bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
INDICES OF CELL-MEDIATED IMMUNITY IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: THE ROLE OF CYTOMEGALOVIRUS INFECTION
Authors: Churov A. V. , Novitskaya A. V. , Kolomeichuk S. N. , Oleinik E. K.
Published: October 2019

The pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is driven by a combined action of genetic and environmental factors, which can upset the balance between the effector and regulatory components of the immune system. An important actor in maintaining such balance is T cells, especially regulatory T lymphocytes (Treg), but the mechanisms behind the functioning of T cell subpopulations and the roles of individual etiological factors in RA have not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the indices of cell-mediated immunity, especially T- and Treg cells, in RA patients depending on the disease activity and presence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. The expression of membrane and intracellular molecular markers of lymphocytes was estimated by multicolor flow cytometry. The content of antibodies to CMV in blood plasma was measured by enzyme immunoassays. Patients with RA had reliably reduced numbers of cells with the phenotypes CD4+FOXP3+, CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ correlating with the stage of RA activity. RA patients with CMV infection showed a reduction in the number of regulatory T cells (Treg), CD3+ T lymphocytes, CD3+CD8+ cells in peripheral blood. At the same time, RA involved a rise in the level of B cells and CD4+CD25+ Т cells. The level of antibodies to CMV was observed to grow in line with RA activity. Thus, the data obtained suggest that the presence of CMV infection can significantly influence the state of individual lymphocyte subpopulations during RA development.
Farklı azot seviyelerinin dallıdarı (Panicum virgatum)’da yem verimi ve bazı tarımsal özelliklere etkisi üzerine bir ön çalışma
Authors: GEREN Hakan , CANDOĞAN Galip Çağlar
Published: October 2019

Amaç: Bu çalışma, farklı azot
seviyelerinin dallıdarı (Panicum virgatum)
bitkisinde yem verimi ve bazı tarımsal özellikleri üzerine etkilerini saptamak
amacıyla yürütülmüştür.

Materyal ve Yöntem:  Araştırma, 2018 yılının yaz yetişme döneminde, Ege
Üniversitesi Ziraat Fakültesi Tarla Bitkileri Bölümü, İzmir’de dış ortam
koşullarında saksı denemesi olarak gerçekleştirilmiştir. Denemede “Cloud nine isimli”
dallıdarı genotipi kullanılmış olup, beş farklı azot (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 kg/da N)
seviyesi test edilmiştir. Çalışmada, bitki boyu, sap sayısı, kuru madde verimi,
ham protein oranı, NDF ve ADF ile kuru kök ağırlığı gibi özellikler ölçülmüştür.

Bulgular ve Sonuç: Sonuçlar, azot uygulamalarının incelenen tüm
özellikler üzerinde önemli etkilerinin olduğunu göstermiştir. Yüksek azot dozu
uygulamaları, kontrol uygulamasına göre yem verimini yükseltmiştir. Bu
sonuçlar, dekara 15 kg azot uygulamasının, Akdeniz ekolojik koşullarındaki
İzmir’de, dallıdarının yem verimini yükselten en iyi gübre seviyesi olduğunu
ortaya koymuştur.
EGE BÖLGESİNDE TARIMSAL YAYIM ve İNOVATİF KÜLTÜR
Authors: BOYACI Murat
Published: October 2019

Çalışmanın amacı Ege Bölgesinde tarımsal yayım ve inovasyon sürecindeki etkinlikleri, illere göre inovatif
kültürel değerlerin varlık düzeylerini ortaya koymak ve inovatif değerleri
etkileyen faktörleri belirlemektedir. Ege Bölgesi’ndeki sekiz ilde kamu, bayi, özel firma, kooperatif ve
ziraat odalarında görevli 966 yayımcı/danışmanla
anket yoluyla veriler derlenmiştir. Veriler yüzdeler, ortalamalar, parametrik
(T testi, Varyans analizi) ve parametrik olmayan testler (Kruskal Wallis; Ki
kare), faktör ve regresyon analizleri ile yorumlanmıştır. Yayımcıların ortalama yaşları
38 ve mesleki deneyimleri 11 yıl olup, %26,5’i kadındır. İş ortamından
memnuniyet arzulanan düzeyde değildir. Yayım etkinliklerinin mesaideki payı
(%26,4) düşüktür. Bölgede bir yayımcı 25 köye, 1559 çiftçiye, 784.000 dekar
araziye, 7,5 farklı ürüne hizmet vermekte ve ayda 9,8 günü çiftçi ziyaretlerine
harcamaktadır. Son beş yılda çiftçilere aktarılan yenilik/öneri sayısı 8,2
olup, benimseyen çiftçilerin oranı %56,2’dir. Meyve ve sebze ile çalışılanlar
daha yenilikçidir. Bölgede öncelikli hedef, ürün kalitesini iyileştirmektir. İnovasyon
sürecinde yaşamsal olan işbirliği ve ekip kültürü yayım örgütlerinde yeterince
içselleşmemiştir. İnovatif illerde diğer aktörlerle ilişkiler daha güçlüdür. İnovatifliği
düşük grup daha bürokratik çalışmakta, yukarıdan aşağıya bilgi akışını tercih
etmekte olup, piyasa bilgisine sahip olma eğilimi zayıftır. Sonuç: Örgüt içi
iletişim ve ekip çalışması, inisiyatif kullanma, farklı aktörlerle işbirliği,
çiftçiden düzenli bilgi akışı, hizmet içi eğitim, bilgi kaynakları çeşitliliği,
düşük bürokratik iş yükü yayımda inovasyon becerilerini artırmaktadır. Sonuçlarının
ölçülebilmesi ve değerlendirilmesi için yayım çalışmaları proje bazlı ve hedef
odaklı yürütülmelidir.
Web Therapy for Internet Addicts: A Case Study of Self-Healing by Social Media Addicts in Indonesia
Authors: KURNIASIH NUNING , Amriwijaya Julian
Published: October 2019

