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The conductive polyethylene oxide/polyvinyl chloride/polyaniline (PEO/PVC/PAni) films were studied in terms of filler loading and the naphthalene effect. The films were fabricated via solution casting using tetrahydrofuran as the solvent at room temperature. The analyses of tensile properties, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electrical conductivity, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and thermogravimetric analysis were done on conductive PEO/PVC/PAni films. It is noticeable that the conductive PEO/PVC/PAni/naphthalene films exhibited an average of 10% tensile strength higher and an average of 14% Young's modulus higher compared to the conductive PEO/PVC/PAni films. The presence of naphthalene in the conductive films also improved the electrical conductivity while increasing the films' thermal stability. SEM analysis confirmed that naphthalene in conductive films offers better dispersion of PAni in the conductive PEO/PVC/PAni films. FTIR analysis has further proved that no new functional group was created with the presence of naphthalene. It showed that naphthalene only influence the filler–matrix interfacial adhesion physically. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 2018. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers

Background and Objective: Lactobacillus plantarum ATCC 8014 is known as a good producer of water soluble exopolysaccharide. Therefore, the aim of this study is to optimize the medium composition concurrently for high cell mass and exopolysaccharide production by Lactobacillus plantarum ATCC 8014. Since both are useful for food and pharmaceutical application and where most studies typically focus on one outcome only, the optimization process was carried out by using molasses as cheaper carbon source.Material and Methods: The main medium component which is known significantly give high effect on the cell mass and EPS production was selected as variables and statistically optimized based on Box-Behnken design in shake flask levels. The optimal medium for cell mass and exopolysaccharide production was composed of (in g l -1): molasses, 40; yeast extract, 16.8; phosphate, 2.72; sodium acetate, 3.98. The model was found to be significant and subsequently validated through the growth kinetics studies in un-optimized and optimized medium in the shake flask cultivation.Results and Conclusion: The maximum cell mass and exopolysaccharide in the new optimized medium was 4.40 g l-1 and 4.37 g l-1 respectively after 44 h of the cultivation. As a result, cell mass and exopolysaccharide production increased up to 4.5 and 16.5 times respectively, and the maximal exopolysaccharide yield of 1.19 per gram of cells was obtained when molasses was used as the carbon source. In conclusion, molasses has the potential to be a cheap carbon source for the cultivation of Lactobacillus plantarum ATCC 8014 concurrently for high cell mass and exopolysaccharide production.Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

The pyrolysis of oil palm mesocarp fiber (OPMF) was catalyzed with a steel slag-derived zeolite (FAU-SL) in a slow-heating fixed-bed reactor at 450 °C, 550 °C, and 600 °C. The catalytic pyrolysis of OPMF produced a maximum yield of 47 wt% bio-oil at 550 °C, and the crude pyrolysis vapor (CPV) of this process yielded crude pyrolysis oil with broad distribution of bulky oxygenated organic compounds. The bio-oil composition produced at 550 °C contained mainly light and stable acid-rich carbonyls at a relative abundance of 48.02% peak area and phenolic compounds at 12.03% peak area. The FAU-SL high mesoporosity and strong surface acidity caused the conversion of the bulky CPV molecules into mostly light acid-rich carbonyls and aromatics through secondary reactions. The secondary reactions mechanisms facilitated by FAU-SL reduced the distribution of the organic compounds in the bio-oil to mostly acid-rich carbonyls and aromatic in contrast to other common zeolite.

The purpose of this paper is to describe the position of the Qanun Jinayat as a forum for the implementation of Sharia in Aceh within the framework of the Indonesian constitution. It is considered essential because the implementation of Sharia is conducted based on the UUPA (Law on Governing of Aceh). However, its implementation is often misunderstood, causing the implementation of Sharia to face many challenges from various parties, including the government's official institutions. This article is written to answer the main problem: the alignment of regulations, qanuns, with other laws and regulations. This study is normative legal research using a legal history approach. The analytical tools used are the theory of leveling norms and asymmetric decentralization. The study results show that the Sharia qanuns in Aceh, especially the Qanun Jinayat, have a different position from the regional regulations in other provinces in Indonesia. The difference lies in the special right of the Government of Aceh as a region with asymmetrical decentralization to make its regulations which at a certain level are permitted to be inconsistent with the laws on higher hierarchy. However, it must still align with the basic norms as the primary reference. The existence of special rights for Aceh is considered natural because of its long history, mainly when it is associated with the development of criminal law in Indonesia, which until now still uses the KUHP inherited from the Dutch East Indies. This specificity is a legal order regarding autonomous or special regions.

