bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cultural Mapping and Urban Regeneration: Analyzing Emergent Narratives about Bilbao
Authors: Ortega Nuere Cristina , Bayón Fernando
Published: January 2016

The role of culture in urban regeneration should be studied at different levels. Cultural mapping gives us a new understanding of the historical processes that have transformed public spaces in cities whose productive models and social relationships have undergone critical changes, affecting how they project their identity inside and outside their boundaries. Our research focuses on the case study of Bilbao (Basque Country, Spain). The first part of the analysis centres on a critical interpretation of the importance granted to cultural infrastructures in areas that were most intensely exposed to the changes which are known as the ‘Guggenheim effect’ on the international scene. This study especially examines the tension between today’s transformations and managing memories from the past. The second part analyses cultural mapping practices developed in emerging areas of the city such as the Zorrotzaurre peninsula, which is the new focus of the metropolitan development scheme. The proposals chosen for this study foster democratic responsibility in city management by using new technologies. They enable us take a closer look at some of the city’s most innovative collaborative cultural mapping practices, methodology and processes, as well as the theoretical frameworks that inspired them. Lastly, a proposal is put forth to implement participatory cultural mapping to identify the spillover effects of the cultural and creative industries located in renewed urban spaces.Keywords: cultural mapping, Bilbao, urban regeneration, social memory, creative citiesRésumé: Le rôle de la culture dans les stratégies de régénération urbaine devrait être étudié à plusieurs niveaux. La pratique de la cartographie culturelle révèle l’importance des processus historiques et des transformations identitaires à l’oeuvre dans les villes où les modèles productifs ont subi d’importantes mutations. Cet article met en évidence le cas de la ville de Bilbao dans le Pays basque espagnol. La première partie de cet article discute des incidences de « l’effet Guggenheim » sur l’ensemble des infrastructures culturelles de la ville. Cette partie met en relief la transformation et les enjeux mémoriels qui en découlent. La seconde partie de cet article discute de la cartographie culturelle de la péninsule de Zorrotzaurre, une partie de la vielle en pleine effervescence. Cet article adopte une attitude de responsabilisation démocratique dans son utilisation des nouvelles technologies pour la gestion municipale. Cet aspect est développé dans une réflexion sur l’usage des technologies, sur la participation publique l’impact des industries culturelles et creatives sur les éspaces urbaines rénouvelées.Mots clé: cartographie culturelle, Bilbao, régénération urbaine, mémoire sociale, villes créatives
Mapping Culture in the Waterloo Region: Exploring Dispersed Cultural Communities and Clustered Cultural Scenes in a Medium-sized City Region
Authors: Deveau Danielle J. , Goodrum Abby
Published: January 2016

Currently undergoing rapid growth due primarily to a thriving tech sector, the Waterloo Region is increasingly concerned with the attraction and retention of key labour talent. Aspects of the creative economy, such as vibrant cultural scenes, nightlife, public spaces, and leisure amenities have been specifically identified by key stakeholders as vital to the continued growth and success of the region. While creative people certainly live and work in the Waterloo Region, labour shortages linked to challenges of worker attraction and retention indicate that the current talent base is not sufficient to meet regional economic needs. In this article, we engage critically with creative economy typologies which have been taken up in local cultural planning and explore some of the gaps and oversights that such ‘one-size-fits-all’ creative city models have in medium-sized post-industrial urban centres. Analyzed through the lens of cultural mapping methodologies, the region offers a valuable case study as it works to rebrand itself, altering its cultural fortunes through concerted city-building efforts.Keywords: cultural mapping, scenes, liveability, urban planning, vibrancyRésumé: La région de Waterloo est préoccupée et ce, de manière croissante, par l’attraction et la rétention d’une main-d’oeuvre qualifiée en raison notamment de son prolifique secteur des technologies. Les aspects culturels de l’économie créative tels une vie culturelle riche, la vie nocturne, les espaces publics et les équipements de loisirs ont été identifiés comme des éléments essentiels par les parties-prenantes de la région comme des éléments essentiels au succès de la région. Alors que des acteurs de l’économie créative résident effectivement dans la région de Waterloo, la pénurie de main-d’oeuvre associée aux défis de l’attractivité et à la rétention du talent laissent entendre que les efforts actuels sont insuffisants pour rencontrer les besoins de la région. Dans cet article, les typologies de l’économie créative d’usage dans la planification culturelle locale seront abordées afin de mettre en relief les failles et lacunes de certains modèles peu adaptés aux espaces urbains de taille moyenne et aux centres urbains de type post-industriel. En se basant sur la méthodologie de la cartographie culturelle, cette étude de cas de la région offre plusieurs constats utiles à la compréhension des stratégies de production d’image de marque au niveau régional.Mots clé: cartographie culturelle, scènes culturelles, habitabilité, planification urbaine, dynamisme
Cultural Planning in the Eastern Pori Suburbs: Applicability of the Approach?
Authors: Häyrynen Maunu
Published: January 2016