This study aims to analyze how the information sources on the internet used as therapy treatment (Web Therapy) by internet addicts, especially social media addicts. The method used is qualitative method based on case study perspective. The method used to collect data incorporates in-depth interview, observation, and literature study.  The informants are seven internet addicts who acknowledge themselves as internet addicts, especially social media addicts  not by medical diagnostic as one and been using internet sources as a treatment to overcome their mental issue. Triangulation is conducted by interviewing a psychology expert. The study results show that (1) The informants admit that information sources on the internet help them reduce stress while under pressure. (2) The informants admitted the initiative comes within themselves to use information sources on the internet in order to reduce stress. (3) There are some ways for informants to identify their personal problems, that is (a) When they feel like they have no one around to talk with, to share their problems with, they use chatting platform to talk with and positive feedbacks from social media. (b) When they encounter negative psychological condition, they need entertainment from internet sources to be relaxed and refresh. (c) When they need contemplation they will look up for some information sources on the internet which might help them to contemplate. (4) To employ self-healing using Web Therapy, the informants choose (a) Entertaining information sources that can help them laugh and relax (b) Information sources contain references on how to cope with their problems. (c) Information sources that can help them to contemplate when encounter problems. (d) Interactive information sources where they can interact and communicate with friends online. (5) The informants prefer social media such as online games with multiple players, youtube, facebook, online forums longue such as kaskus.com and detik.com, and the form of information including games, movies, music, articles on health, food, humor series, chatting, memes, sarcasms, and satyrs (6) The informants agree that although they feel better after using some information sources on the internet as a treatment for self-healing therapy, but it is only temporary not a permanent one. They are also aware of the significant to face their own problems and cope with it.  This study results can be the groundwork for libraries to develop Web Therapy services.
Urgency Digital Archive Preservation
Authors: Hapsari Nurul Fikriati Ayu
Published: October 2019

The development of information and communication technology led to the rapid growth of information in the community. The presence of technology that creates archives that originate from the transfer of media conventionally to digital and archives are presented digitally (born-digital). A digital archive containing information on the subject can be specified in the solution forum. The need for preservation of digital archives and so on. In the digital preservation or preservation process is digitally independent compared to other media because it is more susceptible to damage. Damage to digital archives due to short-lived storage media or obsolescence technology either hardware or software. Causing the digital archive to become corrupted and unusable for a very long period of time enables users who need information in the digital archive used in research conducted by this studio by using a literature study relevant to the topic of each Election to produce a concept on the preservation of digital archives. From this study conducted digital archive storage media is very risky degradation process because it is not designed to survive for a long duration of time. The urgency of digital daily preservation is also of particular concern in some countries around the world.
Security and Privacy Cloud Storage as a Personal Digital Archive Storage Media
Authors: Kusumawardhani Dwininda , Masyithah Deby Claudia
Published: October 2019

Increasing the utilization of internet technology gave birth to the new challenges in the protection of privacy and personal data, especially with the increasing collection practices, the utilization and dissemination of one's personal data. Regulatory instruments and failed to become one of the trigger mechanism of the weak protection of privacy and personal data in particular in the use of cloud storage technology. Cloud storage is a technology which uses the internet and a central server that much to keep or manage user data. Cloud storage allows users to use the application without the install so that personal files can be accessed anywhere and at any time through internet access. This technology enables efficiency by concentrating storage, data processing and memory. However, on the other hand, cloud storage has raised new legal issues, namely how the personal data of users of cloud storage are protected from a variety of disclosure and distribution by cloud storage service providers to third parties.
Efektifitas Pemanfaatan Youtube Melaui Video Online Sebagai Media Pembelajaran Oleh Mahasiswa (Studi Di Fakultas Fisip Universitas Bengkulu)
Authors: Samosir Fransiska Timoria , SAmosir Fransiska Timoria , SAmosir Fransiska Timoria
Published: October 2019

