AMSR2 Soil Moisture Product Validation

The Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2) is part of the Global Change Observation Mission-Water (GCOM-W) mission. AMSR2 fills the void left by the loss of the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer Earth Observing System (AMSR-E) after almost 10 years. Both missions provide brightness temperature observations that are used to retrieve soil moisture. Merging AMSR-E and AMSR2 will help build a consistent long-term dataset. Before tackling the integration of AMSR-E and AMSR2 it is necessary to conduct a thorough validation and assessment of the AMSR2 soil moisture products. This study focuses on validation of the AMSR2 soil moisture products by comparison with in situ reference data from a set of core validation sites. Three products that rely on different algorithms were evaluated; the JAXA Soil Moisture Algorithm (JAXA), the Land Parameter Retrieval Model (LPRM), and the Single Channel Algorithm (SCA). Results indicate that overall the SCA has the best performance based upon the metrics considered

Materials in particulate form for tissue engineering. 2 Applications in bone

Materials in particulate form have been the subjects of intensive research in view of their use as drug delivery systems. While within this application there are still issues to be addressed, these systems are now being regarded as having a great potential for tissue engineering applications. Bone repair is a very demanding task, due to the specific characteristics of skeletal tissues, and the design of scaffolds for bone tissue engineering presents several difficulties. Materials in particulate form are now seen as a means of achieving higher control over parameters such as porosity, pore size, surface area and the mechanical properties of the scaffold. These materials also have the potential to incorporate biologically active molecules for release and to serve as carriers for cells. It is believed that the combination of these features would create a more efficient approach towards regeneration. This review focuses on the application ofmaterials in particulate formfor bone tissue engineering. A brief overview of bone biology and the healing process is also provided in order to place the application in its broader context. An original compilation of molecules with a documented role in bone tissue biology is listed, as they have the potential to be used in bone tissue engineering strategies. To sum up this review, examples of works addressing the above aspects are presented

The education in Japan

Esta descripción de los diferentes niveles de enseñanza en Japón permite al lector apreciar los diferentes sistemas educativos que existen y a través de la comparación de los mismos podrá evaluar la posibilidad de introducir cambios en uno o en otro. Las ideas de excelencia que priman en Japón, se inculcan en los estudios desde muy pequeños, pero no una excelencia deshumanizada, sino en función del bienestar común. La exigencia educativa, la idea de comunidad y la universalidad de la enseñanza son bases para el buen desenvolvimiento de un país. Japón esto lo sabe. La autora señala asimismo, las dificultades y frustaciones que aquejan a los alumnos en el momento de pasar al siguiente nivel y las repercusiones sociales que ello tiene. Esta exposición donde se combinan números, ideas y relatos personales de los alumnos, permiten al lector conocer en profundidad y cuestionarse muchas cosas sobre un sistema educativo tan particular, que ha permitido a Japón contar con la materia gris indispensable para llegar a altos grados de desarrollo.The description of the different levels of the Japanese education leads the reader to analize the educational sistems and through the comparison think in the idea of changes in ones or others. The idea of excellence is learnt to the students in the first ages, but it's not a deshumanized excellence, but one which takes into account the common benefit. The high standards of exigence, the idea of comunnity and the universality in the education are the basis of the development of a country. Japón knows this. The author points out that students have many problems in the way through the different levels of learning. There are frustrations and they have influence in the social life. The text, ideas and personal experiences allows the reader to know more and ask himself about this peculiar educational system that led Japan to reach the top levels of economic development.Instituto de Relaciones Internacionales (IRI