This paper describes an attempt to apply cultural planning in a group of high-rise suburbs with an aging population in the mid-size city of Pori, on the West Coast of Finland. First, the background of the project and the motive for adopting a cultural planning approach is explained. A preceding pilot study on cultural planning in Finland is described, providing background information about the recent spread of the approach into the country and the current state of cultural planning processes. Second, the starting points and conceptual framework of the cultural planning project are briefly discussed in the light of research literature. After that, the objectives of the cultural mapping phase and the baseline studies linked with it are elaborated. Cultural resources of the Eastern Pori suburbs, as identified in the mapping, are analyzed. Prescriptions for cultural development follow, based on collaborative planning and focusing on public spaces and community art in the Eastern suburbs. Finally, the further applicability of cultural planning in the Finnish context is assessed, judging from the Pori experience.Keywords: cultural planning, cultural mapping, co-creation, suburbs, FinlandRésumé: Cet article met en relief l’expérience de la mise en oeuvre d’un projet de planification culturelle à Pori (en Finlande), une banlieue de taille moyenne, à la population vieillissante et caractérisée par ses nombreux gratte-ciels. Après avoir discuté du contexte entourant ce projet, cet article aborde les tentatives de planification culturelle antérieures à ce projet tout en situant ce projet en rapport à d’autres expériences de planification culturelle réalisées en Finlande. Après avoir mis en évidence les grandes orientations théoriques appuyant le propos de cet article, le cas de la partie est de la ville de Pori est analysé et les données de la cartographie culturelle sont mises en évidence. Cet article apporte de nombreux constats qui participent à alimenter le débat et à enrichir la pratique de la planification culturelle en Finlande.Mots clé: planification culturelle, cartographie culturelle, co-création, la banlieue, Finlande
Arteria – A Regional Cultural Mapping Project in Portugal
Authors: Veronnezzi João Luís , Carvalho Claudia Pato
Published: January 2016

This paper discusses the relation between cultural mapping and participatory community cultural mapping, proposing the integration of a mobile device application (app) in the cultural mapping process of the Arteria project. This application aims to expand the notion of cultural appropriation by exploring how citizens can make crucial contributions to the cultural mapping process. This technology will evolve from and improve Arteria’s digital platform/website by boosting the processes of collection and registration of tangible and intangible cultural assets and the dissemination of registered cultural assets. The app will also enhance the connection among socio-cultural actors and improve the quality of community involvement in the cultural, social, and political dynamics of this cultural mapping project. To justify the need for such a tool, an overview of the project’s intent, objectives, and activities is presented, as well as its philosophy of intervention in local communities.Keywords: Arteria, community involvement, cultural mapping, cultural technology, mobile appRésumé: Cet article discute de l’introduction d’une application mobile dans le processus de cartographie culturelle du projet Arteria et met en évidence les liens entre planification culturelle et participation. L’application mobile vise à approfondir le sens de l’appropriation culturelle en explorant en quoi la participation citoyenne peut enrichir les processus de cartographie culturelle. La participation en ligne permettra d’enrichir les données et la plateforme d’Arteria en y ajoutant des références aux propriétés tangibles et intangibles de la culture urbaine. Cet article discute en quoi cette application mobile permettra d’enrichir les liens entre les acteurs socio-culturels et en quoi elle permettra également d’ajouter à la qualité de la participation et de l’implication citoyenne en tenant compte des dynamiques politiques de ces formes de planification.Mots clé: Arteria, participation de la communauté, cartographie culturelle, technologie culturelle, application mobile
Mapping the Intangibilities of the Historic Centre of Porto: ParticipA(C)TION (and its Challenges) in Cultural Mapping Projects
Authors: Romeiro Patrícia
Published: January 2016

This article focuses on cultural mapping projects as a strategy for urban development. In particular, it analyzes how one of the most important cultural mapping matrices – its participatory mission – can be operationalized. Moving away from other projects where participation is merely rhetoric or is interpreted with little depth (for example, exchange of information, consultation), the public project Manobras no Porto serves to analyze: 1) how a broad and deep concept of participation can be implemented in practice (and under what circumstances can it be successful) and 2) what kind of results can be achieved. In addition to the potential practical interest, the article also aims to contribute to deepening the debate on cultural mapping. The analysis clearly shows that participation involves a large and complex set of motivations and abilities, and that understanding how cultural mapping projects are developed (and their impact on the territory) requires that they be understood as exercises of negotiation between the agents involved.Keywords: cultural mapping, participation, governance, urban development, ‘Manobras no Porto’ project, PortugalRésumé: Cet article discute de l’importance de la cartographie culturelle en tant que stratégie de développement urbain. En particulier, cet article analyse en quoi la mission participative de la cartographie culturelle peut être opérationnalisée. De plus, cet article prend une distance visà-vis des projets où la participation revêt un caractère strictement rhétorique ou symbolique se limitant à l’échange d’information ou à la consultation et ce, afin d’aborder des expériences où la participation s’exprime de manière plus complète. Afin d’élaborer sur la question, le propos s’appuie sur le projet de Manobras no Porto afin d’analyser : 1) la portée et la profondeur des méthodes de participatives ainsi que les circonstances qui participent à leur succès; 2) le type de résultants auquel l’on peut s’attendre. En plus des enjeux pratiques soulevés par cette étude, cet article vise à contribuer à l’approfondissement théorique de la question de la cartographie culturelle. L’analyse met clairement en évidence la diversité des aptitudes et motivations découlant de la participation à la cartographie culturelle. Il devient alors essentiel que le sens et les enjeux de la cartographie culturelle soient négociés par les acteurs concernés.Mots clé: cartographie culturelle, participation, gouvernance, développement urbain, projet ‘Manobras no Porto’, Portugal
Engaging Citizens in Cultural Planning with a Web Map Survey
Authors: Nummi Pilvi , Tzoulas Tuija
Published: January 2016