In this era of globalization, internet usage is growing very rapidly. It is characterized by the use of gadgets among students who are always connected to the Internet. Students like to find information in the form of real or audiovisual. Youtube presence also gives a great impact to this generation. This is what makes the basis for knowing how to use youtube as a medium lessons learned,This research is deskriptif qualitatif approach. The informants are students of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Bengkulu. The number of informants in this study were as many as 16. Data was collected through interviews. The results of this study indicate that students have a high level of usage of gadgets and is always connected to the internet. Students almost daily open the youtube application on their gadgets. Students who use youtube as a medium lesson learnded to add knowledge and support the work of the lecture. Youtube usage rate is influenced by gender, courses and classes.  Keyword: gadget, youtube, internet
Preventive and Curative Efforts in Archive Management Planning for the Threat of Natural Disasters in Indonesia
Authors: Erliyana Ella , Rozanti Dwi Wahyu
Published: October 2019

Background of the study: Archives have a very crucial role in the development of organization and institutions, Including in Indonesia. The importance of archival protection is in Determine records management planning in overcoming the impact of natural disasters.Purpose: The Efforts taken are preventive and curative actions that aim to minimize the risk of losing archives and as an effort to safeguard the importance of policy-making towards archives in the future.Method: This research is qualitative research with literature study method. The researcher raised a study that was in accordance with the topic of understanding, then made a map of the data related to preventive and curative Efforts in an effort to overcome natural disasters. In this case, the analysis of data is done through reference to books, journals, and other library materials Articles regarding preventive and curative actions in archival management and policy planning related to archives. Literature studies pay attention to relevance to the subject matter and to facilitate the understanding and direction of writing in accordance with the problems in the study.Findings: The results of this study indicate that disaster management consists of stages several items, namely mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.Conclusion: Prevailing Efforts are focused more on Preventing and protecting conventional archives from the disaster damage. The actions taken include storing archives in a safe and disaster-resistant place, storing archives with special equipment (vaulting), duplicating or duplicating records by transferring media in the form of Microfilms, microfiche, magnetic recordings, electronic records. While curative Efforts are repairs or maintenance of records with conditions that have or have begun to be damaged. Actions include lamination, encapsulation, reproduction of archives and recovery.
Aspectos de Política Monetaria en Colombia: un Debate entre las Reglas y la Discrecionalidad
Authors: Castro Torres Héctor Javier
Published: October 2019

La credibilidad en la autoridad monetaria de cada país está determinada por asuntos relacionados con el manejo de su política, como la decisión entre emplear un enfoque de reglas o un enfoque discrecional. Este artículo presenta argumentos a favor de cada postura, así como algunos aspectos a considerar en el uso de las reglas o la discrecionalidad para el manejo adecuado de la política monetaria en Colombia. Además, se recalca el control de la tasa de inflación debido a la importancia de este indicador en la credibilidad futura de la autoridad monetaria, la cual de manera discrecional tomará las decisiones correspondientes.
Haloanisoles et barriques neuves : mise en évidence du rôle des moisissures
Authors: Léauté Bertrand
Published: October 2019

L’élevage du vin en barrique de chêne connaît un regain d’intérêt avec l’avènement de l’œnologie moderne et la mise en évidence de son importance dans l’expression des plus grands vins. Avec une contenance standard de 225 L, soit potentiellement 300 bouteilles de 75 cL, tout incident impliquant la barrique peut se révéler très préjudiciable pour le producteur. C’est pour cela, que prévenir la présence accidentelle de 2,4,6-TriChloroAnisole (TCA) dans les barriques est depuis plusieurs années un enjeu technique et économique majeur pour le secteur de la tonnellerie.
Phénologie : suivez l’horloge interne de la vigne
Authors: Van Leeuwen Cornelis , Destrac-Irvine Agnès , De Resseguier Laure , Garcia de Cortazar-Atauri Iñaki , Duchêne Éric
Published: October 2019

Le développement de la vigne au cours de l’année est rythmé par l’apparition de stades clés comme le débourrement, la floraison et la véraison. Leur suivi précis à l’échelle d’un vignoble est indispensable pour une gestion technique performante. Il permet de connaître la précocité relative des parcelles d’une exploitation, de caractériser le millésime en cours et de positionner avec précision les opérations techniques comme les traitements phytosanitaires.
Challenging Stereotypes with Media and Information Literacy in Mexico
Authors: Flores Michel Julieta , González Treviño Margarita Emilia , Gutiérrez Leyton Alma Elena
Published: October 2019

Information overload that affects digital natives and other generations in the 21st century makes it difficult for recipients to analyze the information’s truthfulness and quality. In this context, items of fake news pass as facts that could be interpreted as true, which may result in serious issues for the social fabric, especially if immersed in unstable or troublesome political and economic contexts. Still, the problem with disinformation is not limited to fake news because, even when content comes from trustworthy sources and verifiable facts, there are filters that present a subjective, biased and deformed reality. Within this context, we are submitting an example of a positive practice in media literacy targeting Research Methodology students at the Faculty of Communication. During this project, students analyzed the way women and men are shown on the cover of a local printed newspaper El Porvenir in the city of Monterrey, Mexico. In broad strokes, the results found a preference for stories showcasing men and stereotypes that place men in the public sphere and women in a private domain.
Similar Politicians, Different Media
Authors: Cervi Laura
Published: October 2019

