bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
L'ús de les TIC en la Didàctica de la Literatura
Authors: Dans Álvarez de Sotomayor Isabel
Published: September 2017

El repte sobre com ensenyar o aprendre literatura implica una reflexió profunda. Actualment, és un concepte que va molt més enllà del domini de la gramàtica i de la producció de textos. Aquests aspectes són imprescindibles per a l’adquisició de coneixements bàsics, però han de complementar-se amb una aproximació que en prioritze la pràctica. És en aquesta línia que s’orienta la nostra proposta: aprendre a emprar els coneixements en entorns variats, amb un interés especial pel que fa als espais digitals per a determinar en quines situacions són aplicables tals coneixements i en quines no. En aquest article es presenten raons per a l’ús de les tecnologies en l’àmbit de la didàctica de la literatura i, a més a més, s’hi aporten possibles entorns d’aprenentatge experimentats amb estudiants universitaris del grau de Mestre d’Educació Primària en la matèria de Didàctica de la Llengua i la Literatura. Els futurs docents hauran de ser els qui facen possible una iniciació i un desenvolupament lingüístic que servisca com a estratègia comunicativa per als nous contextos de producció (escriure en la xarxa, per exemple), així com en les situacions quotidianes (contar una anècdota).
Adquisició del paràmetre del subjecte nul en català
Authors: Verdú Seguí Elena
Published: September 2017

Aquest treball se situa dintre de la disciplina de l’adquisició del llenguatge, encarregada d’estudiar els diferents processos que l’ésser humà du a terme en el desenvolupament de la parla. En aquest cas, s’estudiarà l’adquisició del subjecte nul en català, i es partirà de la següent qüestió: els xiquets catalanoparlants menors de 5 anys, han fixat correctament el paràmetre del subjecte nul? Per resoldre aquesta qüestió, partirem de la hipòtesi del VEPS (Very Early Parameter Settings), que afirma que els paràmetres (una de les dimensions de la variació estructural del llenguatge humà) es fixen abans de l’estadi de dues paraules. Per realitzar l’estudi, comptabilitzarem els subjectes nuls en frases subordinades i no subordinades per a 12 adults i 6 xiquets parlants de català; material que extraurem de la base de dades CHILDES. Finalment compararem els nostres resultats amb els de l’anglés de Valian (1991), llengua que no admet l’omissió de subjecte.
Depuració, agençament i contextualització dels textos. Ressenya d’Obra completa (nova edició, revisada), vol. I-III, de Vicent Andrés Estellés (Tres i Quatre, València, 2014-2015-2016). Directors d’edició: Vicent Salvador i Josep Murgades
Authors: Díaz Anna L.
Published: September 2017

Ressenya: Depuració, agençament i contextualització dels textos. Ressenya d’Obra completa (nova edició, revisada), vol. I-III, de Vicent Andrés Estellés (Tres i Quatre, València, 2014-2015-2016). Directors d’edició: Vicent Salvador i Josep Murgades.
Exopolysaccharide (EPS) activity test of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) as immunomodulatory
Authors: . Kusmiati , Afiati Fifi , Kukihi Farha Elein
Published: September 2017

Immunomodulatory activity assay and characterization of exopolysaccharide (EPS) from Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) was done in Bogor. Bacteria used in this study was LAB strains of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. Exopolysaccharide was extracted from L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus then characterized with FT-IR spectrophotometer to determine the functional group. IR spectrum analysis using Fourier Transform-Infra Red (FT-IR) showed that EPS from both LAB isolates were carbohydrate compounds. Immunomodulatory activity in vivo from EPS was measured using phagocytic activity and phagocytic capacity macrophage cells from mice peritoneal cavity fluid. Exopolysaccharide were given orally to mice in concentrations of 100 μg/ml, 200 μg/ml and 300 μg/ml for 14 days then the mice were infected with Staphylococcus aureus. Result showed that EPS from both LAB isolate enhanced either phagocytic activity and phagocytic capacity macrophage cell from mice peritoneal fluid. EPS from L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus concentration 300 μg/ml showed the highest phagocytic activity of macrophage cells and EPS from S. thermophilus concentration 300 μg/ml showed the highest phagocytic capacity. It is concluded that EPS potency tested as immunomodulatory derived from a culture of L. delbrueckii and S. thermophilus subsp.bulgaricus are able to increase the activity and phagocytosis murine peritoneal macrophages.
The Use of Natural Curing on Beef Products
Authors: Saputro Eko
Published: September 2017

Efforts to control meat spoilage, safety and palatability in the production of meat products become essential for humans. These control efforts should keep good quality of meat products at ambient temperature. Curing using NaNO2 is one of meat preservation techniques. However, the Indonesian Agency for National Standardization prohibits the use of sodium nitrite (NaNO2) in the organic food production process due to its negative effect on health and food safety. Therefore, substitutes of NaNO2 as natural curing agent and supported technologies have to be found. This article discusses the curing process using curing agents in the form of nitrate from natural resources and a starter culture for reducing nitrate to nitrite. The addition of accelerators in the form of reductant and acidulant from natural or organic resources is also required to enhance curing process. Natural curing processes of beef products have been proven to produce similar meat quality of sensory, physico-chemical, and microbiological characteristics with curing process using NaNO2.
Supported Science and Reproductive Technology to Achieve Cows Pregnancy Program Succesfully
Authors: Inounu Ismeth
Published: September 2017