This article discusses the use of a web map survey tool for cultural mapping in Nikkilä, in the municipality of Sipoo, Finland. Nikkilä has in place an ongoing cultural planning and development process that involves collaborative planning between the municipal urban planning department and the cultural department. Cultural planning is a culturally sensitive approach in urban development. The main goal in cultural planning is to study ‘sense of place’ and discover what makes the place distinctive. The starting point of the process is to study the experiences and visions of local inhabitants and other public stakeholders regarding the area and its resources. Cultural mapping is a central part of a process that aims to increase the welfare and attractiveness of Nikkilä by utilizing existing cultural resources. This paper describes the participative design process of the web map survey, which was used as a cultural mapping tool to engage citizens to participate in the cultural planning process. Based on the case study, we are convinced that a web map survey is suitable for use as a cultural mapping tool. However, to achieve a good result it is necessary to invest in the design as well as the marketing of the survey. User-centred methods, such as collaborative planning, can be used to engage different user groups in the design of the survey. The earlier that prospective respondents can be involved in the collaborative design of a survey, the better results can be expected, quantitative as well as qualitative.Keywords: web map survey, cultural mapping, citizen participation, public participation geographic information systems (PPGIS)Résumé: Cet article discute de l’introduction d’outils de cartographie web dans le cadre de la planification culturelle de Nikkilä, dans la municipalité de Sipoo en Finlande. La zone de Nikkilä a depuis longtemps mis en place un processus de planification culturelle en collaboration avec le Département de planification urbaine et le Département de la culture. La planification culturelle est une activité sensible dont l’objectif principal consiste à cerner ce qui participe à l’identité d’un espace de la ville, et permettant de relever ce qui lui confère son caractère distinct. Pour Nikkilä, la planification culturelle permet de mettre en lien les ressources culturelles disponibles afin de rendre la région plus attractive. Cet article met en relief l’utilisation des nouveaux outils web de planification culturelle et leur utilisation dans le cadre de projets de design culturel participatif. L’étude de cas démontre l’utilité de ces nouveaux outils de planification culturelle. De plus, cet article rappel l’importance du design et du marketing pour le succès de l’application des nouveaux outils de planification en ligne.Mots clé: carte topographique en ligne, cartographie culturelle, participation du citoyen, systèmes d'information géographique publics et participatifs
Table of Contents for Special Double Issue on Cultural Mapping in Planning and Development Contexts
Authors: Duxbury Nancy , Jeannotte Sharon
Published: January 2016

Table of Contents for Special Double Issue on Cultural Mapping in Planning and Development ContextsRésumé: Table des matières du numéro spécial portant sur la cartographie culturelle dans le contexte du développement et de la planification.
Leer el mundo hoy o cuando la lectura se convierte en diálogo
Authors: Caride José Antonio , Pose Héctor
Published: January 2016

El mundo necesita ser leído e interpretado, al menos con un triple propósito: de un lado, contribuir a un mayor y mejor conocimiento de sus realidades cotidianas, diacrónica y sincrónicamente; de otro, activar procesos de cambio que permitan transformarlo, poniendo énfasis en valores e iniciativas congruentes con el desarrollo humano y el respeto a la vida en toda su diversidad; finalmente, promover prácticas educativas en las que la lectura participe plenamente de sus enseñanzas, democratizando los saberes y los aprendizajes compartidos. Asumiendo que no hay educación con sentido y de los sentidos sin la lectura, el texto que presentamos construye su discurso en una doble perspectiva: en primer término, la que invoca –más allá de elogiar y reivindicar– el valor de las palabras y del acto de leer como un quehacer formativo de amplios recorridos pedagógicos y sociales; en segundo lugar, la que ofrece parte de las respuestas dadas, a través de una indagación colectiva, por personas con diversos perfiles científicos, académicos y profesionales a una pregunta: ¿qué es leer el mundo hoy? Un interrogante que converge con el foro de lecturas “Ler o mundo hoxe…” que, en 2014, inició sus realizaciones en la Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, con el apoyo de la Red Internacional de Universidades Lectoras (RIUL), como
Los cuentos del animal-novio: Los paradigmas de “Eros y Psique” y “La Bella y La Bestia”
Authors: Janer Maria de la Pau
Published: January 2016