Basal stem rot (BSR) disease caused by Ganoderma boninense has remained as one of the major obstacles in oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) plantation. BSR is a destructive disease, which contributes to significant yield losses and impacts to the oil palm industry. However, to date, there is still no effective control of the disease. Metabolite fingerprinting is an established non-targeted screening approach to classify samples based on metabolite patterns that change in response to G. boninense infection in oil palm. This study aimed to compare the metabolic profiles of natural Ganoderma-infected and healthy control oil palm root samples using liquid chromatography-quadrupole/time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (LC-Q/TOF-MS) combined with multivariate data analysis (MVDA) and to identify potential metabolic pathway(s) involved in response to BSR. MVDA revealed differential metabolites from oil palm root associated with natural Ganoderma-infected vs. healthy oil palms. A systematic metabolic pathway analysis of differential metabolites discovered the significant involvement of amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism and biosynthesis of other secondary metabolites in response to BSR disease. Unravelling the metabolic mechanisms involved during pathogen attack provides new knowledge and fill gaps in the information related to the oil palm-Ganoderma pathosystem.

Implementasi penerapan ajaran turut serta dalam kasus tindak pidana korupsi tidak sesuai dengan teori pertanggungjawaban pidana. Hal ini disebabkan penerapan ajaran ini yang tidak sesuai dan tidak memenuhi unsur keadilan. Implikasinya adalah para pelaku tindak pidana korupsi tidak bisa dihukum setimpal dengan apa yang telah diperbuatnya. Selama ini para pelaku tindak pidana korupsi itu dijerat dengan Pasal 55 KUHP yang mengakibatkan pelaku utama tindak pidana korupsi tersebut tidak tersentuh hukum. Upaya hukum yang dapat dilakukan terhadap adanya pelaku lain yang tersangkut dalam tindak pidana korupsi yang sedang diperiksa adalah dengan melakukan penyelidikan dan penyidikan secara mendalam terhadap adanya pelaku baru yang melakukan tindak pidana korupsi tersebut. Pemerintah harus menyempurnakan Undang-Undang Nomor 31 Tahun 1999 Jo Undang-Undang Nomor 20 Tahun 2001 tentang Tindak Pidana Korupsi, agar semua pelaku tindak pidana korupsi dapat tersentuh hukum. Joint Criminal Enterprise Principle Implementation in Corruption Cases Related to Criminal Liability Theories ABSTRACT: The research shows that the implementation of the principle of joint criminal enterprise is not in accordance with theories of criminal responsibility as the implementation is not based on the justice elements, it results from the perpetrators of corruption cases cannot be punished fairly and balanced as what they have committed towards the case of corruption, recently, the corruption perpetrators is imposed by Article 55 of KUHP causing the principals of the corruption case is not being punished. The legal efforts that can be done towards the perpetrators are that are committing the corruption crime that is being investigated are by conducting investigation and the accusation process deeply towards the new perpetrators committing the crime. It proves that the corruption case is committed jointly; hence by finding new suspects would bring justice, usefulness and certainty of laws. It is recommended that the Government of Republic of Indonesia should immediately revise or complement the Act Number 31, 1999 in relation to the Act Number 20, 2001 on the Corruption Crime, hence all the perpetrators of the corruption cases can be punished and touched by the law and there are no one of the perpetrators are free from the imposition of law.

