Scopus 2020
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/49501
Browse
Recent Submissions
Publication Metadata only Simulation-based assembly line balancing in u-shaped, parallel u-shaped, and parallel adjacent u-shaped layouts(2020-12-14) P. Doung; R. Sirovetnukul; J. Ren; Liverpool John Moores University; Mahidol University© 2020 IEEE. This research focuses on simulation-based assembly line balancing by investigating three configurations in U-shaped assembly lines. The names of the three layouts are U-shaped lines, parallel U-shaped lines (PUL), and parallel adjacent U-shaped lines (PAUL). Since PUL and PAUL were proposed with limited implementations, this study adopts secondary data from a real case industry and models the selected layouts using ARENA simulation. Simulation results are utilized to compare the performances of the three layouts in terms of the number of workstations, line efficiency, and workload smoothness. Some tradeoffs are observed and discussed for the layouts and the selected KPIs. The results show that PAUL outperforms the U-shaped and PUL, but its average waiting time increases due to the least number of operators. Also, the total outputs lower as the cycle time increases. PAUL is a promising layout for improvement and implementation.Publication Metadata only Game-based learning tool for photography(2020-11-16) Napat Romlamduan; Worapan Kusakunniran; Mahidol University© 2020 IEEE. Nowadays, it is convenient to gain new knowledge and skills by learning from the internet. However, some contents may be hard to understand just by reading texts. Photography knowledge is one of those, in which learner may need a large amount of time and cost to practice it. Therefore, this paper provides an alternative way of a game-based learning tool. It simulates a camera into a game combining with a story and some challenges of engagement. It is designed such that a photography knowledge can be delivered to learners through this developed game. To validate this assumption, 25 participants are asked to join our experiment. They are asked to do a pre-test, play our game, and do a post-test. Then, they are asked to answer questionnaires regarding effectiveness and benefits of the proposed game. It is shown that the participants could improve their scores from the pre-test of 44% to the post-test of 89%, regarding the understanding of photography knowledge. Also, the questionnaires' results show that our game could help the participants to gain the knowledge.Publication Metadata only Successful treatment of normocomplementemic urticarial vasculitis with omalizumab: A report of three cases and literature review(2020-12-01) Teerapong Rattananukrom; Pranee Svetvilas; Kumutnart Chanprapaph; Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol UniversityUrticarial vasculitis (UV) is a rare form of cutaneous leukocytoclastic vasculitis with persistent urticarial lesions. UV may be severe and refractory to standard treatment including antihistamines, anti-inflammatories, antimalarials, corticosteroids and immunosuppressants. Omalizumab, an anti-IgE antibody, is approved for chronic spontaneous urticaria. However, its benefit for UV remains controversial. We report, herein, three patients with normocomplementemic UV and angioedema. All patients were diagnosed with chronic urticaria preceding the presentation of painful urticarial plaques. The diagnosis of UV was confirmed by skin biopsy and/or direct immunofluorescence. All patients had none or minimal response to standard treatments. Initial omalizumab dosing of 150 mg was administered subcutaneously (SC), however, increment to 300 mg monthly was necessary in 2 patients to control the disease. All 3 patients remained in complete remission after minimum follow up period of 9 months. To conclude, omalizumab has shown to be beneficial for severe normocomplementemic UV in our series.Publication Metadata only Reflecting properties of ornamental plants for directing traffic in public park(2020-12-08) S. Soontornyatara; S. Phanchai; K. Khaobang; Mahidol University© 2020 International Society for Horticultural Science. All rights reserved. An effective way to reduce electricity consumption is planting of ornamental plants that have light-reflecting properties along the traffic path in public parks. This research project focused on 60 ornamental plant species that have light-reflecting properties. Plant samples were categorized into three groups; tree, shrub, and ground cover group. The experiment