from Yunnan and junior years (first year and second year). Secondly, attitudes of Thai society and culture depend on the linguistic competence to speak Thai. Thirdly, the level of cultural acculturation depends on the length of stay. Questionnaire and in-depth interviews are chosen as the survey instruments of this study. A total of 250 copies of questionnaires were distributed to Chinese students from Yunnan Province, China: 200 to Kasem Bundit University and 50 to Burapha University. After the adjustment and arrangement of data, 150 responses were collected from Kasem Bundit University and 50 responses were collected from Burapha University. The questionnaire comprised of 4 parts to study and analyze the Chinese students’ fine-drawn perceptions of Thai society and the culture. The findings of this case study have demonstrated that the longer the Chinese students experience Thailand, the more positive their perceptions of the country’s culture and society. The findings make it clear that as Thai speaking skills improved, the Chinese students discover more positive attributes in all aspects of Thai culture and society. As they have time to adjust and to familiarize themselves with the Thai ways, they become gradually more positive
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2009.1549
title: Design of hydrogen processor for proton exchange membrane fuel cell system fuelled by methanol

description: The hydrogen is a main fuel for proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) for generating electricity. However, the usage of pure hydrogen in vehicle system confronts the problems related to hydrogen storage and transportation. Therefore, the on-board fuel processor is preferred and particularly when fuelled by methanol. For the reforming technology, the steam reforming was considered as the promising process as it offers highest hydrogen when compared with the others. However, the CO content in product should be reduced by CO clean-up systems before feeding to PEM fuel cell. In this work, the comparisons between SYS I consisting of steam reformer (SR) and preferential oxidation reactor (PROX) and SYS II consisting of SR, water gas shift reactor and PROX were investigated in terms of total catalyst weight, hydrogen production and energy consumption at various temperatures of steam reformer, WGS reactor (only for SYS II) and PROX reactor to select and design a suitable methanol-fuelled hydrogen production system for PEMFC. Mathematical model for all reactors as considered as isothermal and one-dimensional model. SYS I is reported to be a suitable system for producing hydrogen for 50 kW PEMFC using 29.20 kg of steam reforming catalyst and and 0.80 kg of PROX reactor
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2009.1550
title: Synthesis of rotenoid derivatives with cancer and topoisomerase II inhibitory activities

description: To investigate the structure-activity relationship of rotenoid compounds on cytotoxicity and topoisomerase II inhibition. It has been reported that 6-deoxyclitoriacetal, a rotenoid substance extracted from the dried root of Stemona collinse Craib., showed strong cytotoxic activity against various human cell lines and better than that of doxorubicin as a commercial anticancer drug. In this work, 6-deoxyclitoriacetal was converted to epoxide derivative by reacting with epichlorohydrin. The epoxide derivative was ring-opened with nucleophiles, morpholine and benzylamine compounds. All derivatives were tested for their cytotoxicity against KB, MCF-7, and NCI-H187 cell lines. In addition, the topisomerase II inhibitory assay were evaluated using doxorubicin and etoposide as references. It has been found that the epoxide derivetives (2) showed strong cytotoxicity against all three cell lines with IC50 of 2.87, 7.33, and 3.21 μg/ml for KB, MCF-7, and NCI-H187, respectively. Diethanolamine containing 6-deoxyclitoriacetal (10) was inactive for all three cell lines. The morpholine derivatives of 8 and 9 showed strong activity against NCI-H187 with IC50 of 2.93 and 4.70 μg/ml, respectively. In order to enhance bioavailability of the synthesized compounds, an acid addition salt of 8 was prepared by adding strong hydrochloric acid. The salt of morpholine containing 6-deoxyclitoriacetal hydrocholide showed stronger cytotoxicity against KB and NCI-H187 with IC50 of 0.68 and 0.63 IC50 μg/ml, respectively, than that of its free base (IC50 = 13.28 and 3.12 μg/ml, respectively. Its salt also has a stronger cytotoxity against KB than that of doxorubicin (IC50 = 2.01 μg/ml). From results of topoisomerase II assay revealed that most of 6-deoxyclitoriacetal inhibited topoisomerase II with %inhibition rate over 50%, except for 5 and 9 cannot be complete inhibited the activity of topoisomerase II activity. The morpholine derivative 8 at 100 μg exerted the most potent topoisomerase II enzyme with 93.5%inhibition
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2009.1551
title: Preparation of Ni/SiO₂ fiber catalysts for steam reforming of glycerol

description: This work is aimed to prepare nickel/silica fiber catalyst for steam reforming reaction of glycerol. The nickel/silica fiber catalyst was prepared by a sol-gel and electrospinning technique and then the silica fiber was impregnated by nickel solution. The effects of processing parameters on the morphology of silica fibers such as spinning voltage and the tip to collector distance were studied. The catalysts were characterized by SEM, EDS, TEM, XRD, and TPR. SEM results showed that the average diameter of silica fiber prepared by the applied voltage 15 kV and tip to collector distance 25 cm was the smallest of 0.93 µm. The amount of Ni measured by EDS technique was close to that of Ni loaded by impregnation. The XRD pattern of nickel/silica fiber catalyst showed the amorphous structure of pure silica fibers and the crystalline structure for nickel. The catalyst activity tests on glycerol steam reforming reaction were studied. The reaction parameters such as temperature, feed flow rate, water/glycerol mole ratio, the nickel content, and the additional cerium were investigated. The fiber catalyst showed the higher glycerol conversion compared with the porous catalyst at the same reaction condition and produced H2 and CO as main products whereas the porous catalyst produced H₂ and CO₂ as main products. This can be attributed to the different silica support adsorbing water differently. The silica fiber support adsorbed water lower than the porous support thus the fiber catalyst may not have the water molecules enough to react with CO by water gas shift which converted CO and water into CO₂ and H₂. Therefore the fiber catalyst produced H₂ and CO as the main products.
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2009.1552
title: The effects of computer-mediated listening-speaking test tasks on the oral abilities of first year Buriram Rajabhat University students