Pidana tambahan uang pengganti merupakan salah satu konsekuensi hukum yang dibebankan kepada pelaku tindak pidana korupsi. Perbuatan pelaku telah mengakibat-kan kerugian negara. Pembebanan tersebut merupakan pidana tambahan dari pidana pokoknya. Uang pengganti dibayar dalam waktu paling lama satu bulan sesudah putusan pengadilan yang telah memperoleh hukum yang tetap. Penelitian ini ingin mengetahui efektivitas ketentuan ambang waktu satu bulan dalam pelaksanaan pembayaran uang pengganti dan penghitungan besaran jumlahnya. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode yuridis-empiris. Penelitian menemukan bahwa mekanisme pembayaran pidana uang pengganti tidak sesuai dengan amanat Undang-Undang Tindak Pidana Korupsi dan Undang-Undang Perbendaharaan Negara dalam kaitannya dengan pemidanaan dan pembayaran kerugian negara. Temuan ini menyebabkan ketidakpastian hukum dan ketidakefektifan proses pengembalian kerugian negara. Criminal Sanction Compensation Payment As Liability For States Financial Lost In The Case Of Corruption ABSTRACT: Additional penalty of compensation money is one of the legal consequences imposed on the perpetrators of corruption. The perpetration has caused a state’s losses. The money replacing the loss is an additional penalty of the principal penalty. It is paid within a month after a court decision enforceable. This paper is going to discuss the effective-ness of the provisions of the threshold of one month in the application of the payment and the calculation of the amount paid. This is juridical-empirical research. It shows that the mechanism of paying the state’s loss in against the mandate of the Corruption Act and the State Treasury Law in relation to the prosecution and payment of state losses. It causes law uncertainty and ineffectiveness of the compensation process.

With the explosion due to shipment of Lithium-ion battery that causes the loss of MH370 issue raised in 2015, the aviation stakeholders begin to pay attention towards the metal compound to exist in and surrounding the flights and airport. This research supports this issue by critically analyzed the metal concentration found at the existing international airport and the construction of the nearby international airport, hence suggesting comprehensive result towards the fundamental knowledge to this giant intelligent infrastructure. The personal airborne particles sampling were done between two classification size of airborne particles that were respirable and inhalable dust. The metal content tested by using the ICPMS was done to determine the amount of concentration of Ba, Cr,Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, V and Zn. Comparison between two types of built environment for an airport infrastructure is found through this analysis. This study also further showed that metals concentration level varies between the respirable and inhalable dust. The mean ranges of respirable dust found in the airport and its construction site are between 0.0575 and 72.413 mg mg−3. Lower ranges in inhalable dust are found between 0.048 and 55.190 mg m−3. Thus, sum up to an overall average for all metal concentrations at 36.235 and 27.619 mg m−3, for respirable and inhalable dust, accordingly. The dominant metals for all sampling locations in airports are Fe, Zn, and Ni. The highest is iron for both inhalable dust and respirable dust at average readings of 72.413 and 55.190 mg m−3, correspondingly. Hence, suggesting the amount of respirable to inhalable dust are exceed at 13.49 per cent. Thus, amount to the ratio of respirable towards inhalable dust at 56.74 per cent. These results indicate that as the above chemical content reaching alveolar region, it brings hazard to the human health. It is to be highlighted that the average ratio of respirable towards inhalable dust for existing building in operations are slightly higher than the fraction found at the construction site of an airport at 0.16 per cent. Thus, indicating that human presence influenced more towards the respirable dust dissemination in an environment.

Heritage is very important to a society and country as it reflects the true identity of the country and creates a sense of wonder about the people and culture that produced it. Unlike new building works, the heritage conservation works are unique and distinctive individually, which do not have a precedent case to study. The existence of complexity and uncertainty elements throughout the process can disrupt the traditional requirements for price certainty, a known date of delivery and acknowledged quality standards. Therefore, this research is intended to identify common parameters to be considered in the quantity measurement of conservation works. The methodology adopted is semi-structured interview and content analysis. The common parameters for quantity measurement of heritage conservation works are Historical Architecture Building Survey (HABS), Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) (for certain projects), dilapidation survey, laboratory test and scientific studies, sample study, employment of conservation professional in the contractor’s team. Keywords: Heritage Conservation Works; Historical Architecture Building Survey; Quantity Measurement