El artículo analiza la influencia de los cuentos populares en la historia de “Eros y Psique” contada por L. Apuleyo y profundiza en el estudio de este relato del siglo II d.C. al mismo tiempo que resalta los elementos que el autor extrae de las religiones egipcia y griega para, finalmente, establecer el modelo de amor que ha influido durante siglos en el imaginario de las sociedades occidentales. Analiza también el cuento de “La Bella y la Bestia” a partir de la versión de Madame Leprince de Beaumont. Indaga en la fascinación humana por el horror y se detiene en los posibles significados que  pueden aplicarse al descubrimiento que, tras el rostro del monstruo, se esconde un ser humano que sufre las consecuencias de un sortilegio. Revisa los temas que tienen en común ambos relatos y señala sus diferencias, así como la diversidad de elementos mágicos que aparecen en ellos y que varían en las múltiples versiones recogidas de la tradición oral.
A converter of circularly polarized laser beams into cylindrical vector beams based on anisotropic crystals
Authors:   Samara State Aerospace University, Paranin V. , Karpeev S. ,   Samara State Aerospace University,   Image Processing Systems Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Krasnov A. ,   Samara State Aerospace University
Published: January 2016

An optical system for converting circularly polarized laser beams into cylindrical vector beams on the basis of anisotropic crystals has been developed. Polarization properties and the structure of the resulting beams have been experimentally characterized. The analysis has revealed differences in the azimuthal and radial polarization of Gaussian modes and Bessel beams. Ranges of variation of the optical system parameters to form different types of polarizations with different amplitude and phase distributions have been identified.
Monitoring a spatial intensity distribution of transmitted and reflected light in a diffractive structure
Authors:   Institute of Automation & Electrometry Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Belousov D. , Poleshchuk A. ,   Institute of Automation & Electrometry Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Khomutov V. ,   Institute of Automation & Electrometry Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Published: January 2016

We propose a method and a design of a device for an on-line monitoring of a spatial intensity distribution of transmitted and reflected diffraction orders found within a ±80° solid angle and a 360° azimuthal angle. The proposed device is intended to serve as a shape and depth profiler of the diffractive element microrelief in the course of manufacturing.
A preprocessing method for correlation-extremal systems
Authors:   Saint Petersburg State Electrotechnical University «LETI», Tsvetkov O. , Tananykina L. ,   Federal State Unitary Enterprise «State Research Institute of Applied Problems»
Published: January 2016

In this paper we discuss an image preprocessing method for different shooting conditions. The method can be applied in machine vision systems using a correlation-extremal mapping method. An information-theoretic method for image preprocessing based on entropy analysis is offered. The investigation of the method has shown that, when preprocessed, same-scene images obtained under different conditions have a more stable correlation coefficient than the original images.
Study of informative feature selection approaches for the texture image recognition problem using Laws’ masks
Authors:   Samara State Aerospace University, Kutikova V. , Gaidel A. ,   Samara State Aerospace University,   Image Processing Systems Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences
Published: January 2016

In this paper we discuss an image preprocessing method for different shooting conditions. The method can be applied in machine vision systems using a correlation-extremal mapping method. An information-theoretic method for image preprocessing based on entropy analysis is offered. The investigation of the method has shown that, when preprocessed, same-scene images obtained under different conditions have a more stable correlation coefficient than the original images.
Consecutive gender and age classification from facial images based on ranked local binary patterns
Authors:   M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Rybintsev A. , Konushin V. ,   Video Analysis Technologies LLC, Konushin A. ,   M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University,   Higher School of Economics
Published: January 2016

A new algorithm for consecutive classification of gender and age based on a two-stage support vector regression is proposed. Only most significant local binary patterns are used to describe the image. To enhance the gender classification accuracy we use bootstrapping with the training based on difficult examples, whereas the age classification is improved through the use of floating age ranges.
3D scene reconstruction from stereo images with unknown extrinsic parameters
Authors:   Image Processing Systems Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Goshin Ye. ,   Samara State Aerospace University, Fursov V. ,   Image Processing Systems Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences,   Samara State Aerospace University
Published: January 2016

In this paper we consider an information technology of 3D scene reconstruction from stereo images which were obtained from a camera with unknown extrinsic parameters. The main idea of the present paper is to compute rotation and translation of the camera directly from the corresponding points.
On a problem of numerical sectioning in ophthalmology
Authors:   Lomonosov Moscow State University, Razgulin A. , Iroshnikov N. ,   Lomonosov Moscow State University, Larichev A. ,   Lomonosov Moscow State University, Pavlov S. ,   Lomonosov Moscow State University, Romanenko T. ,   Lomonosov Moscow State University
Published: January 2016

