bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Avaliação da educação básica e qualidade do ensino: estudo sobre os anos finais do ensino fundamental da rede municipal de ensino de São Paulo
Authors: Machado Cristiane , Alavarse Ocimar Munhoz , Oliveira Adolfo Samuel de
Published: August 2016

O artigo estuda os resultados, na Prova Brasil, dos alunos dos anos finais do ensino fundamental da Rede Municipal de Ensino de São Paulo. Contextualiza a avaliação da educação básica no país e ressalta a criação da Prova Brasil e do IDEB como elementos balizadores do debate sobre a qualidade do ensino. Analisa o objetivo do IDEB de ser um indicador de qualidade da educação e conclui que, embora ele não contemple toda a qualidade da educação escolar, evidencia determinada e importante qualidade das escolas e redes. Explora os resultados dos alunos e escolas na trajetória histórica das aferições da Prova Brasil, comparando-os com a escala de proficiência criada pela SME-SP para classificar os alunos na Prova São Paulo, avaliação externa dessa rede, que tem como referência os critérios da escala Saeb. Conclui ressaltando que a investigação dos dados das escolas municipais paulistanas pode fortalecer a compreensão da avaliação não como fim em si mesmo, mas como oportunidade de associá-la às transformações necessárias para a escola pública garantir o sucesso de seus alunos.
Educação da infância: o lugar da participação da família na instituição educativa
Authors: Alves Nancy Nonato de Lima
Published: August 2016

O artigo, que aborda a participação familiar como dimensão da gestão democrática na educação infantil, vincula-se à pesquisa Políticas públicas e educação da infância em Goiás: história, concepções, projetos e práticas. Com base no materialismo histórico-dialético, analisa a Educação Infantil como política pública e identifica contradições e desafios da participação da família nessa etapa educacional. Conclui que a democratização da gestão requer superar a participação restrita e operacional, construindo amplo envolvimento familiar nas decisões e ações políticas e pedagógicas da instituição de educação infantil.
Estudo comparativo exploratório dos Planos Nacionais de Educação no Brasil e na Colômbia
Authors: Cuervo-Escobar Diana Marcela , Bonamino Alicia , Costa Cintia
Published: August 2016

Esta pesquisa procurou compreender o planejamento educacional público, a partir da comparação dos documentos dos Planos Nacionais de Educação do Brasil e da Colômbia. Por médio de uma Análise de Conteúdo, focada no eixo qualitativo, empreendemos um estudo exploratório dos planos centrado nos temas-marco e nas metas, bem como na estrutura dos documentos. As principais conclusões apontam que os planos têm uma origem político-social similar, compartilham o vínculo com uma agenda mundial para o planejamento educativo e apresentam uma série de tensões entre os fins da educação e os meios para atingi-los.
Planejamento e burocracia na prática escolar: sentidos que assumem na escola pública
Authors: Russo Miguel Henrique
Published: August 2016

A partir de relato extraído de uma pesquisa empírica e de alguns pressupostos sobre a prática do planejamento no âmbito escolar, o texto desenvolve reflexão crítica com vistas a  melhor compreensão dos determinantes imediatos daquele processo numa escola pública. O relato da pesquisa revela uma prática repetitiva e espontânea. A leitura do texto pode avivar a experiência vicária e orientar a prática escolar segundo uma perspectiva na qual o planejamento seja um instrumento metodológico de construção do projeto escolar e assuma, assim, um papel de catalisador da reflexão coletiva na escola.
Documentos Normativos para a Educação Superior no Brasil: As Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais para a Formação Inicial em Nível Superior e para a Formação Continuada e as Diretrizes e Normas Nacionais para a Oferta de Programas e Cursos de Educação Superior na Modalidade a Distância
Authors: Lima Daniela Da Costa Britto Pereira
Published: August 2016

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Monitoramento e avaliação dos planos de educação: breves contribuições
Authors: Dourado Luiz Fernandes , Grossi Junior Geraldo , Furtado Roberval Angelo
Published: August 2016