The conservation of museum artefact and its preservation against possible damage from air pollution is of increasing concern. Soiling is harmful to the inorganic artefact as it happened when the airborne particulates deposited onto the surface of objects and then the chemical compounds catalyse the oxidation of sulphur dioxide (SO2) to form sulfuric acid which presence as the black crust. The deposited airborne material can attack museum collections chemically. Therefore, museum environment should have low particle concentrations. This paper present current literature studies on the relationship of chemical characteristics of airborne particulates with the soiling defect of the inorganic artefact. The aim of this article is to provide a better understanding of the origin of particulates pollutants within the built environment. This research employs a qualitative method which encompasses the technique of case studies and content analysis of reports on physical and chemical properties of airborne particulates and soiling defect of museum artefact. A significant finding of this paper is the in-depth understanding of the various chemical characterization of airborne particulate that reacts with the artefact surface to form a black crust or soiling defect. The results will assist future research to come up with a variety of solution and techniques to control the rate of particle depositing to the surfaces of an artefact as many of the techniques are cost saving. So, to protect and conserve the relics of human history, it is important to apprehend the interaction of atmospheric pollutants, airborne particulates and heritage material towards the conservation of built environment.

Generally, human spend about 30–90% of their daily time indoor. Therefore, permanent and temporary residential area located surrounding the coal-fired power plant should be the today’s major concern. This is for the escalate uncontrol number of the coal-fired power plant and urbanisation with numbers of residential area surrounding its location that can provide high health risk towards its occupiers. The inhalable and respirable dust sample are collected at three residential with the radius of 5 km, 15 km, and 20 km to the coal-fired power plant.This sample are then digested and analysed with the high sensitive ICPMS (Nexion 300×) on the concentrations of Ba, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn in both respirable and inhalable particles Results shows that 50.55% of respirable dust towards inhalable dust at outdoor and 52.94% for indoor samples collected at residential area 20 km to point-source. Thus, suggesting that indoor air quality in Sitiawan occupied higher risk for human health rather than the outdoor atmospheric ambient. At the residential area of 15 km to point-source, the indoor ratio of respirable towards inhalable dust are higher than the outdoor ambient. In comparison between outdoor ratios, it can be found that the ratio is decreasing at outdoor ambient as the distance increase from the coal-fired power plant. The mean ranges of respirable dust found collected at a residential nearby coal-fired power plant in Manjung are between 0.0345 and 84.128 mg m−3. Higher ranges are found average in the inhalable dust at 0.0483 and 81.890 mg m−3. Thus, sum up to an overall average for all metal concentrations at 42.081 and 40.969 mg m−3, for respirable and inhalable dust, accordingly. The dominant metals for all sampling locations in residentials are Fe, Zn, and Ni. The highest is Fe for both inhalable dust and respirable dust at 82.506 and 139.900 mg m−3, correspondingly. Hence, suggesting the amount of ratio respirable towards inhalable dust at 50.67%.

Sekalipun berakar pada budaya Melayu Islam-Sunni Syafi'iyah namun hudud yang dirumuskan dalam Qanun Aceh dan Brunei terindikasi berbeda, padahal secara konseptual dikenal sebagai perkara qath’i, sehingga menarik untuk mengetahui bagaimana sesungguh-nya konsepsi, implikasi, serta hal-hal yang memengaruhi konsepsinya. Hasil penelitian yuridis-normatif ini menunjukkan: meski memperlihatkan “benang merah” dengan fikih klasik namun secara keseluruhan QJA membentuk konsepsi hudud yang lebih moderat dan khas Aceh-Indonesia sehingga berbeda dibandingkan KHJB yang secara murni mere-presentasikan Syafi’iyah; perbedaan konsepsi berimplikasi pada bercampurnya pidana hudud dan ta’zir dalam konteks pemberatan pidana hudud dalam QJA; dan perbedaan konsepsi dipengaruhi oleh paradigma legislasi hukum Islam. Disarankan pidana hudud dalam QJA disusun lebih komprehensif-sistematis sesuai klasifikasinya; untuk menghindari bercampurnya hudud dan ta’zir dalam formulasi ketentuan pidana, Aceh perlu melihat perbandingan “dua stelsel ketentuan pidana” dalam KHJB; dan sebagai the living law wajar sekiranya mazhab Syafi’i diprioritaskan, tetapi mesti tetap mengedepankan relevansi, tanpa mengekang kreatifitas pemikiran. Hudud Conception in Islamic Criminal Canon of Aceh-Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam ABSTRACT: Although derive from Malay Islam-Sunni Shafeites, the hudud in Islamic Criminal Canon of Aceh and Brunei is indicated to be worded differently, whereas conceptually is known as a “definitive matter”, so it’s interesting to find out how the actual conception is, its implications, as well as things impacting. This normative legal research shows: although showing "red thread" with classical fiqh thought but overall it seems to be more moderate and suit generic of Aceh-Indonesia, so substantively different from KHJB that is purely represent Shafeite thought; the conception has implication on the mixing of hudud and ta’zir in the hudud criminal weighting context of QJA; and the both conceptions is interfered by the existence of paradigm of Islamic law legislation. It is recommended that the substance of QJA is arranged comprehensively and systematically based on its classification; to avoid the mixing of hudud and ta'zir in the crimes wording of hudud, the QJA could find the comparison of a “two-criminal law formulation” in KHJB; and as the living law it is alright that the fiqh of Shafi’i is prevailed in Islamic law process but by persist to prioritize the relevant aspect and without limiting the thought creativity.