Special efforts (UPSUS) to make cows pregnant (SIWAB) is a program to accelerate cattle population to meet the demand of animal origin food through artificial insemination or intensification of natural mating. Experience shows that a similar program that has been conducted previously was less successful. This paper aims to give some information on science, technology, and management of cattle reproduction that require attention to achieve SIWAB program successfully. Several things should be concerned for this program are: (1) Selection of fertile females and bulls; (2) Natural mating or artificial insemination (availability of semen, liquid nitrogen, supporting equipment, and inseminator); (3) Early detection of pregnancy; (4) Feed and feeding management; (5) Control of reproduction disease and other diseases; and (6) The supervision and handling of pregnant cows during and after birth. Another important thing that should be taken into account is the preparation of mating calendar so that the birth will occur during the period of abundant feed resources, and management of optimal forage and supplements to ensure good body condition of cows at the time of calving. With an understanding of science, technology, and applying reproductive management, it is expected that the targeted pregnancy cows by UPSUS program can be obtained.
Competitiveness of Indonesian Livestock Production among ASEAN Countries
Authors: Soedjana Tjeppy D , Priyanti Atien
Published: September 2017

ASEAN is one of the fastest growing regional economic communities and its combined human population of around 600 million people. Heterogeneity of ASEAN member countries includes population size, cultural background, structure and development of the economy, and level of income. Agriculture is well known as one of the key engine of economic growth of the ASEAN member countries, seen from the fact that most of the countries in this region are strongly depend on this sector including animal production. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the competitiveness of Indonesian production costs of selected livestock products compared to other ASEAN member countries. The following member countries are at their first rank or competitiveness status for the livestock and poultry commodities, namely Cambodia for beef cattle, Malaysia for pigs, the Philippines for sheep and goats, and Thailand for broiler chickens. Indonesia with the highest poultry population in the region, compared to Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines has not yet performed as that good in terms of production costs. The position of Indonesia based on production cost was at the fourth rank for beef, third for sheep and goat, and fourth for broiler compared to other ASEAN member countries. Therefore, Indonesia should improve the efficiency production of livestock and poultry to achieve better competition status.
Alternative explanation of some total so-lar eclipse related phenomena
Authors: Abunayib Salah
Published: September 2017

Diamond ring, shadow bands and coronal heating are some phenomena of great interest to concerned scientists and observers during total eclipse of the sun. These phenomena are explained here in a different way which is simply based on the familiar fact that the sun and the moon are actually spherical objects and not just plane disks. Firstly, the diamond of the diamond ring is seen here as two symmetrical seamless joined halves. One-half is the directly seen single spot of the sun that is uncovered by the moon just at the beginning and end of totality. The other half is a mirror image of that spot reflected by the edge surface of the moon. Secondly, the shadow bands phenomenon is explained as due to interference of light from two seamless joined hair crescents. One is the inner edge of the thin crescent sun that can be seen immediately before and after totality. Light from this inner edge hair crescent falling on the edge surface of the moon gets mirror reflected creating another hair crescent image and both are seamlessly embraced by the main crescent sun. Thirdly, during totality when looking at the outer atmosphere of the sun around its eclipsed face, one is actually looking through a very deep transparent atmosphere of the sun. The viewed depth in the outer atmosphere is geometrically hundreds of times greater than that of the photosphere at the center of the face of the sun. Theoretically, the solar energy gets concentrated by the integral effect of all the points along the viewed depth. This may, hence, stand as one of the factors to be considered in explaining the peculiar phenomenon that the temperature increases as we go away from the surface of the sun.
Prevalence of partial edentulism among young Saudi women of Qassim and their perception of early tooth loss
Authors: Almutairy Amal , Mohan Minu
Published: September 2017

Background: Edentulism and number of remaining teeth per capita are commonly used as main indicators of dental health status in national surveys.Objectives: To determine the level of tooth loss and the most common arch affected, to find the out awareness level of replacement of missing teeth with different prosthetic types and to evaluate the correlation between educational level and tooth loss.Subjects and methods: This was cross-sectional clinical examination, and questionnaire based study, examining the prosthetic status of young females and their level of awareness to replace missing teeth. Using the sample size calculator with the confidence interval of 95% and significance of p<0.05, the sample size was calculated to be 200. The inclusion criteria were female patients visiting Qassim Dental Clinics and primary health care centers, aged between 19-39 years. Data was processed and analyzed through SPSS.Results: The incidences of partial edentulism were 62.5% and the highest level of missing teeth was found among young females who have college and postgraduate degree, which was 52.8%. The restored cases were only16% out of the affected cases. There was a lack of awareness 39.2% to restore missing teeth among study population. The most important cause of loss teeth among the studied population of young females of Qassim was caries 90.4%.Conclusion: The study revealed that young females were concerned about their esthetics than other functions of the masticatory system. This can also be supported with the fact that missing mandible posterior teeth were found to be the most common amongst them. Present study showed that awareness level and motivation were significantly low to restore missing teeth. It also revealed that educational status was not the only predictor of health outcomes.
Efímeros. La dicha del ser humano en Píndaro y Platón
Authors: Flórez Alfonso
Published: September 2017