We consider a problem of eye-fundus image reconstruction from different-depth fundus sections based on an image stack, with the images obtained via imaging system's fast refocusing as superposition of 3D object sections and blurred images of adjacent-depth sections. An implicit iterative regularization method in the Fourier plane is used for 3D deconvolution. The results of mathematical modeling have demonstrated that the numerical sectioning shows promise when processing ophthalmological images distorted by various types of noise.
Application of fuzzy neural networks for defining crystal lattice types in nanoscale images
Authors:   Samara State Aerospace University, Soldatova O. , Lyozin I. ,   Samara State Aerospace University, Lyozina I. ,   Samara State Aerospace University, Kupriyanov A. ,   Samara State Aerospace University,   Image Processing Systems Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kirsh D. ,   Samara State Aerospace University,   Image Processing Systems Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences
Published: January 2016

The article proposes the application of neural fuzzy networks for defining the overlapping classes of crystal lattices. We discuss the following neural fuzzy networks: Takagi-Sugeno-Kung network and a modification of Wang-Mendel neural fuzzy network proposed by the authors. A three-step scheme of neural network training is proposed. The results prove the efficiency of the proposed approach for the determination of crystal lattice types.
Study on the Protective Effect of Edaravone on Myocardial Ischemia Reperfusion Injury
Authors: Hou Hui
Published: January 2016

Objective: Discussion the role of edaravone as a free radical scavenger in protective effect of thrombolysis in acute myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury. Besides compared with the control group and analyze the possible mechanism which is widely used in clinical setting. Method: 80 patients hospitalized within year 2012−2013 with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) were treated with intravenous thrombolytic therapy, and were divided into treatment group (n = 41) and control group (n = 39). Edaravone injection 30 mg + 0.9% normal saline solution 100 mL with intravenous drip, BID for 14 days was given to the treatment group before and after thrombolytic treatment. Whereas, control group was treated with intravenous drip of placebo. Both groups were monitored by echocardiography and hemodynamic monitoring, and the myocardium was measured by echocardiography. Coronary artery CT was used to determine the degree of obstruction. Results: Compared with the control group, pain and reperfusion arrhythmia in treatment group was reduced. The area of myocardial wall movement disorder was significantly decreased (p < 0.05), the difference was statistically significant. CT result comparing treatment group and control group and show that rate of coronary recanalization increases 1.7 times (p < 0.01), the differences were statistically significant. Conclusion: For acute myocardial ischemia injection of edaravone before reperfusion and combine with pharmacological treatment can alleviate myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury, effectively scavenge oxygen free radicals and improve the ability of antioxidant. Both improve the thrombolytic treatment and protective effect for acute myocardial ischemia were significant. Hence, edaravone can is a kind of new milestone in the clinical cardiovascular drugs.
Clinical Study of Toutongning Capsule Combined with Instant Cardio-reliever Pills and Metoprolol in the Treatment of Migraine
Authors: Shao Hong , Du Lingling , Sun Jincui , Wang Chao , Zhang Zhengjing
Published: January 2016

Objective: To observe the clinical effect of Toutongning capsule combined with Instant Cardio-reliever pills, metoprolol in the treatment of migraine. Method: 150 cases of migraine were randomly divided into 3 groups, 50 cases in the treatment group. Using the headache Ning capsule combined with Instant Cardio-reliever pills, metoprolol treatment. The control group A50 cases, metoprolol combined with flunarizine hydrochloride treatment. The control group B50 cases, the application of the town of brain Ning capsule combined with quick acting to save the heart pill treatment, observation and comparison of 3 groups of migraine patients after treatment efficacy and symptom classification comparison. Results: After treatment in January, the effect of migraine in treatment group was significantly higher than that of the two control group (p < 0.05), and the symptom grade of treatment group was significantly improved compared with that of control group (p < 0.01). Conclusion: Headache Ning capsule combined with Instant Cardio-reliever pills, metoprolol in the treatment of migraine has significant curative effect, effective control of headache and to improve the quality of life in patients with migraine, and the safety is high, not prone to side effects, provides a new way to cure the ills of migraine.
Clinical Observation of Combined Application of Oxiracetam and Hyperbaric Oxygen Clinical Curative Effect on Vascular Dementia Patients
Authors: Bu Guiwen
Published: January 2016

Objective: To evaluate the application of oxiracetam combined with hyperbaric oxygen on vascular dementia clinical curative effect. Method: Three groups of patients were given active treatment basic diseases, including antiplatelet, promote cerebral circulation and cerebral protective agent. And respectively take the hyperbaric oxygen therapy, olathe temple therapy and combination therapy, both before and after treatment with MMSE score evaluation method. Results: After 3 weeks of treatment, B group in the total efficiency was 81.25%, while C group was 93.75%, which is significantly higher than in A group of 56.25% and the differences was statistical significance. The three groups before treatment and after treatment with MMSE score changes were obviously difference (p < 0.05), where C group was the most significant changes in MMSE scores (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The combined application of oxiracetam and hyperbaric oxygen therapy can improve patient with vascular dementia intellectual impairment and increase the ability of activities in daily living. This method has definite curative effect, high safety as well as can promote clinical promotion.
Statistical Analysis of Blood Cell Parameters in Premature Infants
Authors: Yu Julan
Published: January 2016