was arranged in a completely randomized design (CRD) with 10 replications. The experiment was carried out in a 1.45 m chamber that adjusted the condition to imitate the surrounding of a public park at night. Ten mature leaves per sample were collected and then placed at the center of the completely dark room. After that, the light bulb was turned on for 20 min. A light meter, model LI-250A was used as a tool for measuring the intensity level of the leaf reflected-light. The results revealed that the most light-reflective leaf of each plant group, the tree group was Pisonia grandis, with an average reflectance level of 5.66 lx. For the small shrub group, the highest average light intensity of 5.73 lx was obtained from Dieffenbachia seguine 'Tropic Snow? For the ground cover group, Pandanus baptistii 'Aureus?showed the highest average reflective of 6.16 lx. These three species are the most appropriate plant for directing traffic in public park.Publication Metadata only Chitin and Chitosan Derivatives as Biomaterial Resources for Biological and Biomedical Applications(2020-12-16) Saravut Satitsri; Chatchai Muanprasat; Mahidol UniversityChitin is a long-chain polymer of N-acetyl-glucosamine, which is regularly found in the exoskeleton of arthropods including insects, shellfish and the cell wall of fungi. It has been known that chitin can be used for biological and biomedical applications, especially as a biomaterial for tissue repairing, encapsulating drug for drug delivery. However, chitin has been postulated as an inducer of proinflammatory cytokines and certain diseases including asthma. Likewise, chitosan, a long-chain polymer of N-acetyl-glucosamine and d-glucosamine derived from chitin deacetylation, and chitosan oligosaccharide, a short chain polymer, have been known for their potential therapeutic effects, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiarrheal, and anti-Alzheimer effects. This review summarizes potential utilization and limitation of chitin, chitosan and chitosan oligosaccharide in a variety of diseases. Furthermore, future direction of research and development of chitin, chitosan, and chitosan oligosaccharide for biomedical applications is discussed.Publication Metadata only Circular economy approach for wastewater treatment farming in Bangpakong River basin(2020-12-09) N. Surinkul; S. Threedeach; W. Chiemchaisri; C. Chiemchaisri; Kasetsart University; Mahidol University; Suan Dusit University© 2020 Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd. Bangpakong River is one of river basins that faced the pollution problem in Thailand. This river is located in the downstream of central pain of Thailand and flows into the sea at the gulf of Thailand. Water quality problems in the last decade of this river basin are appeared from the low water quality index with evidences such as dead of fish, black color of water, low Dissolved Oxygen (DO) concentrations, high organics and nutrients concentrations, high contaminated of coliform bacteria. All wastewater is controlled by the environmental law. Only wastewater from agriculture part is not yet properly managed. The objective of this study was to quantify the mass and material flows in agricultural farms such as pig, fish and prawn farms. Circular economy concept as reuse of wastewater in agricultural farms was approached in scenario. Surveys, questionnaires and water samplings were taken for farms. Information and mass flows within the farms were analyzed. This study found that the main source of pollution from these farms mostly resulted from the effluent of wastewater in term of Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Total Nitrogen (TN) loads, were discharged into the environment. The hot spot areas were canals which flow to the river. Mass flows in pig farm revealed that BOD and TN loads to the environment were 90, and 120 tons/year. In which, calculated thresholds were 30 and 60 tons/year for BOD and TN. Similar results also found from aquaculture farms which contributes BOD and TN loads of 187 and 77 tons/year for fish farms and 156 and 84 tons for prawn farms. In this study, calculated reuse as circular economy approach about 50% of farm wastewater to agricultural field could provide the key role of BOD and TN reduction to the environment, and meeting the threshold level.Publication Metadata only Sustainable development: Gender equality as corporate social responsibility by mining companies(2020-01-01) Nattavud Pimpa; Mahidol UniversityCopyright © 2020 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd. The gendered impacts of mining industry on women is critical for mining companies. A key challenge for the management of sustainable development programs for gender equality is the need to develop sophisticated approaches that work at the local and international levels. In this paper, the researcher investigates the impact of CSR programs on women through the perceptions and life experiences of female workers and various members of the mining community in La PDRs. The results show that CSR programs on women employment, social roles of women in the organisation, health promotion, and vocational training can influence the likelihood of sustainable development by mining companies. However, the extent to which mining companies can be considered focus and accountable development agents remains limited due to the instrumental nature of development-oriented CSR programs.Publication Metadata only Cryopreservation of Paphiopedilum exul (Ridl.) Rolfe seeds using encapsulation-vitrification and encapsulation-dehydration methods(2020-12-08) T. Imsomboon; K. Thammasiri; Mahidol University© 2020 International Society for Horticultural Science. All rights reserved. Paphiopedilum exul (Ridl.) Rolfe seeds were cryopreserved using encapsulation-vitrification method (EV) and encapsulation-dehydration method (ED). For EV method, P. exul seeds were dehydrated with PVS2 solution for 0, 20, 40, 60, and 120 min. For ED method P. exul seeds were dehydrated with a laminar air-flow cabinet for 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0 h. Dehydrated P. exul seeds were plunged into liquid nitrogen (LN) for 1 h. All treatments were cultured on MS agar medium in dark condition at 25±2°C for 8 w, and then moved to culture in light condition at 25±2°C for another 8 w (white fluorescent at intensity of 37 μmol m-2 s-1 for 16 h d-1). For control treatment, dehydrated P. exul seeds were done with the same step of EV and ED methods, but were not plunged into LN. The results showed that the optimum treatment for EV method was using PVS2 solution for 40 min. It gave seed germination percentage at 29.68% and growth index (GI) at 2.03. For ED method, the optimum treatment was using a laminar air-flow cabinet for 2 h. It gave seed germination percentage at 14.02% and GI at 2.2. When comparing seed germination percentage and GI of EV and ED conditions with unpaired t-test, the suitable treatment for cryopreservation P. exul seeds was EV methods that used PVS2 solution for 40 min in dehydration step.Publication Metadata only The Intestinal Efflux Transporter Inhibition Activity of Xanthones from Mangosteen Pericarp: An In Silico, In Vitro and Ex Vivo Approach(2020-12-11) Panudda Dechwongya; Songpol Limpisood; Nawong Boonnak; Supachoke Mangmool; Mariko Takeda-Morishita; Thitianan Kulsirirat; Pattarawit Rukthong; Korbtham Sathirakul; Mahidol University; Thaksin University; Kobe Gakuin University; Srinakharinwirot UniversityThe capacity of α-mangostin (α-MG) and β-mangostin (β-MG) from mangosteen pericarp on P-glycoprotein (Pgp) in silico, in vitro, and ex vivo was investigated in this study. Screening with the ADMET Predictor™ program predicted the two compounds to be both a Pgp inhibitor and Pgp substrate. The compounds tended to interact with Pgp and inhibit Pgp ATPase activity. Additionally, bidirectional transport on Caco-2 cell monolayers demonstrated a significantly lower efflux ratio than that of the control (α-(44.68) and β-(46.08) MG versus the control (66.26); p < 0.05) indicating an inhibitory effect on Pgp activity. Test compounds additionally revealed a downregulation of MDR1 mRNA expression. Moreover, an ex vivo absorptive transport in everted mouse ileum confirmed the previous results that α-MG had a Pgp affinity inhibitor, leading to an increase in absorption of the Pgp substrate in the serosal side. In conclusion, α- and β-MG have the capability to inhibit Pgp and they also alter Pgp expression, which makes them possible candidates for reducing multidrug resistance. Additionally, they influence the bioavailability and transport of Pgp substrate drugs.Publication Metadata only Nuclear targeted Saccharomyces cerevisiae asparagine synthetases associate with the mitotic spindle regardless of their enzymatic activity(2020-12-01) Chalongrat Noree; Naraporn Sirinonthanawech; Mahidol University© 2020 Noree, Sirinonthanawech. Recently, human asparagine synthetase has been found to be associated with the