A partir de una lectura conjunta de la Pítica 8 de Píndaro y el libro 10 de la República de Platón, se estudian las relaciones que en la vida humana guarda lo efímero con la dicha. El poema pindárico ofrece determinaciones decisivas para la comprensión de lo efímero en el ser humano, en el sentido de que en medio de la precariedad la dicha aún puede alcanzar al ser humano. Hay razones para pensar que el texto platónico trabaja sobre el texto pindárico, lo que ofrece elementos nuevos para la interpretación del mito de Er como gesto poético supremo de Platón, lo que permitirá plantear una nueva comprensión de las relaciones entre filosofía y poesía.
Shakespeare, dramaturgo-filósofo
Authors: Pego Puigbó Armando
Published: September 2017

En este artículo se propone un acercamiento al universo dramático de William Shakespeare en un sentido filosófico más allá de las interpretaciones históricas, sociales y estéticas habituales en las teorías críticas más recientes. No se trata de resaltar sólo las intuiciones filosóficas contenidas en la obra shakesperiana, sino de intentar mostrar la irreductible condición filosófica de su imaginación literaria. Aun evitando los excesos bardólatras, se hace preciso revisar las relaciones paradójicas que mantiene el modelo trágico de Shakespeare con las categorías —y no las reglas— de la Poética aristotélica. Podrá observarse cómo, al ponerlas en jaque, la energía teatral de Shakespeare ha desvelado ambiguos territorios que la filosofía contemporánea explora a tientas como lugares de la invención moderna de lo «humano». Hamlet ejemplificará esta capacidad de suscitar un debate moral y estético en las interpretaciones de autores como C. Schmitt, S. Cavell, F. Ricordi o R. Girard.
Fourier transforms of powers of well-behaved 2D real analytic functions
Authors: Greenblatt Michael
Published: September 2017

This paper is a companion paper to [6], where sharp estimates are proven for Fourier transforms of compactly supported functions built out of two-dimensional real-analytic functions.
The theorems of [6] are stated in a rather general form.
In this paper, we expand on the results of [6] and show that there is a class of “well-behaved” functions that contains a number of relevant examples for which such estimates can be explicitly described in terms of the Newton polygon of the function.
We will further see that for a subclass of these functions, one can prove noticeably more precise estimates, again in an explicitly describable way.
Active on Many Foreign Markets: A Portrait of German Multi-market Exporters and Importers from Manufacturing Industries
Authors: Wagner Joachim
Published: September 2017

This paper uses information on more than 160 million export and import transactions by German firms from 2009 to 2012 to document the decisive role of multi-market traders that are active on many foreign markets, where a market is defined as a combination of a good traded and a country traded with. Using merged information from trade transactions and from surveys conducted by the statistical offices it is shown that, controlling for detailed industry affiliation, the number of foreign markets a firm from manufacturing industries is active on as an exporter or importer is higher in firms that are larger, older and foreign owned and that have higher labor productivity, human capital intensity and R&D intensity. With the exception of labor productivity these results are valid ceteris paribus, too. All these results from a descriptive empirical investigation are in line with hypotheses that are derived from the literature on the links between firm characteristics and the extensive margins of foreign trade.
Legitimate Expectations, Legal Transitions, and Wide Reflective Equilibrium
Authors: Green Fergus
Published: September 2017

Recent scholarly attention to ‘legitimate expectations’ and their role in legal transitions has yielded widely varying principles for distinguishing between legitimate and non-legitimate expectations. This article suggests that methodological reflection may facilitate substantive progress in the debate. Specifically, it proposes and defends the use of a wide reflective equilibrium methodology for constructing, justifying and critiquing theories of legitimate expectations and other kinds of normative theories about legal transitions. The methodology involves three levels of analysis — normative principles, their theoretical antecedents, and considered judgements about their implications in specific cases — and iteration between these three levels in an effort to ensure coherence. The payoffs from applying this methodology to the legitimate expectations debate are illustrated through a discussion of examples from the existing literature. Some proposed innovations to the methodology, including the incorporation of insights from the ideal/non-ideal theory debate, are likely to be of wider interest to political theorists.
High-Precision Fast-Spiking Basket Cell Discharges during Complex Events in the Human Neocortex
Authors: Szegedi Viktor , Molnár Gábor , Paizs Melinda , Csakvari Eszter , Barzó Pál , Tamás Gábor , Lamsa Karri
Published: September 2017

In the human neocortex, solitary action potentials in some layer 2–3 pyramidal cells (PCs) trigger brief episodes of network activity known as complex events through strong excitatory synapses that specifically innervate GABAergic interneurons. Yet, how these “master PCs” configure the local network activity is not well understood. We report that single spikes in the PCs, studied here in synaptically connected cell pairs in frontal or temporal neocortical areas of both males and females, elicit firing of fast-spiking basket cells (FSBCs) with a short delay (on average 2.7 ms). The FSBC discharge is triggered by 13 mV (on average) monosynaptic EPSPs, and the action potential is time locked to the master PC spike with high temporal precision, showing little jitter in delay. In the complex events, the FSBC discharge occurs in the beginning of the activity episode, forming the first wave of the complex event activity. Firing of FSBCs generates GABAergic IPSCs with fast kinetics in layer 2–3 PCs, and similar IPSCs regularly occur time locked to master PC spikes in the beginning of the complex events with high probability and short (median 4.1 ms) delay with little jitter. In comparison, discharge of nonfast spiking interneurons (non-FSINs) investigated here appears inconsistently in the complex events and shows low probability. Thus, firing of layer 2–3 FSBCs with high temporal fidelity characterizes early phase of the complex events in the human neocortex.
The Intellectual Disability and Schizophrenia Associated Transcription Factor TCF4 Is Regulated by Neuronal Activity and Protein Kinase A
Authors: Sepp Mari , Vihma Hanna , Nurm Kaja , Urb Mari , Page Stephanie Cerceo , Roots Kaisa , Hark Anu , Maher Brady J. , Pruunsild Priit , Timmusk Tõnis
Published: September 2017