The article analyzes the media treatment of two sex scandals: the “Stormy Daniels scandal”, which involved the current US President Donald Trump in 2018 and the “Ruby scandal”, which involved Silvio Berlusconi in 2010, while he was Italy’s Prime Minister. By combining both quantitative and qualitative methodologies the aim is to discover whether the media treatment is different, as we can expect since the two countries belong to two different media systems, or if, following the theory of Americanization of political communication, the Italian media will tend to emulate the American model. Furthermore, another aim of this study is to detect whether a shift towards a more Polarized Pluralist model can be identified in the USA, as some authors have started foreseeing. The results will show that both countries’ media behave coherently with the traditional feature of their media system, the Polarized Pluralist and the Liberal.
Fault-Tolerant Neuro Adaptive Constrained Control of Wind Turbines for Power Regulation with Uncertain Wind Speed Variation
Authors: Habibi Hamed , Rahimi Hamed , Howard Ian , Simani Silvio
Published: October 2019

This paper presents a novel adaptive fault-tolerant neural-based control design for wind turbines with unknown dynamic and unknown wind speed. By utilizing the barrier Lyapunov function in the analysis of the Lyapunov direct method, the constrained behavior of the system is provided in which the rotor speed, its variation and generated power remain in the desired bounds. In addition, input saturation is also considered in terms of smooth pitch actuator bounding. Furthermore, by utilizing a Nussbaum-type function in designing the control algorithm, the unpredictable wind speed variation is captured without requiring accurate wind speed measurement, observation or estimation. Moreover, with the proposed adaptive analytic algorithms, together with the use of radial basis function neural networks, a robust adaptive and fault-tolerant control scheme is developed without the need for precise information about the wind turbine model nor the pitch actuator faults. Additionally, the computational cost of the resultant control law is reduced by utilizing a dynamic surface control technique. The effectiveness of the developed design is verified using theoretical analysis tools and illustrated by numerical simulations on a high-fidelity wind turbine benchmark model with different fault scenarios. Comparison of the achieved results to the ones that can be obtained via an available industrial controller shows the advantages of the proposed scheme.
Combining Visual Contrast Information with Sound Can Produce Faster Decisions
Authors: Dresp-Langley Birgitta , Monfouga Marie
Published: October 2019

Pieron's and Chocholle’s seminal psychophysical work predicts that human response time to information relative to visual contrast and/or sound frequency decreases when contrast intensity or sound frequency increases. The goal of this study is to bring to the fore the ability of individuals to use visual contrast intensity and sound frequency in combination for faster perceptual decisions of relative depth (“nearer”) in planar (2D) object configurations on the basis of physical variations in luminance contrast. Computer controlled images with two abstract patterns of varying contrast intensity, one on the left and one on the right, preceded or not by a pure tone of varying frequency, were shown to healthy young humans in controlled experimental sequences. Their task (two-alternative forced-choice) was to decide as quickly as possible which of two patterns, the left or the right one, in a given image appeared to “stand out as if it were nearer” in terms of apparent (subjective) visual depth. The results show that the combinations of varying relative visual contrast with sounds of varying frequency exploited here produced an additive effect on choice response times in terms of facilitation, where a stronger visual contrast combined with a higher sound frequency produced shorter forced-choice response times. This new effect is predicted by cross-modal audio-visual probability summation.
Elucidation of the Draft Genome Sequence of Ideonella azotifigens DSMZ21438 A Novel Aerobic Diazotroph of the Betaproteobacteria Isolated from Grass Rhizosphere Soil
Authors: White III Richard Allen , Norman Jeffrey S , E Mclachlan Emily , Dunham Joseph P. , Garoutte Aaron , Friesen Maren
Published: October 2019

Here, we report the draft genome sequence of the type strain of Ideonella azotifigens DSMZ21438T (formally 1a22T = JCM15503T). Ideonella azotifigens DSMZ21438T a novel betaproteobacterial non-symbiotic nitrogen-fixing grass rhizosphere dwelling microbe. The 891,561 paired-end shotgun reads were quality filtered and decontaminated with the ATLAS pipeline, then assembled with Unicycler. The genome size is 6,257,981 bp, an N50 size of 7,849 bp, with a G+C content of 66.71%, and with 5,882 predicted protein-coding genes. I. azotifigens DSMZ21438T represents the first member of the genus isolated from rhizosphere soil, providing a framework for further study into non-alphaproteobacterial nitrogen fixation and synthetic biology applications.
Chromosome Engineering in Tropical Cash Crops
Authors: Bolaños-Villegas Pablo
Published: October 2019