mitotic spindle. However, this event cannot be seen in yeast because yeast takes a different cell division process via closed mitosis (there is no nuclear envelope breakdown to allow the association between any cytosolic enzyme and mitotic spindle). To find out if yeast asparagine synthetase can also (but hiddenly) have this feature, the coding sequences of green fluorescent protein (GFP) and nuclear localization signal (NLS) were introduced downstream of ASN1 and ASN2, encoding asparagine synthetases Asn1p and Asn2p, respectively, in the yeast genome having mCherrry coding sequence downstream of TUB1 encoding alpha-tubulin, a building block of the mitotic spindle. The genomically engineered yeast strains showed co-localization of Asn1p-GFP-NLS (or Asn2p-GFP-NLS) and Tub1pmCherry in dividing nuclei. In addition, an activity-disrupted mutation was introduced to ASN1 (or ASN2). The yeast mutants still exhibited co-localization between defective asparagine synthetase and mitotic spindle, indicating that the biochemical activity of asparagine synthetase is not required for its association with the mitotic spindle. Furthermore, nocodazole treatment was used to depolymerize the mitotic spindle, resulting in lack of association between the enzyme and the mitotic spindle. Although yeast cell division undergoes closed mitosis, preventing the association of its asparagine synthetase with the mitotic spindle, however, by using yeast constructs with re-localized Asn1/2p have suggested the moonlighting role of asparagine synthetase in cell division of higher eukaryotes.Publication Metadata only Anti-Platelet Aggregation and Anti-Cyclooxygenase Activities for a Range of Coffee Extracts (Coffea arabica)(2020-12-22) Nuntouchaporn Hutachok; Pongsak Angkasith; Chaiwat Chumpun; Suthat Fucharoen; Ian J. Mackie; John B. Porter; Somdet Srichairatanakool; UCL Medical School; Mahidol University; Chiang Mai University; Royal Project FoundationCoffee is rich in caffeine (CF), chlorogenic acid (CGA) and phenolics. Differing types of coffee beverages and brewing procedures may result in differences in total phenolic contents (TPC) and biological activities. Inflammation and increases of platelet activation and aggregation can lead to thrombosis. We focused on determining the chemical composition, antioxidant activity and inhibitory effects on agonist-induced platelet aggregation and cyclooxygenase (COX) of coffee beverages in relation to their preparation method. We prepared instant coffee and brewed coffee beverages using drip, espresso, and boiling techniques. Coffee extracts were assayed for their CF and CGA contents using HPLC, TPC using colorimetry, platelet aggregation with an aggregometer, and COX activity using ELISA. The findings have shown all coffee extracts, except the decaffeinated types, contained nearly equal amounts of CF, CGA, and TPC. Inhibitory effects of coffee extracts on platelet aggregation differed depending on the activation pathways induced by different agonists. All espresso, drip and boiled coffee extracts caused dose dependent inhibition of platelet aggregation induced by ADP, collagen, epinephrine, and arachidonic acid (ARA). The most marked inhibition was seen at low doses of collagen or ARA. Espresso and drip extracts inhibited collagen-induced platelet aggregation more than purified caffeine or CGA. Espresso, boiled and drip coffee extracts were also a more potent inhibitors of COX-1 and COX-2 than purified caffeine or CGA. We conclude that inhibition of platelet aggregation and COX-1 and COX-2 may contribute to anti-platelet and anti-inflammatory effects of espresso and drip coffee extracts.Publication Metadata only Water Level Detection from CCTV Cameras using a Deep Learning Approach(2020-11-16) Punyanuch Borwarnginn; Jason H. Haga; Worapan Kusakunniran; National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology; Mahidol University© 2020 IEEE. Natural disasters are a global problem that causes widespread losses and damage. A system to provide timely information is required in order to help reduce losses. Flooding is one of the major natural disasters that requires a monitoring and detection system. The traditional flood detection systems use remote sensors such as river water levels and rainfall to provide information to both disaster management professionals and the general public. There is an attempt to use visual information such as CCTV cameras to detect extreme flooding events; however, it requires human experts and consistent