Transcription factor 4 (TCF4 also known as ITF2 or E2-2) is a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) protein associated with Pitt–Hopkins syndrome, intellectual disability, and schizophrenia (SCZ). Here, we show that TCF4-dependent transcription in cortical neurons cultured from embryonic rats of both sexes is induced by neuronal activity via soluble adenylyl cyclase and protein kinase A (PKA) signaling. PKA phosphorylates TCF4 directly and a PKA phosphorylation site in TCF4 is necessary for its transcriptional activity in cultured neurons and in the developing brainin vivo. We also demonstrate thatGadd45g(growth arrest and DNA damage inducible gamma) is a direct target of neuronal-activity-induced, TCF4-dependent transcriptional regulation and that TCF4 missense variations identified in SCZ patients alter the transcriptional activity of TCF4 in neurons. This study identifies a new role for TCF4 as a neuronal-activity-regulated transcription factor, offering a novel perspective on the association of TCF4 with cognitive disorders.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTThe importance of the basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor transcription factor 4 (TCF4) in the nervous system is underlined by its association with common and rare cognitive disorders. In the current study, we show that TCF4-controlled transcription in primary cortical neurons is induced by neuronal activity and protein kinase A. Our results support the hypotheses that dysregulation of neuronal-activity-dependent signaling plays a significant part in the etiology of neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders.
Experience-Dependent Synaptic Plasticity in V1 Occurs without Microglial CX3CR1
Authors: Schecter Rachel W. , Maher Erin E. , Welsh Christina A. , Stevens Beth , Erisir Alev , Bear Mark F.
Published: September 2017

Brief monocular deprivation (MD) shifts ocular dominance and reduces the density of thalamic synapses in layer 4 of the mouse primary visual cortex (V1). We found that microglial lysosome content is also increased as a result of MD. Previous studies have shown that the microglial fractalkine receptor CX3CR1 is involved in synaptic development and hippocampal plasticity. We therefore tested the hypothesis that neuron-to-microglial communication via CX3CR1 is an essential component of visual cortical development and plasticity in male mice. Our data show that CX3CR1 is not required for normal development of V1 responses to visual stimulation, multiple forms of experience-dependent plasticity, or the synapse loss that accompanies MD in layer 4. By ruling out an essential role for fractalkine signaling, our study narrows the search for understanding how microglia respond to active synapse modification in the visual cortex.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTMicroglia in the visual cortex respond to monocular deprivation with increased lysosome content, but signaling through the fractalkine receptor CX3CR1 is not an essential component in the mechanisms of visual cortical development or experience-dependent synaptic plasticity.
Morbidity and mortality in patients with hyperprolactinaemia: the PROLEARS study
Authors: Soto-Pedre Enrique , Newey Paul J , Bevan John S , Leese Graham P
Published: September 2017

Purpose

High serum prolactin concentrations have been associated with adverse health outcomes in some but not all studies. This study aimed to examine the morbidity and all-cause mortality associated with hyperprolactinaemia.

Methods

A population-based matched cohort study in Tayside (Scotland, UK) from 1988 to 2014 was performed. Record-linkage technology was used to identify patients with hyperprolactinaemia that were compared to an age–sex-matched cohort of patients free of hyperprolactinaemia. The number of deaths and incident admissions with diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, cancer, breast cancer, bone fractures and infectious conditions were compared by the survival analysis.

Results

Patients with hyperprolactinaemia related to pituitary tumours had no increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, bone fractures, all-cause cancer or breast cancer. Whilst no increased mortality was observed in patients with pituitary microadenomas (HR = 1.65, 95% CI: 0.79–3.44), other subgroups including those with pituitary macroadenomas and drug-induced and idiopathic hyperprolactinaemia demonstrated an increased risk of death. Individuals with drug-induced hyperprolactinaemia also demonstrated increased risks of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, infectious disease and bone fracture. However, these increased risks were not associated with the degree of serum prolactin elevation (Ptrend > 0.3). No increased risk of cancer was observed in any subgroup.

Conclusions

No excess morbidity was observed in patients with raised prolactin due to pituitary tumours. Although the increased morbidity and mortality associated with defined patient subgroups are unlikely to be directly related to the elevation in serum prolactin, hyperprolactinaemia might act as a biomarker for the presence of some increased disease risk in these patients.
Adiponectin improves insulin sensitivity via activation of autophagic flux
Authors: Ahlstrom Penny , Rai Esther , Chakma Suharto , Cho Hee Ho , Rengasamy Palanivel , Sweeney Gary
Published: September 2017