Background Tropical and subtropical crops such as coffee, cacao, and papaya are valuable commodities and its consumption is a seemingly indispensable part of the daily lives of billions of people across the world. Conventional breeding in these crops is lengthy and yields are threatened by runaway global warming. In this review we propose the application of chromosome engineering and synthetic biology principles in order to enhance synthesis of key metabolites, and transmission of wild traits for resistance to stress and disease. Conclusions It is hoped that the adoption of such technological approaches may enhance the resilience of agricultural communities, lead to economic growth and secure the availability of key resources for generations to come.
Extending the Shelf-Life of White Peach Fruit with 1-Methylcyclopropene and Aloe arborescens Edible Coating
Authors: Sortino Giuseppe , Saletta Filippo , Puccio Stefano , Scuderi Dario , Inglese Paolo , Farina Vittorio
Published: October 2019

The maintenance of high quality standards for prolonging shelf life of fruit and maintaining sensory and nutritional quality is a priority the horticultural products. The aim of this work was to test the effectiveness of a single treatment of edible coating based on Aloe arborescens and a combined treatment of 1-Methylcycyclopropene and edible coating to prolong the shelf-life of "Settembrina" white flesh peach fruit. White flesh peach fruit were harvested at the commercial ripening stage and treated with edible coating (EC) or 1-MCP +EC and stored for 28 days at 1°C. After 7, 14, 21 and 28 days fruits were removed from cold storage, transferred at 20°C and then analyzed immediately (cold out) and after 6 days (shelf life) to evaluate the combined effect of cold storage and room temperature. Weight loss, physical, chemical and sensory parameters were measured. Fruit treated with EC and 1-MCP +EC kept their marketing values better than CTR after 14 days of storage and 6 days of simulated shelf life, in terms of flesh firmness, total soluble solids and titratable acidity as well as sensory parameters. After 21 days of storage, all treatments showed a deterioration of the quality parameters. The single and combined application of Aloe-based coating (with 1-MCP) slowed down the maturation processes of the fruit, limited the weight loss and preserved its organoleptic characteristics.
EFFECTS OF SOCIO-CULTURAL FACTORS ON EFFECTIVE AGRICULTURAL TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR FARMERS BY THE BENUE STATE AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY IN ZONE C
Authors: Ejembi Simon Ameh , Obekpa Hephzibah Onyeje
Published: October 2019

Most agricultural innovations were not sustainably adopted due to incompatibility to social and cultural practices. Based on this proposition, this study was designed to analyze the effects of socio-cultural factors on agricultural training programs for farmers by the Benue State Agricultural and Rural Development Authorities (BNARDA) for farmers in Zone C. Seven communities were purposively selected due to their unique cultural practices and a total of 118 respondents were randomly selected for the study. Questionnaire was used as tool for data collection.  Descriptive statistics and logit regression were used for data analysis. The results show that there were 22 % of respondents aged between 50-60 years, 72 % of them were married and about 60 % had at least secondary educational attainment.  Annual income of respondents was between ₦80,000.00 - ₦100,000.00. About 72 % had farming experience of less than 10 years, and 31 % were cosmopolites. The result further shows that fear of ostracization was among the major reasons that inhibit training program participations. The results of logit analysis show that education (-3.3987), gender (2.268), rivers/streams (-.732) and leadership (2.150) were significantly affect training program. It was concluded that farmer who have strong cultural beliefs were responsible for non- participation in the training program. It was recommended that aggressive advocacy program be embarked by BNARDA before packaging a training program for the farmers.
HISTORICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF EMIGRATION FROM RURAL JAPAN IN THE PRE-WORLD WAR II ERA
Authors: Kawamura Yoshio
Published: October 2019

Spatial mobility like rural–urban migration is an important social phenomenon to measure the degree of freedom and dynamism of a society that is directly related to industrialization. The same applies to spatial mobility of emigration, which is permanent or long-term transmigration from a nation to another nation. Compared with Europe after the Industrial Revolution where emigration was a major social mobility, Japanese emigration after the Meiji era until World War II, was an exceptional social mobility in its industrialization process. This paper aims to clarify the historical characteristics of Japanese emigration during the prewar period. Three approaches were introduced. The first was to extract periodicity from the trend of migration, finding four medium-term cycles with 15-20 years; shifting the destination from Hawaii, North America, South America and China; and changing their intensions from tentative emigration of contracted labor for remittance to permanent emigration for settlement of agricultural firm in the receiving country. The second is to clarify the Japanese government framework which created institutionalized marginality to the emigrants, causing a discrimination structure within the emigrants society. The third is to identify push and pull factors of Japanese emigrants, finding seven factors: natural environments and natural disasters, increasing population and surplus people, commercialized agricultural products and faded crops, poverty and income differences, accessibility to external society, value of performance orientation, and emigration encouraging agency. Although the situation of emigration is directly affected by the international relations around Japan as well as tense relations between the value and behavior of Japanese emigrants and those of the receiving society, emigration itself results from the personal initiative of an emigrant and thus its mechanism is complicated and diversified, requiring multidimensional framework of ordinary income opportunities in the sending community in which emigration is positioned as one of their income opportunities.
WHAT CONSTITUTES “GOODNESS” IN FARMING? FARMING AND LOCAL COMMUNITY IN NEOLIBERAL CONTEXT IN JAPAN
Authors: Tachikawa Masashi , Sakamoto Kiyohiko
Published: October 2019