attention to monitor any changes. In this paper, we introduce an approach to the automatic river water level detection using deep learning to determine the water level from surveillance cameras. The model achieves 93% accuracy using a single camera location and 83% accuracy using multiple camera locations.Publication Metadata only A hybrid electronic nose system for discrimination of pathogenic bacterial volatile compounds(2020-12-21) Thara Seesaard; Chadinee Thippakorn; Teerakiat Kerdcharoen; Sumana Kladsomboon; Kanchanaburi Rajabhat University; Mahidol University© The Royal Society of Chemistry. A hybrid electronic nose comprising an array of three organic-inorganic nanocomposite gas sensors [zinc tetra tert-butyl phthalocyanine (ZnTTBPc), zinc tetra-phenyl porphyrin (ZnTPP), and cobalt tetraphenyl-porphyrin (CoTPP)] coupled with three commercial metal-oxide semiconductor gas sensors (TGS 2444, TGS 2603 and TGS 2620) was developed to discriminate bacterial volatile compounds. Each type of gas sensor had its own strengths and weaknesses in terms of its capability to detect complex odors from the five different bacterial species tested. Bacterial samples were controlled at a fixed initial bacterial concentration by measuring the optical density at 600 nm of the culture suspensions. A comparative evaluation of the volatile compound fingerprints from five bacterial species grown in Luria-Bertani medium was conducted to identify the optimal incubation time for detection of volatile biomarkers to discriminate among bacteria. The results suggest that the hybrid electronic nose was indeed able to discriminate among the bacterial species and culture media, with a variance based on contributions of 92.4% from PC1 and 7.2% from PC2, at an incubation time of 6 hours. Furthermore, the results of hierarchical cluster analysis showed that bacterial odor data formed two major bacterial groups, with the maximum cluster distance close to 25. Intra-group similarity was demonstrated as the two bacterial species (E. cloacae and P. aeruginosa) from among the Gram-negative bacteria had a greater similarity with a cluster distance close to 4. Finally, the minimum distance between E. cloacae and S. Typhi was approximately 1, at an equal distance from E. coli and S. aureus.Publication Metadata only An efficient in vitro plantlet regeneration of an ornamental aquatic plant Anubias heterophylla through shoot tip culture(2020-12-08) S. Rittirat; S. Klaocheed; K. Thammasiri; A. Walam; Nakhon Si Thammarat Rajabhat University; Mahidol University; Prince of Songkla University© 2020 International Society for Horticultural Science. All rights reserved. Anubias heterophylla is a commercially important ornamental aquatic plant species with traditional uses. Due to the low growth of plantlets, propagation by conventional means has been met with many difficulties. In this study, an efficient micropropagation protocol of a valuable ornamental aquatic plant, Anubias heterophylla, was developed successfully. Plant regeneration of Anubias heterophylla was achieved through organogenesis in shoot tip cultures. Multiple shoots were induced from cultured shoot tips on a MS (Murashige and Skoog, 1962) medium supplemented with 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and 1-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). 100% of shoot regeneration frequency and 3.40±0.24 shoots explant-1 were achieved when cultured on a medium supplemented with 3.0 mg L-1 BAP. The multiple shoots formed vigorous growth on agar-gelled medium with well-developed leaves and roots after 60 days of culture. Acclimatization was done in a humid growth chamber for two weeks and the plantlets were gradually transferred to the greenhouse. More than 97% in vitro plants survived and grew vigorously without any morphological abnormalities during acclimatization in the greenhouse. The current protocol was the first reported on successful establishment of in vitro clonal propagation of A. heterophylla. This phytohormones and shoot tip explants based micropropagation can open up the route for in vitro clonal multiplication of this commercially important Anubias species.Publication Metadata only Getting to know one's role in team through personality-based clustering(2020-11-04) Jidapa Kraisangka; Wudhichart Sawangphol; Punnawich Rojcharoenpreeda; Chosita Tangchadakorn; Mathas Vechjatuporn; Chanya Limpasitiponm; Panumas Itthisaeng; Sirapat Boonwan; Mahidol University; AIS Academy Assessment CenterCopyright © JCSSE 2020 - 17th International Joint Conf. on Computer Science and Software Engineering. Matching a person to the right job with the right role has been a challenge for any organizations. In addition to the general criteria from the resume, we can use personality data from the personality test to identify the suitable role of an employee in the team. In this paper, we explore the characteristic of roles in the team through the personality-based clustering. Data from the personality assessment of the 573 anonymous employees were used in the analysis. After the series of experiments, we obtained the optimal model with k-mean algorithm (k = 3). We further verified the clusters with the psychologists to identify the role of each employee in the team characterized by each cluster. As a result, together with the psychologist research team, we identified three main roles in a team, including logicians, supporters, and adapters.Publication Metadata only Heuristic algorithms for surveyor standby location planning with multiple plans(2020-01-01) Rawee Suwandechochai; Wasin Padungwech; Mahidol University; Science© 2020, North Atlantic University Union NAUN. All rights reserved. This paper concerns a location problem which arises from an auto insurance company which aims to meet customers’ satisfaction by sending their surveyors to accident locations as promptly as possible. The goal of the problem is to find a suitable set of locations at which the surveyors stand by and to determine coverage area for each standby location by using heuristic algorithms. One challenge of this problem is that the number and locations of accidents can vary from time to time and may not be evenly distributed over a given time horizon. In this paper, a computational study is conducted to make a comparison between standby location planning strategies that involve one and two plans. For the strategies with two plans, several strategies for deciding when to switch between the plans are investigated. Experimental studies suggest that using multiple standby location plan throughout the time horizon can improve the efficiency of surveyors in terms of their total distance. Moreover, compared with usual rules of splitting dates such as weekdays versus weekends, the total distance can be reduced by switching between the location plans according to classification of dates by k-means clustering based on historical data of accident frequencies on each day.Publication Metadata only Development of a fluorescent distance-based paper device using loop-mediated isothermal amplification to detect: Escherichia coli in urine(2020-12-21) Natkrittaya Saengsawang; Toon Ruang-Areerate; Piyanate Kesakomol; Thanyapit Thita; Mathirut Mungthin; Wijitar Dungchai; Mahidol University; King Mongkut s University of Technology Thonburi; Phramongkutklao College of Medicine© 2021 The Royal Society of Chemistry. The highly sensitive and selective determination of Escherichia coli (E. coli) in urine was achieved using a SYBR™ safe loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method with a distance-based paper device. New primers set specific to multi-copy the 16s rRNA gene of E. coli were designed and used in this study. The detection sensitivity of these primers was higher than in related work and they could be incorporated with a low-cost paper-based device to quantify E. coli in urine at a concentration lower than 101 CFU mL-1. Regarding standard artificial urine, a linear range of a 10-fold dilution of E. coli concentration (105-100 CFU mL-1) with an R-square value (R2) = 0.9823 was observed directly using a fluorescent migratory distance of the 4 μL reaction mixture in the detection zone under blue light without the need for postreaction staining process. Based on the device, E. coli infection could be significantly categorized into 3 groups; none, light, and heavy levels, which is beneficial for UTI diagnosis. Hence, this paper-based device is suitable for use with the SYBR™ Safe-LAMP assay to semi-quantify E. coli, especially in resource-limited settings due to advantages of low cost, simple fabrication and operation, and no requirement for sophisticated instruments, as well as its disposability and portability.Publication Metadata only Sphere-like and flake-like ZnO immobilized on pineapple leaf fibers as easy-to-recover photocatalyst for the degradation of congo red(2020-01-01) Siraprapha Deebansok; Taweechai Amornsakchai; Pannagorn Sae-Ear; Punnama Siriphannon; Siwaporn Meejoo