Skeletal muscle insulin resistance is known to play an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetes, and one potential causative cellular mechanism is endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Adiponectin mediates anti-diabetic effects via direct metabolic actions and by improving insulin sensitivity, and we recently demonstrated an important role in stimulation of autophagy by adiponectin. However, there is limited knowledge on crosstalk between autophagy and ER stress in skeletal muscle and in particular how they are regulated by adiponectin. Here, we utilized the model of high insulin/glucose (HIHG)-induced insulin resistance, determined by measuring Akt phosphorylation (T308 and S473) and glucose uptake in L6 skeletal muscle cells. HIHG reduced autophagic flux measured by LC3 and p62 Western blotting and tandem fluorescent RFP/GFP-LC3 immunofluorescence (IF). HIHG also induced ER stress assessed by thioflavin T/KDEL IF, pIRE1, pPERK, peIF2α and ATF6 Western blotting and induction of a GRP78-mCherry reporter. Induction of autophagy by adiponectin or rapamycin attenuated HIHG-induced ER stress and improved insulin sensitivity. The functional significance of enhanced autophagy was validated by demonstrating a lack of improved insulin sensitivity in response to adiponectin in autophagy-deficient cells generated by overexpression of dominant negative mutant of Atg5. In summary, adiponectin-induced autophagy in skeletal muscle cells alleviated HIHG-induced ER stress and insulin resistance.
1918 M. LAPKRIČIO 2 D. IR 1919 M. BALANDŽIO 4 D. LIETUVOS KONSTITUCINIAI AKTAI – DVI ATSKIROS KONSTITUCIJOS AR DVI TO PATIES KONSTITUCINIO AKTO REDAKCIJOS?
Authors: Machovenko Jevgenij
Published: September 2017

Straipsnyje analizuojama 1918 m. lapkričio 2 d. ir 1919 m. balandžio 4 d. Valstybės tarybos priimtų Lietuvos Valstybės Laikinosios Konstitucijos Pamatinių Dėsnių genezė ir turinys. Autorius siekia nustatyti, kas yra šie dokumentai – dvi konstitucijos ar dvi to paties konstitucinio akto redakcijos.
SUNKI BYLA LIETUVOS TEISMŲ POŽIŪRIU: RELIGINIO POBŪDŽIO BYLŲ PAVYZDŽIU
Authors: Lastauskienė Giedrė
Published: September 2017

Straipsnyje analizuojama sunkių bylų kategorijos paplitimas Lietuvos teisės doktrinoje, teisės aktuose ir teismų praktikoje. Analizuojami Lietuvos teismų išnagrinėtų sunkių bylų, turinčių religinį pobūdį, pavyzdžiai, siekiant įvertinti teismų sprendimų argumentavimo korektiškumą.
Association of the severity of lung lesions with carcass and meat quality in slaughter pigs
Authors: Karabasil Nedjeljko , Čobanović Nikola , Vučićević Ivana , Stajković Silvana , Becskei Zsolt , Forgách Petra , Aleksić-Kovačević Sanja
Published: September 2017

The aim of this study was to determine the association of lung lesions with carcass and meat quality traits in slaughter pigs and to describe the main morphological features associated with lung lesions. Macroscopic lesions on the lungs were detected in 67.09% of a total of 79 pigs examined. Histopathological examination revealed that acute and chronic interstitial pneumonia represented the commonest changes, detected in 26.67% and 33.33% of the cases, respectively. Bronchopneumonia was found in 33.33% of the cases. By immunohistochemical examination, 26.67% of the lungs showed the presence of severe peribronchiolar and perialveolar infiltration composed predominantly of CD3+ T lymphocytes, which finding may be indicative of viral pneumonia. Regarding the production traits, it was confirmed that pigs with severe lung lesions had the lowest liveweight, hot carcass weight and meatiness, the highest pH value 45 min after slaughtering (pH45) and the highest incidence of dark, firm, dry (DFD) and pale, soft, exudative (PSE) meat. The presence of lung lesions significantly downgraded carcass value and caused a significant deterioration in pork quality.
Progesterone concentration, pregnancy and calving rate in Simmental dairy cows after oestrus synchronisation and hCG treatment during the early luteal phase
Authors: Šuluburić Adam , Milanović Svetlana , Vranješ-Đurić Sanja , Jovanović Ivan B. , Barna Tomislav , Stojić Milica , Fratrić Natalija , Szenci Ottó , Gvozdić Dragan
Published: September 2017

Early embryonic development may be negatively affected by insufficient progesterone (P4) production. Therefore, the aim of our study was to increase P4 by gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and/or human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) treatments after inducing oestrus by prostaglandin (PG) treatment. Lactating Simmental dairy cows (n = 110), between 1 to 5 lactations, with an average milk production of 6,500 1/305 days, at 40–80 days postpartum were used and grouped as follows: (1) PG + GnRH treatment at AI (GnRH group), (2) PG + hCG treatment at day 7 after AI (hCG group), (3) PG + GnRH at AI + hCG treatment at day 7 after AI (GnRH/hCG group), and (4) spontaneous oestrus (C: control group). All animals were double inseminated (at the time of oestrus detection and 12 ± 2 h thereafter). Blood serum and milk samples were collected at the day of observed oestrus (day 0), and 14, 21 and 28 days after AI. Serum P4 was determined using a commercial radioimmunoassay (RIA) test (INEP, Zemun), and milk P4 was determined using enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) test (NIV Novi Sad). Pregnancy status was confirmed by ultrasonography between days 28 and 35 after AI. Differences of serum or milk P4 medians, pregnancy (and calving) rate were determined using Dunn’s Multiple Comparison Tests and Z test, respectively. Serum P4 medians were significantly higher at days 14, 21 and 28 after AI in the hCG-treated animals, indicating increased luteal activity, with a similar tendency in whole milk P4 values. Treatment with hCG during the early luteal phase significantly contributed to the maintenance of gestation at days 28–35 after AI, and also increased the calving rate in Simmental dairy cows.
OPTIMASI PERFORMA DNA MARKER PADA ELEKTROFORESIS GEL
Authors: Artati Diah , Lubis Dini Sahfitri
Published: September 2017