Tindak pidana gratifikasi diatur dalam Pasal 12B Undang-Undang No. 20 Tahun 2001 tentang Perubahan atas Undang-Undang No. 31 Tahun 1999 tentang Pemberantasan Tindak Pidana Korupsi. Namun ketentuan ini hanya berlaku bagi penerima gratifikasi, sedangkan pemberi gratifikasi diatur dengan ketentuan Pasal 5. Sementara itu Pasal 12C menyatakan jika penerima gratifikasi melaporkan gratifikasi tersebut kepada KPK terhitung paling lambat 30 hari sejak gratifikasi tersebut diterima, maka ketentuan Pasal 12B ayat (1) tidak berlaku. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui eksistensi pemberi gratifikasi dalam tindak pidana korupsi dan hilangnya sifat melawan hukum pemberi gratifikasi jika penerima gratifikasi melaporkan kepada KPK. Metode peneliti-an yang digunakan adalah penelitian yuridis normatif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa kedudukan pemberi gratifikasi sebagaimana diatur dalam Pasal 5 Undang-Undang Pemberantasan Korupsi, setiap pemberian yang dilakukan kepada pegawai negeri/penyelenggara negara dengan harapan agar penerima gratifikasi melakukan sesuatu atau tidak melakukan sesuatu yang berlawanan dengan tugasnya, dan semata-mata untuk memenuhi keinginan pemberi gratifikasi. Hilangnya sifat melawan hukum pemberi gratifikasi dalam tindak pidana korupsi terkait adanya laporan penerima gratifikasi yaitu si pemberi tetap memiliki sifat melawan hukum atas perbuatan mem-berkan gratifikasi, sedangkan adanya laporan penerima gratifikasi bukan merupakan sebuah alasan peniadaan pidana. Akan tetapi alasan peniadaan pidana itu ditujukan terhadap penerima gratifikasi. Disarankan kepada pembentuk undang-undang agar memberikan pembatasan tentang makna dari gratifikasi dan merevisi ketentuan Pasal 12C sehingga terciptanya suatu keseimbangan antara penerima dan pemberi gratifikasi. The Gratification as Corruption in Regard With a Report from a Gratification Receiver ABSTRACT: A crime of gratification has been legislated in Article 12B of the Act Number 20, 2001 in regards with the Alteration of the Act Number 31, 1999 regarding the Corruption Suppression Act. However, it only applies for a gratification receiver, while a gratifier is ruled in Article 5. Article 12C has provided a possibility that if the receiver may report the KPK (Corruption Suppression Commission) within 30 days sine the acceptance, and Article 12B (1) is not applicable. It means that the act which is against the law of accepting it becoming void; nevertheless the gratifier violates the law. This research aims to explore the existence of gratifier in a corruption case and the absence of a breaching law element of the gratifier if the receiver of gratification reports the KPK (Corruption Suppression Commission). This is juridical normative research. The research shows that the existence of the gratifier of corruption is worded in Article 5 of the Corruption Suppression Act that every gift for a civil servant/official aiming at the gratification receiver commits a thing or omit to do a thing violating his/her duty in order to fulfill the need of the gratifier. The absence of an act violating the law of the gratifier in a corruption case in regard with the report from the gratification receiver is that the gratifier does still violate the law due to the commission, while by the report from the receiver, the act against the law is not avoid. However, the reason for abolishing the punishment is only for the gratification receiver. This recommended that the lawmakers should provide a limit on the meaning of gratification and should be revised hence of Article 12C there is a balance between the receiver and the gratifier.