O presente artigo visa a situar a aprovação do Plano Nacional de Educação (PNE) por meio da Lei n. 13.005/2014 e dos planos decenais correspondentes elaborados pelos entes federados (estados, Distrito Federal e municípios), com ênfase nas questões atinentes ao monitoramento e avaliação dos planos. Parte-se do pressuposto analítico de que os processos de proposição e materialização de planos de educação são complexos e, portanto, não se efetivam de maneira linear, requerendo condições objetivas e políticas direcionadas ao efetivo cumprimento das metas e estratégias. Nesse contexto, no presente artigo, destaca-se que o planejamento, a proposição de políticas e a produção de indicadores se articulam ao processo de monitoramento e avaliação do plano entendido como epicentro das políticas educacionais.
Proposição de diretrizes estratégicas para elevar o conceito da pós-graduação: estudo de caso do PPGGEO
Authors: Giuliani Amanda Antonello , Marquetto Rut Maria Friedrich , Tusi João Serafim , Boff Vilmar , Ávila Lucas Veiga
Published: August 2016

Este artigo apresenta uma proposta de diretrizes para que o Programa de Pós-Graduação em Gestão Estratégica de Organizações (PPGGEO), Mestrado Profissional, da Universidade Regional Integrada do Alto Uruguai e das Missões (URI), Campus Santo Ângelo, RS, alcance maior conceito na avaliação da Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (Capes) que será realizada em 2016. Caracteriza-se como pesquisa qualitativa, sendo descritiva e exploratória, pois a formulação da proposta de diretrizes fundamenta-se em leitura de autores e organismos que tratam do tema, bem como na ficha de avaliação aplicada ao PPGGEO pela Capes no ano de 2013.
Internacionalização da produção científica brasileira: políticas, estratégias e medidas de avaliação
Authors: Santin Dirce Maria , Vanz Samile Andrea de Souza , Stumpf Ida Regina Chittó
Published: August 2016

A internacionalização da produção científica tem reflexos significativos na ciência contemporânea e na inserção internacional dos países em desenvolvimento. Apesar dos esforços empreendidos pelo Brasil nas últimas décadas, a produção científica nacional ainda enfrenta entraves em relação ao alcance e ao impacto internacional das publicações. Este artigo aborda as políticas e as estratégias voltadas à internacionalização da produção científica brasileira e apresenta algumas medidas de avaliação. A internacionalização da produção é discutida com base nos aspectos difusão, colaboração e impacto internacional, com vistas a refletir sobre as possibilidades de ampliar a projeção da ciência brasileira no meio científico internacional.
A Importância do Programa Ciência sem Fronteiras: o estudo do caso australiano, primeiros resultados e recomendações
Authors: Cunha Dileine Amaral da , Rocha Neto Ivan
Published: August 2016

O texto apresentado a seguir mostra a importância do Programa Ciência sem Fronteiras no processo de internacionalização da educação superior brasileira, com base em estudo de caso da Austrália. Esse país acolheu em suas universidades vários estudantes brasileiros contemplados com bolsas de estudo. A metodologia envolveu pesquisa documental e bibliográfica, incluindo consulta aos documentos dos organismos internacionais e dos governos australiano e brasileiro. Os resultados obtidos foram discutidos considerando-se o relatório final de avaliação elaborado pela Comissão de Ciência, Tecnologia, Inovação, Comunicação e Informática do Senado Federal, bem como alguns artigos de análise crítica do programa.
Wellbeing Agencies in the High Street: The Rebirth of Primary Health Care?
Authors: Meads Geoffrey
Published: August 2016

The rapid increase in frontline service outlets offering Wellbeing services offers new opportunities to promote public health. However, driven by both economic and social policies closely linked to the needs for both new business development and cultural integration, the expansion in organisational practices also carries it with some risks to public health. In more market oriented health systems these include possible negative consequences for both the longitudinal care provided through general medical practices and the application of evidence based medicine.

In this context the scoping review draws on indicative findings from fieldwork in two international exemplar sites in the UK and Australia, where the concept of Wellbeing is being embedded, to identify priorities for future health policy and management research. The analysis is framed by the WHO’s enduring core principles for Primary Health Care, with the data capture employing an ethnographic approach that includes key informant interviews in Melbourne over a six months period in 2015/16. The findings include an unexpected emphasis on the need for knowledge in respect of the communities of interest and practice forming around novel therapies and interventions that assert public health values.
Heritage Conservation Management in Egypt: The balance between heritage conservation and real-estate development in Alexandria
Authors: Nassar Dina Mamdouh
Published: August 2016

In Egypt, and especially in the old city of Alexandria, the battle between heritage conservation and real estate investment exists and raging. Are we obliged to keep old buildings although they have lost their original settings?The debate of either keeping or demolishing some of the heritage stock for the sake of stimulating investment and harmonising street-scape is argued in this research at the administrative, public and private levels, with regards to real estate investments and building laws in the last 9 years, since the establishment of the Technical Secretariat of the Standing Committee of the Heritage Conservation Commission in Alexandria.© 2016. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.Keywords: Heritage Conservation Management; Heritage Buildings Inventory; Real Estate Investment; Public Interest.
Does Learning Organization Lead to a Better Performance?: A Study of a GLC in Malaysia
Authors: HUSSEIN NORASHIKIN
Published: August 2016