Objective: Analysis and discussion of the clinical statistics of the blood cell parameters in premature infants. Method: From May 2008 to January 2015, 85 cases of premature infants were selected to analyze the relationship between blood cell parameters and birth weight, gestational age and the changes of blood cell parameters in premature infants with intracranial hemorrhage. Results: Blood cell parameters PDW and PLT were decreased with the decrease of birth weight and gestational age. MPV increased with the decrease of birth weight and gestational age, the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Compared with the non-bleeding group, the intracranial hemorrhage in premature infants with PLT was significantly decreased, the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05), MPV and PDW were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The blood cell parameters were correlated with the birth weight and gestational age, and the parameters of blood cells were closely related to the complications of premature infants and premature infants with intracranial hemorrhage.
Clinical Study of Simple Plasma Exchange in the Treatment of Severe Autoimmune Hepatitis
Authors: Hong Qiaoai , Xu Xiaoping , Yao Maojun , Qu Zhangshu
Published: January 2016

Objectives: Plasma Exchange (PE) in the treatment of severe autoimmune hepatitis and the clinical outcome of the clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. The clinical efficacy and safety of single plasma exchange (PE) in the treatment of autoimmune hepatitis were also evaluated. Method: The PE group of 22 patients was given conventional treatment of combined treatment of patients with simple PE while 21 cases of the control group were treated with comprehensive treatment. The efficacy of PE group and control group were compared within 2 weeks. Results: The clinical symptoms of 22 patients in PE group were significantly improved (p < 0.05); in total bilirubin (TBIL), (AST), (INR), (ALT) where the PE group (17/22) 77.27%, and control group (10/21) 47.62%. The difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Pure plasma exchange (PE) is an effective method for the treatment of severe autoimmune hepatitis (AIH).
A Nonparametric Test For Homogeneity Of Variances: Application To GPAs Of Students Across Academic Majors
Authors: Bakir Saad T.
Published: January 2016

We propose a nonparametric (or distribution-free) procedure for testing the equality of several population variances (or scale parameters). The proposed test is a modification of Bakir’s (1989, Commun. Statist., Simul-Comp., 18, 757-775) analysis of means by ranks (ANOMR) procedure for testing the equality of several population means. A proof is given to establish the distribution-free property of the modified procedure. The proposed procedure is then applied to test whether or not the variability in the grade point averages (GPAs) of students differs across five business academic majors. We collect the GPAs (observations) of a random sample of students from each major under study. The absolute deviations of the observations from the overall median of the combined sample are then calculated and ranked from least to largest. The average ranks and two decision lines are then plotted on a graph paper to detect not only the existence of significant differences among variances, but also to pinpoint which variances are causing those differences.
Sociocultural Factors and Breast Cancer in Sub-Saharan Africa: Implications for Diagnosis and Management
Authors: Tetteh Dinah A , Faulkner Sandra L
Published: January 2016

The incidence of breast cancer is on the rise in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and efforts at early diagnosis have not been very successful because the public has scant knowledge about the disease, a large percentage of breast cancer cases are diagnosed late and mainly rural SSA women's practice of breast self-examination is poor. In this paper, we argue that an examination of the social and cultural contexts of SSA that influence breast cancer diagnosis and management in the region is needed. We discuss the implications of sociocultural factors, such as gender roles and spirituality, on breast cancer diagnosis and management in SSA.
Uterine Artery Embolization for Heavy Menstrual Bleeding
Authors: Moss Jonathan , Christie Andrew
Published: January 2016

Uterine artery embolization (UAE) as a treatment option for fibroids was first reported by Ravina in 1995. Although rapidly adopted by enthusiasts, many were skeptical and its introduction varied widely across the globe. It was not until randomized controlled trials and registries were published and national guidance statements issued that UAE was accepted as a safe and proven treatment for fibroids. The technique is now established as one of the treatment options to be discussed with patients as an alternative to surgery for fibroid-associated heavy menstrual bleeding. Research is on-going to evaluate the relative merits of UAE compared with other medical and surgical treatment options for heavy menstrual bleeding, particularly for women wishing to maintain their fertility.
Endometrial Ablation for Heavy Menstrual Bleeding
Authors: Kumar Vinod , Chodankar Rohan , Gupta Janesh Kumar
Published: January 2016

Endometrial ablation can be described as one of the great gynecological success stories. It has changed the management of heavy menstrual bleeding dramatically. The development of newer (second generation) endometrial ablative techniques has enabled clinicians to set up comprehensive ‘one stop clinics’ based on an outpatient service to treat heavy menstrual bleeding effectively without the need for general anesthetic or conscious sedation. This article describes the rationale and evidence for use of different endometrial auto-ablative systems along with relevant technical and clinical aspects. It also addresses the essentials of a successful approach to outpatient endometrial ablation along with discussion on risks, complications and contraindications of the procedure.
Hysterectomy for Heavy Menstrual Bleeding
Authors: van der Meij Eva , Emanuel Mark Hans
Published: January 2016