The education in Japan

Esta descripción de los diferentes niveles de enseñanza en Japón permite al lector apreciar los diferentes sistemas educativos que existen y a través de la comparación de los mismos podrá evaluar la posibilidad de introducir cambios en uno o en otro. Las ideas de excelencia que priman en Japón, se inculcan en los estudios desde muy pequeños, pero no una excelencia deshumanizada, sino en función del bienestar común. La exigencia educativa, la idea de comunidad y la universalidad de la enseñanza son bases para el buen desenvolvimiento de un país. Japón esto lo sabe. La autora señala asimismo, las dificultades y frustaciones que aquejan a los alumnos en el momento de pasar al siguiente nivel y las repercusiones sociales que ello tiene. Esta exposición donde se combinan números, ideas y relatos personales de los alumnos, permiten al lector conocer en profundidad y cuestionarse muchas cosas sobre un sistema educativo tan particular, que ha permitido a Japón contar con la materia gris indispensable para llegar a altos grados de desarrollo.The description of the different levels of the Japanese education leads the reader to analize the educational sistems and through the comparison think in the idea of changes in ones or others. The idea of excellence is learnt to the students in the first ages, but it's not a deshumanized excellence, but one which takes into account the common benefit. The high standards of exigence, the idea of comunnity and the universality in the education are the basis of the development of a country. Japón knows this. The author points out that students have many problems in the way through the different levels of learning. There are frustrations and they have influence in the social life. The text, ideas and personal experiences allows the reader to know more and ask himself about this peculiar educational system that led Japan to reach the top levels of economic development.Instituto de Relaciones Internacionales (IRI

EL SISTEMA EDUCATIVO ACTUAL DEL JAPON.

En españolEsta descripción de los diferentes niveles de enseñanza en Japón permite al lector apreciar los diferentes sistemas educativos que existen y a través de la comparación de los mismos podrá evaluar la posibilidad de introducir cambios en uno o en otro. Las ideas de excelencia que priman en Japón, se inculcan en los estudios desde muy pequeños, pero no una excelencia deshumanizada, sino en función del bienestar común. La exigencia educativa, la idea de comunidad y la universalidad de la enseñanza son bases para el buen desenvolvimiento de un país. Japón esto lo sabe. La autora señala asimismo, las dificultades y frustaciones que aquejan a los alumnos en el momento de pasar al siguiente nivel y las repercusiones sociales que ello tiene. Esta exposición donde se combinan números, ideas y relatos personales de los alumnos, permiten al lector conocer en profundidad y cuestionarse muchas cosas sobre un sistema educativo tan particular, que ha permitido a Japón contar con la materia gris indispensable para llegar a altos grados de desarrollo.En inglésThe description of the different levels of the Japanese education leads the reader to analize the educational sistems and through the comparison think in the idea of changes in ones or others. The idea of excellence is learnt to the students in the first ages, but it's not a deshumanized excellence, but one which takes into account the common benefit. The high standards of exigence, the idea of comunnity and the universality in the education are the basis of the development of a country. Japón knows this. The author points out that students have many problems in the way through the different levels of learning. There are frustrations and they have influence in the social life. The text, ideas and personal experiences allows the reader to know more and ask himself about this peculiar educational system that led Japan to reach the top levels of economic development

Allelopathic assessment of selected tree species from BRIS soil

Laboratory experiments were conducted to screen the allelopathic activity of the leaf litter leachate and leaf volatilization of ten different tree species by using sandwich and dish pack method, respectively. The leaves from ten tree species that were collected from Besut District of Terengganu were used as plant materials of donor plants. The site of the study was composed of BRIS (Beach Ridges Interspersed with Swales) soil. Lactuca sativa (lettuce) were used as the receptor plants for both methods. In sandwich method, the lettuce seedlings growths were tested using different amounts of leaf litter (5 mg, 10 mg and 50 mg) in agar media. Whilst, in dish pack method, the lettuce seedlings growth were evaluated through the different distances of the leaves from donor plants towards the lettuce seedlings (41 mm, 58 mm, 82 mm and 92 mm). The results from sandwich method showed that the highest radicle inhibition was by Tamarindus indica (81%) followed by Terminalia catappa (57.22%) and Leucaena leucocephala (54.13%); whereas, the highest hypocotyl inhibition was by Tamarindus indica (63.70%), followed by Leucaena leucocephala (27.75%) and Melaleuca cajuputi (27.08%). On the other hand, for the dish pack method, the leaf volatilization of Acacia mangium (33.80%) showed the highest inhibition of radicle while Melaleuca cajuputi (29.69%) showed the highest inhibition of hypocotyl compared to nine other species. The screening test of leaf litter leachate and leaf volatilization in these experiments provided the clear clue for the presence of allelochemicals in the tree species in BRIS soil. The leaf litter leachate of screened tree species were found to be more allelopathic than leaf volatilization. It is recommended that further research be conducted on the identification and characterization of allelochemicals using these data as benchmark information for development of botanical natural herbicides from tree species