THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL NETWORK SITES AND SOCIAL ANXIETY AMONG UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYSIA UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS.

The study explore the relationship between social media communication and social anxiety among undergraduate students. The respondents were selected using a simple random technique. The data was collected by self-administered interview among 100 undergraduate students in Universiti Putra Malaysia. The Instruments used for data collection includes; Social Anxiety Questionnaire for Adults (SAQ-A30) and The Internet Addiction Test (IAT). Study revealed that Facebook was the most common social media patronized with 36 (36.70%) patronage, followed by Instagram with 33 (33.70%), WhatsApp 19 (19.40%) and finally Twitter with 10 (10.20%). Based on the respondents, most students use the social media for social communications and seeking information. The level of social anxiety among most undergraduate students of Human Ecology faculty in Universiti Putra Malaysia is high because approximately two third of the respondents possessed the higher score in social anxiety level. This implies that most undergraduate students of Universiti Putra Malaysia are up to date in information gathering and the use of social network has helped to facilitate social interaction among fellow students and friends thereby reducing the likelihood of students suffering social anxiety disorder.

Evaluation of Synthetic Epsps Gene in Genetically Transformed Plants

Codon optimized synthetic epsps gene was used to develop transgenic tobacco and sugarcane lines using Agrobacterium and biolistic approach, respectively. Putative transgenic tobacco lines analyzed by qRT-PCR showed variable mRNA transcript levels. Southern hybridization performed for determining gene integration patterns showed multiple copy inserts (1-4) of transgene in various tested lines. Immunoblot strips confirmed the translation of cp4-epsps mRNA transcripts in T1 line. Malachite green assay showed variable EPSPS activity levels in various lines in response to glyphosate application. Transgenic tobacco lines exposed to 1% (v/v) glyphosate at 4 to 5 leaf stage showed variable resistance levels ranging from moderate level tolerance to high tolerance. The cp4-epsps mRNA transcript levels varied from genotype to genotype in tested transgenic sugarcane lines regardless of the integration of multiple copy number (3-6) of transgene. Genetic transformation with pyramided constructs results in the integration of multiple genes at a single locus, which is desirable in terms of expression efficiency of transgenes. The cp4-epsps gene was pyramided with insect resistant cry1Ac and cry2Ab genes and cloned in pSb187 vector was used to genetically transform tobacco using Agrobacterium mediated approach. Transgenic lines were confirmed through PCR using gene specific primers of respective genes. The mRNA transcript level of cp4-epsps gene detected through qRT-PCR using GAPDH gene as an internal control was found to be variable among different transgenic lines. Transgenic lines were tested for checking the translational efficiency of all three genes using immunoblot strips. Transgenic tobacco lines found expressing all three proteins were subjected to detached leaf insect bioassays to evaluate the effectiveness of Bt genes in putative transgenic tobacco against insect attack using first instar larvae from Spodoptera littura and Helicoverpa armigera. Transgenic tobacco found to be resistant against these insects showed that cry1Ac and cry2Ab genes were efficient enough in pyramided form. When these transgenic tobacco lines were exposed to glyphosate at 10 to 12 leaf stage, chlorotic symptoms were observed which hinted that herbicide tolerance potential of transgene declined with increasing age of the plants. In order to overcome the spatio temporal gene expression issues, a dual copy epsps expression cassette synthesized under different regulatory elements, cloned in pGreen0029 binary vector was used to generate transgenic tobacco. These tobacco lines exhibited excellent resistance against 19% (v/v) glyphosate at 10-12 leaf stage. This construct has shown tremendous potential regarding transgene expression levels which is required in the field crops. This dual cassette cp4-epsps gene has been recommended for generation of glyphosate resistant cotton and other commercially important cultivars.