Smith; King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang; Mahidol University© 2020 Elsevier Ltd. This work reports immobilization of ZnO photocatalyst on very fine pineapple leaf fiber (PALFs) by a by polyelectrolyte coating method, for the removal of colored pollutants from water stream, allowing for simple recovery after use. It also emphasizes on the effect of defect structure containing in ZnO of hierarchical sphere-like and flake-like morphologies on the color removal performance. The photocatalytic activity of ZnO/PALFs for degradation of congo red (CR) dye was examined under static (dark) and UV/visible irradiation conditions, and effective color removal (>95 %) was achieved, as the results of adsorption and photo-oxidation processes. Results from photoluminescence and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy suggested that the sphere-like ZnO, bearing zinc vacancies (VZn), zinc interstitials (Zni), singly ionized oxygen vacancies (Vo+), and oxygen vacancies (Vo), has superior photocatalytic activity up to 3.6 times compared to that of flake-like ZnO. With the recyclability up to 3 cycles (>84 % color removal efficiencies), the ZnO immobilized on PALFs have shown a great promise as an easy-to-recover photocatalyst for the removal of colored pollutants in wastewater treatment processes.Publication Metadata only Chromatographical profiles and microscopical characteristics of four Callicarpa species leaf samples collected in Thailand(2020-12-08) P. Sithisarn; S. Muensaen; S. Jarikasem; Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (TISTR); Mahidol University© 2020 International Society for Horticultural Science. All rights reserved. The genus Callicarpa is a large and widespread genus in the family Lamiaceae. In Thailand, 12 species of Callicarpa have been identified with the presence of remarkable therapeutic effects, such as the treatment of abdominal troubles, amenorrhea, wounds, and asthma. Phytochemical and microscopical profiles of the leaf samples from four Callicarpa plants in Thailand; C. arborea Roxb., C. candicans (Burm. f.) Hochr., C. longifolia Lam., and C. rubella Lindl. were evaluated by chromatographic and microscopic techniques. Thin layer chromatographic (TLC) and high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) analysis suggested that all Callicarpa leaf methanol extracts showed similar chromatographic patterns with the major compounds corresponding to oleanolic acid and β-sitosterol. Only the leaf extract from C. candicans showed the presence of callicarpone, the compound that was previously reported to promote strong piscicidal effect. Microscopic analysis of plant powders showed that all selected Callicarpa leaf samples contained similar preliminary cells including epidermis, trichomes, fragments of lamina, and mesophyll layers. Six types of trichome; uni- and multi-cellular covering, stellate, candelabra, biramous/two-armed, and peltate glandular trichomes were found in these four selected Callicarpa leaves in different sizes and amounts. Therefore, the number, size, and type of the trichome could be used to differentiate Callicarpa species by microscopic technique. The information about the chromatographic fingerprints and microscopic characteristics from this study could be a guidance for quality control and setting up the specification of Callicarpa plant raw materials and extracts in the future.Publication Metadata only The discount factor for expected fundamentals: Evidence from a panel of 25 exchange rates(2020-01-01) Phornchanok Cumperayot; Roy Kouwenberg; Chulalongkorn University; Erasmus School of Economics; Mahidol University© 2020 CEPII (Centre d'Etudes Prospectives et d'Informations Internationales), a center for research and expertise on the world economy In asset pricing models the exchange rate is the discounted present value of expected economic fundamentals. Engel and West (2005) demonstrate that the well-known weak link between exchange rates and fundamentals, such as money supply, output, inflation and interest rates, is an implication of the model if the discount factor is close to one. Empirical evidence so far is limited. In this paper we estimate the discount factor in the money income model and the Taylor rule model for a large cross-section of 25 currencies, in the period 2001–2018. The results confirm that, on average, the discount factor is indeed close to one, while the estimate is lower for currencies of developing economies and at longer forecast horizons.