Japanese agriculture has been going through a drastic change especially in terms of the number of farmers today. Modernization of agricultural structure, which had been pursued for many years by the government, seems to be suddenly realized through a large scale retirement of elder farmers. The advancing structural change in farming, especially consolidation of farming into fewer agricultural entities, raises a concern that rural community people are completely detached from farming per se. This concern leads our study to analyze the relationship between large-scale farming entities and local communities, which were once closely tied. In order to understand the nature and change of the relationship, we have focused on a Japanese farm competition and try to elucidate how the “desirability” of farms have evolved over time, and try to draw implications for the above-mentioned relationship. Our examinations of selection criteria of agricultural competitions, where advanced farmers seek to be awarded as the “best” farmers, reveal that the criteria have evolved from simpler ones to highly complex ones. More specifically, in an early era (the 1960s), farmers competing there are expected to have almost solely technical skills, whereas more recent criteria dictate that farmers should make social contribution to local communities. This indicates that goodness or “desirability” for advanced farmers has also gone through substantial changes. Farming entities are now not only to survive market competitions, but also to confront and deal with complex local demands to play roles that used to be fulfilled by local governments faced with declining budgets from the state government. The fact that Japanese cutting-edge farmers are expected to play substantial roles to sustain local communities seems to resonate with discourses extolled by neoliberalism penetrating into rural areas across the world. That is, rural actors are supposed to be entrepreneurial, efficient, and competitive in market principles, and simultaneously required to make contradictory commitments to sustain local communities.
LABOR EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN COFFEE PRODUCTION IN SOUTHERN LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
Authors: Seneduangdeth Dexanourath , Ounmany Kiengkay , Phommavong Saithong , Phouxay Kabmanivanh , Hathalong Keophouthon
Published: October 2019

General debate on the issue of labor employment is related to employment opportunity, pattern of labor employment, the contribution to labor employment, and the impact of labor employment on livelihoods. This paper examines labor employment opportunities through different ethnic perspectives, especially labor employment opportunities in coffee production, a non-traditional agricultural export (NTAE) product, as a case. The objectives of this study are to investigate the pattern of labor employment and to examine the impacts of the employment on the labor livelihoods. Qualitative method was applied to collect empirical data in four villages and five coffee planter-exporter companies in Pakxong District, Champasak Province, and Lao Ngam District, Salavanh Province, Lao PDR. Stakeholder consultation was held in relation to promotion of NTAE. Data analysis for this paper includes thematic analysis and narrative method. Findings show that there are many patterns of labor employment in coffee production: daily paid employment, monthly paid employment, and contracting employment. Wage laborers are from different ethnic groups who live in the same village, villages from outside, nearby villages, districts in the same province, and other provinces. Generally, the employment provides laborer with benefits. The laborers receive wage income and other additional benefits from employment in coffee production. The laborers benefit the most from a monthly salary and contracted employment compared to daily paid employment. The monthly paid employment secures employment status, provides additional benefits including welfare schemes such as medical care, accommodation, food provision, and telecommunication fees. The laborers, however, prefer to work as daily labor which provides incentive and is flexible for both the laborers and employers. In addition, migrant laborers experienced some negative impacts on their livelihood while working in a coffee garden such as working long hours, changing living style, and conflict with colleague workers and employers. The study suggests that related public and private agencies have to work closely with the farmers to regulate their workers’ employment conditions to be in line with the national labor code of conduct.
HOUSEHOLD COPING STRATEGIES IN NATURAL COASTAL RISK AND DISASTER IN PAG-ASA, SAN JOSE, OCCIDENTAL MINDORO
Authors: Ruedas Mary Yole Apple Declaro
Published: October 2019

The study was conducted to determine the profile of the household heads; the level of household coping strategies in natural risk and disaster, and the relationship between profile and the household coping strategies.It used correlational method of research. Sixty-three household heads in barangay Pag-asa, San Jose, Occidental Mindoro served as the respondents of the study. Mean, frequency, and Pearson Moment Correlation were used in the study. Results revealed that majority of the respondents were middle aged, with formal education, medium size household, long length of residency with an average monthly income below the poverty threshold of the province. It was also found out that coastal household “moderately adopted” the different coping mechanisms in natural disasters and that household size and number of years spent in formal education has significant relationship with the coping mechanisms.
WOMEN EMPOWERMENT IN A RURAL MATRILINEAL SOCIETY OF MEGHALAYA, INDIA
Authors: Keeni Minakshi , Takashino Nina , Nongkynrih A.K. , Fuyuki Katsuhito
Published: October 2019