The Government-linked Companies (GLCs) transformation program is aimed to ensure its competency and competitiveness in achieving the nation’s Vision 2020. One of the factors that lead to higher performance is through the development of learning organization which provides continuous learning and improvement, directly linked to competitive advantage. Data collected from 150 employees of a telecommunication GLC in Malaysia revealed that three of learning organization dimensions namely; systems connection, strategic leadership and team learningwere positively related to organizational performance. This study is significant to GLCs top management and the Malaysian government in ensuring superior performance in a knowledge-driven economy.© 2016. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia..Keywords: learning organization, organizational performance
Facilities Management AUDIT in Managing Healing Facilities in Public Health Care Built Environment: User Satisfaction Viewpoint
Authors: Hashim Ahmad Ezanee , Samikon Siti Aida , Hasim Mohamad Sufian , Mahmood Mahyudin
Published: August 2016

Healthcare organizations have recognized the powerful impact of supply breakdowns and have exploited supply chain management for their quality program, especially regarding lean operations. This study aims to investigate strategic Facilities Management (FM) as a function to support the objectives of providing efficient services to healthcare sector through measuring user satisfaction focusing on public training hospital building. This research involved correlation analysis of the results obtained. The findings show that there is a strong significant relationship among the building performance criteria and the importance of POE guidelines in functional and technical performance criteria.© 2016. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.Keywords: Sustainable; Quality of Life; Facilities Management Audit; Public Healthcare; Built Environment
Traditional Streetscape Adaptability: Urban gentrification and endurance of business
Authors: Sholihah Arif Budi Sholihah , Heath Tim
Published: August 2016

This paper attempts to assess the adaptability quality of Malioboro Street and district related to the physical and functional transformation as part of the urban negotiation and response to the ever changing environment of Indonesian cities. The street was qualitatively measured utilising field observations including physical mapping, behavioural mapping and in-depth interviews. The finding shows urban gentrification may lead to the transformation of physical and building use, which results in the changes of Kampong plot pattern and character of a traditional streetscape, people displacement and the sustenance of the local economy. © 2016. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.Keywords: traditional street; adaptability; gentrification; Indonesia
Strategies to Improve the Implementation of Planning Mechanisms for Urban Housing Development in Selangor
Authors: Yakob Hamizah , Yusof Fatimah , Hamdan Hazlina
Published: August 2016

The weaknesses and ineffectiveness of the planning mechanism system involve in preparation of development plans and its implementation through development control has significantly give impact to the housing production process. The objective of this paper is to explore strategies for facilitating the effectiveness of the implementation of housing planning and control among decision makers and implementer involved in housing development. This in-depth interview is aimed to explore their strategies or plan of actions for ensuring the effectiveness of planning activities. It was indicated that the strategies classified into two stages; during the preparation stage and implementation stage.© 2016. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.Keywords: Development Plan; Planning Control; Urban Housing Development
Adaptable Environment: Analysis on form and content of the Local Plan in Selangor, Malaysia
Authors: Mohamed Yusoff Suhaini , Yusoff Fatimah , Arshad Ahmad Fuzi
Published: August 2016

 Local plan is a document and written statement and supported by the proposal plan. In the content of the local plan, it includes sectoral, guideline, policy, existing land use, and projection. The objective of this paper is to evaluate whether the how adequate is the form of local plan in the application of local plan in the related local authority area and content of the local plan preparing process to meet the requirements of the (Act 172) by using the descriptive statistical analysis, and Mann-Whitney U-Test. The analysis indicated that the different form and content local plan prepared by the local authority influence the physical development in the urban area and adaptable environment as a catalyst to create a holistic development.© 2016. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.Keywords: Form and content; local plan; local authority; environment
Urban Challenge Meets Hidden Potentials: Sustainable Development of El-Max Fishermen Village in Alexandria, Egypt
Authors: Nassar Dina Mamdouh , El-Sayed Marwa Kamel
Published: August 2016