Elektroforesis adalah pemisahan komponen bermuatan listrik berdasarkan perbedaan tingkat migrasinya dalam suatu medan listrik. Elektroforesis terutama digunakan untuk mengamati hasil dari DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) yang diamplifikasi. Untuk memudahkan pembacaan ukuran DNA target dalam elektroforesis diperlukan adanya DNA marker. Kendala-kendala penggunaan DNA maker dalam elektroforesis di antaranya adalah separasi fragmen DNA marker yang kurang sempurna, fragmen yang tipis atau kurang tegas dan bentuk fragmen yang tidak lurus, sehingga menyulitkan pembacaan. Oleh karena itu, perlu dilakukan uji coba dengan memberikan perlakuan beberapa faktor yang memengaruhi hasil elektroforesis untuk mengetahui komposisi yang tepat agar diperoleh performa fragmen DNA marker yang optimum. Kegiatan optimasi performa DNA marker ini dilakukan dengan cara memasukkan sampel DNA marker dengan volume 0,50 µL; 0,75 µL; 1,00 µL; 1,25 µL; dan 1,50 µL ke dalam sumur-sumur gel agarosa 2% yang telah diwarnai peqGREEN dengan konsentrasi 60.000x in water (0,5 µL/30 mL), 40.000x in water (0,75 µL/30 mL), 30.000x in water (1 µL/30 mL), dan 24.000x in water (1,25 µL/30 mL), kemudian dilakukan elektroforesis pada arus listrik 400 mA dengan tegangan listrik 80 volt selama 30 menit, 70 volt selama 45 menit, dan 60 volt selama 60 menit. Hasil uji coba ini menunjukkan bahwa volume optimum DNA marker yang dapat menghasilkan visualisasi fragmen-fragmen DNA secara jelas berkisar 0,75-1,25 µL. Pewarna peqGREEN dengan konsentrasi 60.000x in water sudah dapat mewarnai fragmen DNA dengan jelas. Separasi antar-fragmen DNA terlihat jelas dan tegas pada saat elektroforesis dilakukan dengan tegangan listrik 70 volt selama 45 menit dan 60 volt selama 60 menit.
PRODUKTIVITAS PEMIJAHAN INDUK IKAN GURAMI (Osphronemus gouramy) SISTEM BERPASANGAN DENGAN PERBANDINGAN JANTAN DAN BETINA YANG BERBEDA
Authors: Irawan Deni , Sirodiana Sirodiana
Published: September 2017

Ikan gurami (Osphronemus gouramy) merupakan salah satu ikan budidaya air tawar yang memiliki nilai ekonomis cukup tinggi. Produksi benih ikan gurami sangat bergantung pada pemijahan alami secara massal, menghasilkan produksi benih yang masih rendah. Oleh karena itu, perlu dilakukan uji coba pemijahan ikan gurami dengan perbandingan jumlah antara induk jantan dan betina yang berbeda, yaitu 1:1, 1:2, dan 1:3 untuk mengetahui pengaruhnya terhadap keberhasilan pemijahan dan produktivitas jumlah sarang, telur, dan larva yang dihasilkan. Hasil pengamatan pemijahan selama empat bulan menunjukkan bahwa pemijahan dengan perbandingan antara jantan dan betina 1:1 menghasilkan produktivitas yang tertinggi, dengan setiap induk betina rata-rata dapat memijah setiap 40 hari sekali, menghasilkan jumlah telur yang paling banyak (rata-rata sebanyak 4.033,2 butir) dan jumlah larva yang paling banyak (rata-rata sebanyak 3.185,4 ekor). Perbandingan antara jumlah jantan dan betina yang berbeda tidak memberikan perbedaan terhadap hasil derajat pembuahan, derajat penetasan, abnormalitas larva, dan jumlah larva yang mati.
Religion, Medicine, and Global Health in Uganda
Authors: Bruner Jason
Published: September 2017

In this article, I use three scenes from an afternoon of ethnographic fieldwork at Mulago Hospital in Kampala, Uganda as the occasion to consider the various ways in which religion, medicine and global health are imagined, reified and dissolved as contemporary categories. I use historical and contemporary literature to illuminate how these interactions are contextualized products of broader historical processes. I conclude by arguing that research on global health needs to take “religion” seriously as a venue in which people create and enact modes of life that they find meaningful and life sustaining, particularly those creations and practices that are unable to be quantified in global health metrics and research.
Igreja Católica e Comunicação: tempos de reflexão/ação mais crítica e estratégica
Authors: Alvarenga Ricardo Costa
Published: September 2017