description: This study investigated the effects of the computer-mediated listening-speaking test consisting of 3 tasks: answering questions, describing pictures, and transferring information on the oral abilities of first-year Buriram Rajabhat University students. The study was conducted on 84 English and Business English major students. The Cambridge Key English Test (KET) was used to classify the students into three levels (advanced, intermediate and beginning) according to their levels of language abilities. The subjects were selected by the stratified random sampling method. Then, they took the computer-mediated listening-speaking test tasks developed by the researcher. Their oral responses were scored by two raters in terms of accuracy, fluency, complexity, and comprehension. Two-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and descriptive statistics were used to analyze and interpret the data. In addition, the data were investigated qualitatively by using content analysis. The results from the test tasks reveal that the three levels of the language abilities (advanced, intermediate and beginning) and the three test task types, namely, the answering questions, describing pictures and transferring information tasks significantly affected the oral abilities in the four language components. However, the interaction effect between the levels of the language abilities and task types was not found. With regard to the four language components of the oral abilities of the three levels of the students, it was found that the advanced students gained significantly higher scores than the other two groups. Moreover, the intermediate group got higher scores than the beginning one. Regarding the four language components of the oral abilities of the students performing the three task types, the accuracy, complexity and comprehension scores of the answering questions task were significantly higher than those from the describing pictures and transferring information tasks. In addition, the comprehension scores of the transferring information task were significantly higher than those from the describing pictures task. As for the fluency scores, they were higher in the answering questions task than in the describing pictures task. The quantitative data can be used to design instructional materials, and the assessment of listening and speaking courses with the balanced development of all four language components. The results from content analysis provide useful information to the preparation or remedial oral courses for diverse students.
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2009.1553
title: Challenges to the rights to education in Myanmar : The roles of civil society and monastic schools

description: Although the Myanmar education system has been continuously deteriorated in terms of accessibility and quality, education still remains as one of the first priorities for the people. As a result, when a high dropout rate - before the students finish their education in primary schools—is approximately at 50 percent, several non-profit and civil society organizations have been bridging the gap of accessibility and quality in education. Along with the organizations, monastic schools play an important role in providing education as well. The main objective of the study is to analyze the civil society activities trying to meet the Right to Education in Myanmar. The research is conducted at two schools: Phaung Daw oo and Oo Bo Monastic schhols in Aung Mye Tha Zan Township of Mandalay, where the semi-structured open questions are used and 69 subjects were interviewed. The study finds influential factors having both positive and negative ways for the civil society organizations to implement the Right to Education. In terms of the positive factors, particularly, the recognition of the monastic schools makes better implementation for civil society organizations and monastic schools so that they can fulfill the right to access to education. The Child Centered Approach and its methodology are currently being introduced in the country to accomplish the best interest of the children. Nonetheless, a number of challenges are also found in the study. There is resource constraint in term of teacher capacity and support and the lack of infrastructures and resources. As well, insufficient capacity, lack of knowledge on the Right to Education, and the wrong conceptualization on Child Centered Approach stimulate the government to issue policies restricting the activities of monastic schools. That points out the barrier preventing the country to meet the Right to Education since the monastic schools are there for ensuring the access to education to the Myanmar children. The study concludes that although there are a number of influential factors, they are associated with challenges that can conquered it the government is willing to improve its policies on education.
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2009.1554
title: Synthesis and use of 3-mercaptopropyl modified MCM-41 for mercury removal from wastewater

description: MCM-41 was synthesized and modified with sulfur-containing functional group (3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane, MPTMS) which has a good affinity towards mercury ions. Three synthesis methods were studied; (i) Conventional hydrothermal templated sol-gel method (Con), (ii) Original stepped template sol-gel method (Step), and (iii) Grafting method that was divided into grafting method using MCM-41 prepared by conventional hydrothermal templated sol-gel method (Graft-con) and by original stepped template sol-gel method (Graft-step). The amount of MPTMS was varied in the synthesis. The efficiency of the method in ligand loading on the adsorbents was evaluated and compared. The ligand loading efficiency followed the order: Con method &gt; Graft-step method &gt; Step method &gt; Graft-con method. The adsorption efficiency for mercury ions of the obtained products (MP-MCM-41) was evaluated and compared. The order adsorption efficiency of products followed MP-MCM-41 (Graft-step) &gt; MP-MCM-41 (Graft-con) &gt; MP-MCM-41 (Step) &gt; MP-MCM-41 (Con). The Graft-step method was the most suitable method despite of fairly good ligand loading efficiency compared to other methods. All the obtained adsorbents were characterized by XRD, FT-IR, surface area analysis and thermal analysis. The factors that affect mercury(II) ions adsorption by MP-MCM-41 were studied i.e. the pH of solution, contact time, interfering ions. The suitable pH for adsorption was 5-8. Adsorption reached the equilibrium within 20 min. The presence of chloride ions (0.1 and 1.0 M) reduced the removal efficiency up to 24-41%. The adsorption behavior of mercury on MP-MCM-41 at equilibrium followed Langmuir isotherm and the maximum mercury(II) ions adsorption capacity was 1.25 mmol/g. This material could be reused at least 4 cycles and it could remove mercury in real wastewater from refinery processes.