Hysterectomy is the most frequently performed major surgical intervention in gynecology. Although surgically removing the uterus is invasive, it represents the most definitive treatment option for heavy menstrual bleeding. In this article, we will discuss the indications for hysterectomy as a treatment for heavy menstrual bleeding, the different approaches to perform the hysterectomy, the complications which may occur during and after this procedure and finally the outcomes in comparison with other treatment options.
Indian Fertility Society Good Clinical Practice PCOS Guidelines
Authors: Malik Sonia
Published: January 2016

Sonia Malik is President of the Indian Fertility Society, Chair of the Infertility Committee of FOGSI, Chair of the Scientific Committee of IFFS 2016, Scientific Collaborator at the Reproductive Research Centre at the Cleveland Clinic (USA), Past President of the Indian Menopause Society and Co-Editor in Chief of the Journal of Midlife Health. Her areas of interest cover reproductive endocrinology, reproductive immunology, genital tuberculosis and premature ovarian failure.
Breast Cancer Subtypes: Morphologic and Biologic Characterization
Authors: Masood Shahla
Published: January 2016

Advances in basic science, technology and translational research have created a revolution in breast cancer diagnosis and therapy. Researchers' discoveries of genes defining variability in response to therapy and heterogeneity in clinical presentations and tumor biology are the foundation of the path to personalized medicine. The success of personalized breast cancer care depends on access to pertinent clinical information and risk factors, optimal imaging findings, well-established morphologic features, and traditional and contemporary prognostic/predictive testing. The integration of these entities provides an opportunity to identify patients who can benefit from specific therapies, and demonstrates the link between breast cancer subtypes and their association with different tumor biology. It is critical to recognize specific types of breast cancer in individual patients and design optimal personalized therapy. This article will highlight the roles of morphologic features and established tumor biomarkers on patient outcome.
Antimicrobial activity of endophytic fungus Fusarium sp. isolated from medicinal honeysuckle plant
Authors: Zhang Huiru , Sun Xinchen , Xu Chunping
Published: January 2016

Endophytes of plants have a wide range of strains comprising important
sources of various bioactive metabolites. An endophytic fungus was isolated
from honeysuckle, an important Chinese medicinal plant. The phylogenetic and
physiological characterization indicated that the isolated strain
JY2corresponded to Fusarium sp. The culture filtrate of JY2displayed
antagonism activity against some pathogenic bacteria owing to the existence
of antimicrobial compounds. The filtrate revealed the strongest in vitro
antimicrobial activity on Pseudomonas aeruginosa by increasing the
permeability of cell membranes. The antibacterial extract was fractionated
and purifiedusing silica gel chromatography. Five different bioactive
compounds were isolated by bioactivity-guided fractionation from the culture
extracts of JY2, and preliminarily identified by HPLC-MS spectral data. These
results suggest that Fusarium sp. features a potentially remarkable
antimicrobial activity and could be valuable to discover the new drugs or
agents for antimicrobial purposes.
Cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of iron oxide nanoparticles: An in vitro biosafety study
Authors: Sonmez Erdal , Aydin Elanur , Turkez Hasan , Özbek Elvan , Togar Basak , Meral Kadem , Çetin Damla , Cacciatore Ivana , di Stefano
Published: January 2016

With the development of nanotechnology and the wide use of iron oxide
nanoparticles, it has become necessary to assess the potential adverse
biological effects of magnetite. This study investigated the cytotoxicity,
genotoxicity and oxidative damage of different concentrations of magnetite (0
to 1000 mg/L) in human whole blood cultures. After supplementation of
magnetite, the blood samples were incubated for 72 h. Cell viability was
assessed by the 3-(4,5-dimethyl-thiazol-2-yl) 2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide
(MTT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assays. The total antioxidant
capacity (TAC) and total oxidant status (TOS) were determined to evaluate the
dose-dependent effects of magnetite on the oxidant/antioxidant balance and to
evaluate the potential oxidative injury due to increased oxidative stress.
Genotoxicity was estimated by by the sister chromatid exchange (SCE),
micronuclei (MN) and chromosome aberration (CA) assays and determination of
8-oxo-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG) levels. The results of MTT and LDH assays
showed that the higher concentrations of magnetite (100, 150, 300, 500 and
1000 mg/L) decreased cell viability. Concentrations of magnetite higher than
10 mg/L increased TOS levels and decreased TAC levels in human blood cells.
Increasing concentrations of magnetite caused significant increases in MN,
SCE and CA rates and 8-OH-dG levels. The obtained results showed that
magnetite exerted dose-dependent effects on oxidative damage, genotoxicity
and cytotoxicity in human blood cells.
Biodegradation of malathion by Bacillus licheniformis strain ML-1
Authors: Khan Sara , Zaffar Habiba , Irshad Usman , Ahmad Raza , Khan Abdul , Shah Mohammad , Bilal Muhammad , Iqbal Mazhar , Naqvi Tatheer
Published: January 2016