The present study was undertaken to ascertain whether rural women are empowered in a matrilineal society in India. In a state where traditional institutions function on the basis of local customs and conventions that are not codified and yet religiously followed, it is questionable to whether the women are essentially empowered. In such a scenario, one wonders if owning land is enough to empower a woman. The objective of this study is to check if whether land ownership empowers a woman and if it gives her decision-making power in the household. The study was conducted at one village from each of the two districts in Meghalaya- the East Khasi Hills and the West Khasi Hills. Fifty female respondents from each district were made to answer a structured questionnaire, after which four respondents had to be eliminated, as they were unmarried and eighteen respondents had to be dropped as they were either a widow or separated. Probit regression was then used to analyze the data. The results stated that women who inherited land were more likely to have a savings account and be a part of a socio-economic group. From this it can be concluded, that women who owned land through lineage were empowered, however the fact that they still consider their husbands to be the head of the family, makes us consider that there may be a psychological component to it.
MOTIVATIONS AND RESOURCES OF SMALL-SCALE FARMERS FOR STAYING IN THEIR VILLAGE IN NORTHEAST THAILAND
Authors: Uehara Masatoshi
Published: October 2019

This study aims to examine one simple question: Why do some small-scale farmers in rural, northeast Thailand keep staying on in their villages despite the fact that they could earn a much higher income if they worked in urban areas? To answer this question, this study which is based on first-hand observations from nine years of intensive fieldwork in rural, northeast Thailand provides a detailed description of the small-scale farmers’ resources that enable them to sustain a living and also provides them motivations to stay in their village. The decision to stay on in the village and forgo the option to move out in pursuit of a higher income may seem irrational in the opinion of economists. However, the author, by employing the “capability approach” argument by A. Sen, argues that their behaviour could be understood as efforts of pursuing “lives worth living” (as expressed in his later work as an architect of the UN’s “human security” program) and not solely profit maximisation. Their efforts include establishing “community groups” and practising “sustainable agriculture” including “organic farming” and “integrated farming”. These activities are well-suited to their natural environments and economic conditions and, at the same time, give them autonomy in their villages.
COPING STRATEGIES ADOPTED BY IRAYA-MANGYAN HOUSEHOLDS DURING FOOD INSECURITY IN ABRA, OCCIDENTAL MINDORO, PHILIPPINES
Authors: Declaro-Ruedas Mary Yole Apple
Published: October 2019

The study was conducted to determine the food security status of the Iraya Mangyans’ and their coping mechanisms employed. The quantitative research design was employed in the study. The modified Radimer/Cornell Hunger and Food Insecurity instrument and Coping Strategy Index (CSI) were used to determine the food security status and their coping mechanism. Result shows the Irayas were middle aged, have medium household size, with low level of basic education, and with an average monthly income slightly “above” the poverty threshold in the province. The Irayas experienced “food insecure without hunger” in which household food supply is adequate but there is an adjustment to household food management, including reduced quality of food and increased unusual coping patterns. The high cost of food items and low agricultural production were the “highly serious problem” on food security. Dietary change, which includes relying on less preferred and less expensive foods and consuming less variety of foods, is the most employed coping mechanism. Household monthly income and years spent in formal school are significantly related to the coping mechanisms employed during food insecurity. However, household size and age have no significant relationship.
ATTITUDES TOWARDS CATCHING AND KILLING THE YAMABIRU (LAND LEECH) IN THE TENRYU AREA, JAPAN
Authors: Watanabe Satoshi
Published: October 2019

Recently, yamabiru, or land leeches (Haemadipsa zeylanica japonica), have proliferated in prefectures across Japan. Since it is unlikely that they will disappear from the living spaces, fields, and forests in which humans live and work, people living in the new contact zones have devised methods to coexist with them. The field research was conducted in 2017 and 2018 in C Township in the Tenryu area. Like many rural areas in Japan, C Township is facing the challenges of depopulation and ageing, and is home to a group of residents who aim for local revitalization. The participatory observation of leech-catching, an activity practiced by the group members who dare to use their hands to kill yamabiru instead of chemicals, provides several implications regarding ethical attitudes and the role of the human body. This paper argues that the members do not behave as victims suffering from the damage caused by yamabiru and do not kill them out of anger or discomfort. Instead, by behaving as an assailant and seeking out the concrete feeling of killing by direct contact, the members attempt to control their disastrous impact on other creatures and the environment. This behavior invites us to pay closer attention to the role of the human body and of bodily interaction as a sensory tool to coexist with other creatures in the Anthropocene, an era full of risks and uncertainty
THE ADAPTATION STRATEGIES OF A COMMUNITY’S FOOD PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION WITHIN A SMALL ISLAND ECOSYSTEM (A CASE STUDY AT KARAMPUANG ISLAND IN MAMUJU DISTRICT, WEST SULAWESI, INDONESIA)
Authors: Sulaiman Sulaiman , Ali M. Saleh S. , Salman Darmawan
Published: October 2019