Este artigo estuda a recente fase da relação entre a Igreja e a Comunicação e tem, como objetivo, revisitar os principais documentos publicados pela Igreja Católica (Santa Sé) sobre a comunicação, a fim de identificar possíveis apontamentos sobre o uso mais crítico e estratégico da mídia por parte da instituição. Desenvolveu-se este artigo com base na revisão bibliográfica e na análise documental de arquivos da Santa Sé, disponíveis no site (w2.vatican.va). Nossa principal conclusão é que, a partir das transições entre os Papas João Paulo II, Bento XVI e Francisco, podemos identificar mudanças, particularmente no pontificado do atual papa, que sinalizam uma nova estrutura para os meios de comunicação e para as instituições do Vaticano vinculadas a esse âmbito. Tal restruturação pode ser entendida como fruto de uma reflexão/ ação mais crítica e estratégica.
Imagem do outro e imagem de si: os editoriais de O Estado de S. Paulo sobre o Movimento Passe Livre
Authors: Silva Júnior Carlos Humberto Ferreira
Published: September 2017

O trabalho tem, como objetivo, analisar a imagem discursiva que o jornal O Estado de S. Paulo apresenta sobre o Movimento Passe Livre (MPL). Foram analisados dois editoriais, publicados em janeiro de 2016, nos quais esse movimento é citado nominalmente. Como metodologia, utilizou-se a proposta de antecipação das representações do receptor, oferecida por Michel Pêcheux, no texto Análise Automática do Discurso. Em nossa conclusão, percebemos que o jornal apresenta visão negativa do MPL, associando, ao movimento, valores como desorganização, desrespeito ao jogo democrático, violência, delinquência e criminalidade, ao mesmo tempo que manifesta imagem de si como fiscalizador, desafiador do poder público, juiz e conselheiro da sociedade.
Nonlinear vibration of functionally graded material sandwich doubly curved shallow shells reinforced by FGM stiffeners. Part 1: Governing equations
Authors: Thuy Dong Dang , Dung Dao Van
Published: September 2017

Nonlinear vibration of FGM sandwich doubly curved shallow shells reinforced by FGM stiffeners subjected to mechanical and thermal loading are investigated based on the first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT) with von Karman type nonlinearity, taking into account initial geometrical imperfection and smeared stiffener technique. Four material models of the FGM sandwich shells are presented. Explicit expressions for natural frequencies, nonlinear frequency-amplitude relation, and time-deflection curves of the FGM sandwich shallow shells are derived using Galerkin method.
Predictors of Venous Thromboembolism and Early Mortality in Lung Cancer: Results from a Global Prospective Study (CANTARISK)
Authors: Kuderer Nicole M. , Poniewierski Marek S. , Culakova Eva , Lyman Gary H. , Khorana Alok A. , Pabinger Ingrid , Agnelli Giancarlo , Liebman Howard A. , Vicaut Eric , Meyer Guy , Shepherd Frances A.
Published: September 2017

Background

Patients with lung cancer are known to be at increased risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE). Venous thromboembolism is associated with increased risk for early mortality. However, there have been no studies performing a comprehensive assessment of risk factors for VTE or early mortality in lung cancer patients undergoing systemic chemotherapy in a global real-world setting.

Materials and Methods

CANTARISK is a prospective, global, noninterventional cohort study including patients with lung cancer initiating a new cancer therapy. Clinical data were collected until 6-month follow-up. The impact of patient-, disease-, and treatment-related factors on the occurrence of VTE and early mortality was evaluated in univariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses. A previously validated VTE risk score (VTE-RS) was also calculated (also known as Khorana score).

Results

Of 1,980 patients with lung cancer who were enrolled from 2011 to 2012, 84% had non-small cell lung cancer. During the first 6 months, 121 patients developed a VTE (6.1%), of which 47% had pulmonary embolism, 46% deep vein thrombosis, 3% catheter-associated thrombosis, and 4% visceral thrombosis. Independent predictors for VTE included female sex, North America location, leg immobilization, and presence of a central venous catheter. The VTE-RS was not significantly associated with VTE in either univariable or multivariable analysis in this population. During the study period, 472 patients died, representing 20%, 24%, 36%, and 25% with VTE-RS 1, 2, ≥3, or unknown, respectively (p < .0001). Significant independent predictors of early mortality include older age, current/former smoking, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status ≥2, no prior surgery, and metastatic disease, as well as the VTE-RS.

Conclusion

In this global, prospective, real-world analysis, several demographic, geographic, and clinical factors are independent risk factors for VTE and early mortality in patients with lung cancer. The VTE-RS represents a significant independent predictor of early mortality but not for VTE in lung cancer in the era of targeted therapy.

Implications for Practice

Multiple risk factors for both venous thromboembolism (VTE) and early mortality in patients with lung cancer receiving systemic chemotherapy should guide best practice by better informing clinical evaluation and treatment decision-making. The Khorana risk score is of value in assessing the risk of early all-cause mortality along with other clinical parameters in patients with lung cancer receiving systemic therapy. Further study is needed to fully evaluate the validity of the risk score in predicting the risk of VTE in the modern era of lung cancer therapy.
Perspectives of wild medicine harvesters from Cape Town, South Africa
Authors: Petersen Leif , Reid Andrew M. , Moll Eugene J. , Hockings Marc T.
Published: September 2017

Cape Town is a fast-growing cityscape in the Cape Floristic Region in South Africa with 24 formally protected conservation areas including the World Heritage Table Mountain National Park. These sites have been protected and managed as critical sites for local biodiversity, representing potentially one-third of all Cape Floristic Region flora species and 18% of South Africa’s plant diversity. Cape Town is also inhabited by a rapidly growing culturally and economically diverse citizenry with distinct and potentially conflicting perspectives on access to, and management of, local natural resources. In a qualitative study of 58 locally resident traditional healers of distinct cultural groups, we examined motivations underlying the generally illicit activity of harvesting of wild resources from Cape Town protected areas. Resource harvester motivations primarily link to local economic survival, health care and cultural links to particular resources and practices, ‘access for all’ outlooks, and wholesale profit-seeking perspectives. We describe these motivations, contrast them with the current formal, legal and institutional perspectives for biodiversity protection in the city, and propose managerial interventions that may improve sustainability of ongoing harvest activities.