Malathion, a well-known organophosphate pesticide, has been used in
agriculture over the last two decades for controlling pests of economically
important crops. In the present study, a single bacterium, ML-1, was isolated
by soil-enrichment technique and identified as Bacillus licheniformis on the
basis of the 16S rRNA technique. The bacterium was grown in carbon-free
minimal salt medium (MSM) and was found to be very efficient in utilizing
malathion as the sole source of carbon. Biodegradation experiments were
performed in MSM without carbon source to determine the malathion degradation
by the selected strain, and the residues of malathion were determined
quantitatively using HPLC techniques. Bacillus licheniformis showed very
promising results and efficiently consumed malathion as the sole carbon
source via malathion carboxylesterase (MCE), and about 78% malathion was
degraded within 5 days. The carboxylesterase activity was determined by using
crude extract while using malathion as substrate, and the residues were
determined by HPLC. It has been found that the MCE hydrolyzed 87% malathion
within 96 h of incubation. Characterization of crude MCE revealed that the
enzyme is robust in nature in terms of organic solvents, as it was found to
be stable in various concentrations of ethanol and acetonitrile. Similarly,
and it can work in a wide pH and temperature range. The results of this study
highlighted the potential of Bacillus licheniformis strain ML-1 as a
biodegrader that can be used for the bioremediation of malathion-contaminated
soil.
Effect of salinity on Arabidopsis thaliana seed germination and acid phosphatase activity
Authors: Nasri Nawel , Maatallah Samira , Kaddour Rym , Lachâal Mokhtar
Published: January 2016

The salt tolerance of four accessions of Arabidopsis thaliana (COL
(Columbia), NOK2, N1438 and N1380) was evaluated during germination by the
capacity of seeds to germinate in the presence of 50 mM NaCl and to maintain
adequate acid phosphatase activity. Our results show that saline conditions
reduced the final germination percentage, speed of germination and delayed
the germination processes of accessions NOK2, N1438 and N1380. In contrast,
100% of germination was found in COL under salt-stress conditions. In the
presence of NaCl 50 mM, acid phosphatase activity increased in the first 24
h, the activity reaching the control level in germinating seeds of COL, but
in the three other accessions NOK2, N1438 and N1380, acid phosphatase
activity diminished under salt stress. These findings suggest that changes
in the phosphatase enzymes might play an important role in the acclimation
of COL seeds to the changing environmental conditions.
Methanolic extract of Moringa oleifera leaf and low doses of gamma radiation alleviated amiodarone-induced lung toxicity in albino rats
Authors: Hasan Hesham , Thabet Noura , Abdel-Rafei Mohamed
Published: January 2016

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of methanolic extract of Moringa
oleifera (MO) and/or low doses of gamma radiation (LDR) on amiodarone
(AMD)-induced lung toxicity in rats. AMD administered to female albino rats
(100 mg/kg body weight) for 10 consecutive days. Rats received methanolic
extract of MO (250 mg/kg bwt) for 15 successive days and/or were exposed to
whole body LDR (0.25Gy on the 1st and 10th days, up to a total dose of
0.5Gy). MO administration induced a significant decrease in serum tumor
necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-?) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-?)
levels as well as lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity. Also, the content of
malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydroxyproline (HYP) was significantly decreased in
lung tissue. Furthermore, MO significantly increased reduced glutathione
(GSH) content in lung tissue as compared with AMD. The histopathological
investigation of lung tissue revealed the appearance of interstitial
pneumonia in rats treated with AMD. The oral administration of MO and/or
exposure to LDR reversed the biochemical and histopathological alterations
induced by AMD. It can be posited that MO and LDR might have a considerable
role in the prevention of lung toxicity induced by AMD.
Retraction: Li Y, Li D, Ren B, Hu J, Li B, Krzton A, Li M. Determinants of differences in the activity budgets of Rhinopithecus bieti by age/sex class at Xiangguqing in the Baimaxueshan nature reserve, China. Arch Biol Sci. 2015;67(2):675-83. DOI: 10.2298/ABS140917033L
Authors: Editorial E
Published: January 2016

This is a notice of retraction of the article: Determinants of differences in
the activity budgets of Rhinopithecus bieti by age/sex class at Xiangguqing
in the Baimaxueshan nature reserve, China by Li Yanhong, Li Dayong, Ren
Baoping, Hu Jie, Li Baoguo, Krzton Ali, Li Ming, published in the Archives
of Biological Sciences Vol. 67, Issue 2, 2015. Due to inadequate exchange of
information between the previous and new Editor-in-Chief of the Archives of
Biological Sciences, the new Editor-in-Chief was not informed of the
authors? request for withdrawal of the article. After obtaining the written
request, signed by all of the authors, the Editor-in-Chief has decided to
withdraw the article.

 Link to the retracted article 10.2298/ABS140917033L