An experiment was conducted to assess the effect of different extraction of compost extracts on pak choi (Brassica rapa cv. chinensis) under two fertilizer regimes. Aerated compost extract (ACE) an...

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The Johor Strait has experienced rapid development of various human activities and served as the main marine aquaculture area for the two countries that bordered the strait. Several fish kill incidents in 2014 and 2015 have been confirmed, attributed to the algal blooms of ichthyotoxic dinoflagellates; however, the cause of fish kill events after 2016 was not clarified and the causative organisms remained unknown. To clarify the potential cause of fish kills along the Johor Strait, a 1-year field investigation was conducted with monthly sampling between May 2018 and April 2019. Monthly vertical profiles of physical water parameters (temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen levels) were measured in situ at different depths (subsurface, 1 m, 5 m, and 8 m) depending on the ambient depth of the water column at the sampling stations. The spatial-temporal variability of macronutrients and chlorophyll a content was analyzed. Our results showed that high chlorophyll a concentration (up to 48.8 μg/L) and high biomass blooms of Skeletonema, Chaetoceros, Rhizosolenia, and Thalassiosira were observed seasonally at the inner part of the strait. A hypoxic to anoxic dead zone, with the dissolved oxygen levels ranging from 0.19 to 1.7 mg/L, was identified in the inner Johor Strait, covering an estimated area of 10.3 km2. The occurrence of high biomass diatom blooms and formation of the hypoxic-anoxic zone along the inner part Johor Strait were likely the culprits of some fish kill incidents after 2016.

Oil palm breeding involves crossing dura and pisifera palms to produce tenera progeny with greatly improved oil yield. Oil yield is controlled by variant alleles of a type II MADS-box gene, SHELL, that impact the presence and thickness of the endocarp, or shell, surrounding the fruit kernel. We identified six novel SHELL alleles in noncommercial African germplasm populations from the Malaysian Palm Oil Board. These populations provide extensive diversity to harness genetic, mechanistic and phenotypic variation associated with oil yield in a globally critical crop. We investigated phenotypes in heteroallelic combinations, as well as SHELL heterodimerization and subcellular localization by yeast two-hybrid, bimolecular fluorescence complementation and gene expression analyses. Four novel SHELL alleles were associated with fruit form phenotype. Candidate heterodimerization partners were identified, and interactions with EgSEP3 and subcellular localization were SHELL allele-specific. Our findings reveal allele-specific mechanisms by which variant SHELL alleles impact yield, as well as speculative insights into the potential role of SHELL in single-gene oil yield heterosis. Future field trials for combinability and introgression may further optimize yield and improve sustainability.

Background Molecular breeding has opened new avenues for crop improvement with the potential for faster progress. As oil palm is the major producer of vegetable oil in the world, its improvement, such as developing compact planting materials and improving its oil’s fatty acid composition, is important. Results This study sought to identify the QTLs associated with fatty acid composition and vegetative traits for compactness in the crop. It integrated two separate interspecific backcross two (BC2) mapping populations to improve the genetic resolution and evaluate the consistency of the QTLs identified. A total of 1,963 markers (1,814 SNPs and 149 SSRs) spanning a total map length of 1793 cM was integrated into a consensus map. The QTL analysis observed 19 and 10 significant genomic loci associated with FAC and compactness, respectively. Conclusions A few genomic regions were revealed to be major loci influencing FAC and compactness. It is hoped that the QTLs identified will be useful tools for marker-assisted selection, accelerate the process of identifying desirable genotypes for breeding.