Significance: 

The study reveals, for the first time in the Cape Floristic Region, informal economy viewpoints on terrestrial nature and how its direct use has important economic and cultural roles – specifically in wild medicine harvesting and trade.

We contrast the formal and informal approaches to nature conservation in the city and propose new considerations for conservation managers.
Exploring the relationship between entry requirements and throughput rates for honours students
Authors: Murray Mike
Published: September 2017

In order for a student to enrol in an honours programme at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), a weighted average mark for their final year of undergraduate study must exceed a particular threshold value. Students are then ranked according to this weighted average mark, with entry into the honours programme offered on a top-down basis, within the constraints of teaching resources and space. A proposal has been made at UKZN to remove existing barriers for entry into an honours programme, i.e. to allow entry to any student who has completed a 3-year undergraduate degree with a major in that discipline. The impact of such a decision was investigated. By lowering the requirement for entry into an honours programme, one is expected to predict how a new cohort of students will perform. Apart from obviously having a lower weighted average mark for their final year of undergraduate study, these new students may also differ in other unobservable ways which need to be accounted for. In a regression modelling context, one is asked to predict outside the range of a collected data set. A Heckman selection model was used to account for a possible self-selection bias that may arise because the subpopulation for which a prediction is required (namely those new students who will now be able to enter an honours programme), may be significantly different from the population of UKZN undergraduate students who are currently permitted entry to an honours programme.

Significance: 

A modelling technique that accounts for a possible sample selection bias was used to determine the impact of lowering the entry requirements into the honours programme at UKZN to allow entry to any student who has completed a 3-year undergraduate degree.
Pollination: Impact, role-players, interactions and study – A South African perspective
Authors: Gous Annemarie , Willows-Munro Sandi , Eardley Connal , Swanevelder Zacharias H. (Dirk)
Published: September 2017

Plant–pollinator interactions are essential for maintaining both pollinator and plant communities in native and agricultural environments. Animal-instigated pollination can be complex. Plants are usually visited by a number of different animal species, which in turn may visit flowers of several plant species. Therefore, the identification of the pollen carried by flower visitors is an essential first step in pollination biology. The skill and time required to identify pollen based on structure and morphology has been a major stumbling block in this field. Advances in the genetic analysis of DNA, using DNA barcoding, extracted directly from pollen offers an innovative alternative to traditional methods of pollen identification. This technique, which is reviewed in detail, can be used on pollen loads sampled from bees in the field and from specimens in historic collections. Here the importance of pollination, the role-players involved, their management and the evolution of their interactions, behaviour and morphology are reviewed – with a special focus on South African bees.

Significance: 

Pollen metabarcoding will enable the identification of pollen for a multitude of uses, including agriculture, conservation and forensics.
Plant–pollinator interaction documentation through pollen identification gives a more certain record of a visitor being a pollinator rather than a flower visitor that could be a nectar gatherer.
Externality costs of the coal-fuel cycle: The case of Kusile Power Station
Authors: Nkambule Nonophile P. , Blignaut James N.
Published: September 2017

Coal-based electricity is an integral part of daily life in South Africa and globally. However, the use of coal for electricity generation carries a heavy cost for social and ecological systems that goes far beyond the price we pay for electricity. We developed a model based on a system dynamics approach for understanding the measurable and quantifiable coal-fuel cycle burdens and externality costs, over the lifespan of a supercritical coal-fired power station that is fitted with a flue-gas desulfurisation device (i.e. Kusile Power Station). The total coal-fuel cycle externality cost on both the environment and humans over Kusile’s lifespan was estimated at ZAR1 449.9 billion to ZAR3 279 billion or 91c/kWh to 205c/kWh sent out (baseline: ZAR2 172.7 billion or 136c/kWh). Accounting for the life-cycle burdens and damages of coal-derived electricity conservatively, doubles to quadruples the price of electricity, making renewable energy sources such as wind and solar attractive alternatives.

Significance: 

The use of coal for electricity generation carries a heavy cost for social and ecological systems that goes far beyond the price we pay for electricity.
The estimation of social costs is particularly important to the electric sector because of non-differentiation of electricity prices produced from a variety of sources with potentially very dissimilar environmental and human health costs.
Because all electricity generation technologies are associated with undesirable side effects in their fuelcycle and lifespan, comprehensive comparative analyses of life-cycle costs of all power generation technologies is indispensable to guide the development of future energy policies in South Africa.
Game Design as STS Research
Authors: Dumit Joseph
Published: September 2017

Game design offers a powerful pedagogical paradigm for engaging students in thinking and researching sociotechnical systems. Using the example of designing a game around fracking, this paper describes how game design grapples with emergent dynamic processes, and how students are drawn into becoming STS researchers.