Restricted production facilities for fishermen and marginal land ownership have triggerred low living standard for communities on small islands. This negatively impacts on community members’ ability to fulfill household food needs. Therefore, long-term survival requires a pattern of adaptation by the social environment of the community. This study examines and analyzes the strategies of a single community’s food production and consumption within an island ecosystem. Case study research was chosen in order to provide in-depth exploration and description of the adaptation patterns of the community’s food production and consumption on Karampuang Island. The data were collected using in-depth interviews supplemented by focus group discussions and field observations in order to comprehensively explore the social and economic lives of community members. The results indicated that the adaptation strategies of the community’s food production in Karampuang Island included a double livelihood strategy.  Gendered division of labor was found to utilize the optimal potential of household workers: men were responsible to do fishing in the sea and work as wage laborers in Mamuju City while women were responsible for selling the fish to market in Mamuju City market, and worked as laundry women and shopkeepers. The food consumption adaptation strategy among people in Karampuang Island was accomplished by diversifying food between cassava and rice.
Epidemiology and Antibiotic Susceptibility of Vibrio cholerae Associated with the 2017 Outbreak in Kasese district
Authors: Iramiot Jacob Stanley , Rwego Innocent B. , Kansiime Catherine , Asiimwe Benon B
Published: October 2019

Background: Uganda is among the 51 countries where cholera outbreaks are common. This report summarizes findings from the epidemiologic investigation, which aimed at identifying the mode of transmission and antibiotic susceptibility patterns of the Vibrio cholerae isolated in Kasese district, Uganda.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out between 2017 and 2018 to describe the epidemiology of the cholera epidemic of in Kasese district, Uganda. Rectal swabs from 69 suspected case-persons were cultured on Thiosulphate-Citrate-Bile-Salts Sucrose (TCBS™; SEIKEN Japan) agar and incubated at 370C for 18-24 hours. The isolates were serotyped with polyvalent 01 antiserum and monovalent serotype Inaba and Ogawa antisera (Denka Seiken, Tokyo, Japan) to determine which serotype was responsible for the outbreak. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method on Mueller-Hinton agar. Questionnaires were administered to a total of 75 participants who were either the cases or relatives to the case. GPS points of the homes of the cases and pictures of potential source infection were also taken and cases were mapped.
Results: A total of 222 cases were recorded in the Kasese District outbreak between the month of September 2017 and January 2018 with the case fatality rate (CFR) of 1.4%. Children below the age of 14 years contributed the biggest proportion of the cases (70%) and out of these, 33% were aged below five years. Culture isolated 69 V. cholerae 01 serotype Inaba from the total of 71 samples. Salmonella typhi was Isolated from the other two samples which were negative for V. cholerae. Antibiotic susceptibility testing showed 100% resistance to Ampicillin and over 50% were resistant to trimethoprim/Sulfamethoxazole whereas gentamicin showed 100% susceptibility. Environmental assessment revealed rampant cases of open defecation.
Conclusion: Though we did not culture water to confirm contamination with Vibrio cholerae, we hypothesize that the cholera epidemic in Kasese 2017 was sparked off by consumption of contaminated water following the heavy floods that washed away latrines into water sources in Bwera, Isango and Nakiyumbu sub-counties. V. cholerae was also highly resistant to the commonly used antibiotics.
Key words: Cholera, antibiotic resistance, epidemiology, environment.
Cry for health: a quantitative evaluation of a hospital-based advocacy intervention for domestic violence and abuse
Authors: Halliwell Gemma , Dheensa Sandi , Fenu Elisabetta , Jones Sue K , Asato Jessica , Jacob Suzanne , Feder Gene
Published: October 2019

Background
Domestic violence and abuse damages the health of survivors and increases use of healthcare services. We report findings from a multi-site evaluation of hospital-based advocacy services, designed to support survivors attending emergency departments and maternity services.
Methods
Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVA) were co-located in five UK hospitals. Case-level data were collected at T1 (initial referral) and T2 (case closure) from survivors accessing hospital (T1 N = 692; T2 N = 476) and community IDVA services (T1 N = 3,544; T2 N = 2,780), used as a comparator. Measures included indicators of sociodemographic characteristics, experience of abuse, health service use, health and safety outcomes. Multivariate analyses tested for differences in changes in abuse, health and factors influencing safety outcomes. Health service use data in the six months pre-and post- intervention were compared to generate potential cost savings by hospital IDVA services.
Results
Hospital IDVAs worked with survivors less visible to community IDVA services and facilitated intervention at an earlier point. Hospital IDVAs received higher referrals from health services and enabled access to a greater number of health resources. Hospital survivors were more likely to report greater reductions in and cessation of abuse. No differences were observed in health outcomes for hospital survivors. The odds of safety increased two-fold if hospital survivors received over five contacts with an IDVA or accessed six or more resources / programmes over a longer period of time. Six months preceding IDVA intervention, hospital survivors cost on average £2,463 each in use of health services; community survivors cost £533 each. The cost savings observed among hospital survivors amounted to a total of £2,050 per patient per year. This offset the average cost of providing hospital IDVA services.
Conclusions
Hospital IDVAs can identify survivors not visible to other services and promote safety through intensive support and access to resources. The co-location of IDVAs within the hospital encouraged referrals to other health services and wider community agencies. Further research is required to establish the cost-effectiveness of hospital IDVA services, however our findings suggest these services could be an efficient use of health service resources.