In this preliminary work, ordered mesoporous carbon–montmorillonite (OMC–M) composite granules were synthesised and tested for the removal of methylene blue and methyl red. The synthesised OMC–M composite granules were characterised using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), an energy dispersive x-ray spectroscope (EDX), and a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface analyser. The OMC–M composite granules were bound using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a binding agent. The swelling/burst effect of the composite granules in distilled water was investigated using different PVA concentrations, ranging from 1% to 5% (w/v) at different observation times of up to 24 hours. The results indicated that there were no significant changes on the average area (1.85 mm) of the OMC–M composite granules when the PVA binder concentration was increased. OMC–M composite granules with 5% (w/v) PVA displayed removal efficiency of 85% and 65% for methylene blue and methyl red, respectively. The results of this study suggested the potential of applying OMC–M composite granules for the removal of various pollutants from an aqueous solution.In this preliminary work, ordered mesoporous carbon–montmorillonite (OMC–M) composite granules were synthesised and tested for the removal of methylene blue and methyl red. The synthesised OMC–M composite granules were characterised using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), an energy dispersive x-ray spectroscope (EDX), and a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface analyser. The OMC–M composite granules were bound using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a binding agent. The swelling/burst effect of the composite granules in distilled water was investigated using different PVA concentrations, ranging from 1% to 5% (w/v) at different observation times of up to 24 hours. The results indicated that there were no significant changes on the average area (1.85 mm) of the OMC–M composite granules when the PVA binder concentration was increased. OMC–M composite granules with 5% (w/v) PVA displayed removal efficiency of 85% and 65% for methylene blue and methyl red, respectively. The results of this study suggested the pot...

The planted area of oil palm has grown to over 5.81 million ha by 2017, uplifting the economy and livelihood of Malaysians over the last 100 years since its beginning as a plantation crop in 1917. The narrowness of the active gene pool was recognized as one of the major drawbacks to a successful and rapid selection progress in oil palm breeding. The industry has made significant strides by incorporating germplasm material sourced from its center of origin in Africa and South America into on-going breeding programs. This resulted in the development of 13 new types of genetic material (PS series) by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board that have been distributed to the industry. An active tissue culture program has also facilitated cloning of high yielding palms, where clonal uniformity offers the opportunity to increase yields of up to 30%. Research and development efforts to further improve the productivity of oil palm received a boost when its genome was sequenced and released in 2013, which laid the foundation for applying genome-based technologies in oil palm research. With the discovery of a few genes at the molecular level together with oil palm genome, sequence data, we expect further integration of conventional and molecular breeding. Biotechnology research is the core area to opening up new avenues for oil palm improvement toward an era of precision agriculture and sustainability.

In this work, ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC) was synthesised via the nanocasting process using hexagonal mesoporous silica (HMS) as the template and polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG 400) as the carbon precursor by varying four vital process conditions, namely, carbonisation temperature, dwelling time, heating rate, and carbon loading. The best conditions were selected based on the ability of the OMC samples to remove methylene blue (MB). ABA-16 exhibited the highest total surface area (1,020 m2.g−1) with its pore diameter measured at 3.89 nm, and a total pore volume of 0.9976 cm3.g−1. It was prepared using 2.5 g of PEG 400 per gram of HMS, carbonised at 800 °C, with a heating rate of 1°C.min−1, and 240 min of dwelling time. A series of batch adsorption tests was conducted on MB at different initial concentrations at 30– 50 °C. The maximum MB adsorption capacity, Qm was at 394.88 mg.g-1 at 303 K. For all tested conditions, Freundlich produced better fittings than Langmuir isotherm model. All these findings suggested that nanocasting parameters play important roles in producing functional OMC with good physicochemical properties for the removal of pollutants from water bodies.

Existing Elaeis guineensis cultivars lack sufficient genetic diversity due to extensive breeding. Harnessing variation in wild crop relatives is necessary to expand the breadth of agronomically valuable traits. Using RAD sequencing, we examine the natural diversity of wild American oil palm populations (Elaeis oleifera), a sister species of the cultivated Elaeis guineensis oil palm. We genotyped 192 wild E. oleifera palms collected from seven Latin American countries along with four cultivated E. guineensis palms. Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia palms are panmictic and genetically similar. Genomic patterns of diversity suggest that these populations likely originated from the Amazon Basin. Despite evidence of a genetic bottleneck and high inbreeding observed in these populations, there is considerable genetic and phenotypic variation for agronomically valuable traits. Genome-wide association revealed several candidate genes associated with fatty acid composition along with vegetative and yield-related traits. These observations provide valuable insight into the geographic distribution of diversity, phenotypic variation and its genetic architecture that will guide choices of wild genotypes for crop improvement.