Slum upgrading programs in Egypt focus mainly on the provision of essential services. Social and environmental needs are neglected resulting in critical issues. A community-driven approach is proposed to unfold the potential of slums by giving control of decisions and resources to the community.The research examines ‘El-Max’ Fishermen Village based on its potential due to its unique urban pattern and characteristics. It argues the ability of an informal settlement to reach sustainability goals through a community driven approach. It sets out a framework for urban development, emphasising social sustainability built on sound governance and good urban management.© 2016. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.Keywords: Slum Upgrading; Sustainable Urban Development; Community-Driven Development (CDD); Urban Management.
Corporate Social Responsibility in Croatia Case Study of the Best Value Added Companies
Authors: Ž. Dulčić., , I. Bilić, , V. Ninčević,
Published: August 2016

The current economic crisis, as well as the corporate micro and macro environment have an impact on
the ways corporations perform their business, overall corporate strategy, corporate communication
strategy and corporate responsibility strategy, on how they perceive corporate social responsibility,
and moreover how they present those company’s efforts regarding corporate social responsibility in
the media. In this paper we will take into consideration current trends in corporate social
responsibility in Croatian companies at present, with the respect of the previous researches on the
same topic and development of this emerging phenomenon within observed corporations.
This paper explores different aspects of corporate social responsibility in Croatian companies,
surveyed in two phases; the first phase was in 2011 when 70 companies participated and second one
was in 2015, which was performed only on companies which participated in the first phase. Initially
this survey started on a population of 500 biggest Croatian companies according to the value added.
Also, some previous studies on the same population of the biggest Croatian companies is incorporated
to provide readers with some valuable insights into the current trend of the corporate social
responsibility and corporate management awareness about this topic in Croatia particularly after
Croatia joined the European Union.
A New Recursive Dynamic Lot-Sizing Model with Multi-Level Discount
Authors: Chyr Fu C. , Y. Lin Shu , Huang Shan Y. , Lu Jui C.
Published: August 2016

The optimal solution of dynamic lot-sizing problem with multi-level discount is solved by integer programming model in the past papers. However, a complex computation and a large computer memory are generated. Due to the complexity and the big computer memory, the heuristic approaches and the variable neighborhood algorithm are usually adopted in the large-scale multi-level lot-sizing problem. This paper develops a model with a recursive relation between the adjacent periods, and to obtain an optimal solution when multi-level discount is considered. Four types of the feasible policies in the Dynamic Lot-Sizing model with multi-level discount are classified to develop the recursive relations. A few properties, theorems and algorithms are developed to show the recursion between the adjacent periods. The number of addition items will significantly be reduced. The recursive algorithm can significantly decrease the computational entries, comparison entries and computer memory and improve the computation efficiency.
Vocabulary Size, Phonological Awareness, and Reading Comprehension
Authors: Sieh Yu-cheng
Published: August 2016

The present study aimed to explore the relationship among vocabulary size, Phonological Awareness (PA), and reading comprehension in English learners with low proficiency in Taiwan’s higher education. Forty-one university students who had taken the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) were recruited, 30 of whom were at a proficiency level much lower than B1 Threshold of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for Languages. Three PA subtests and a vocabulary size test were administered to all participants individually. Pearson’s correlations show that their TOEIC reading scores were correlated with the four measures when all 41 participants were included; however, among the 30 low-proficiency learners, their reading scores were correlated with Elision—one PA measure—and vocabulary size only. When parallel regression analyses were computed against all participants and the low-proficiency subgroup, the four measures altogether explained nearly 64% of the variance in their TOEIC reading scores in the former but the explained variance dropped drastically to around 40% in the latter. Among the four measures, vocabulary size was the only significant predictor of reading ability and accounted for the largest variance. Meanwhile, phonological awareness explained additional variance in reading comprehension. While different PA measures did not seem to make a difference to the whole sample, Elision seemed to have explained more variance and served as a better task to assess phonological awareness of the low-proficiency subgroup.
Apprehension, Topic Variety, and Proficiency in Writing of Indonesian EFL Students
Authors: Cahyono Bambang Yudi , Amelia Rizky , Mutiaraningrum Ira
Published: August 2016

This study examined the relation between Indonesian EFL students’ apprehension and proficiency in writing, students’ proficiency in writing across apprehension levels, and students’ proficiency in writing across topic variety. It involved 52 EFL students of the English Deparment of an Indonesian university. The students were assigned to write opinion essays in three different topics: general, personal, and academic topics. They were also asked to complete a questionnaire which was used to elicit their apprehension scores. The results of the analysis show that (1) there was no significant relation between students’ apprehension and their proficiency in writing, (2) there was no significant difference in the proficiency in writing between low apprehension students and medium apprehension students, and (3) there were significant differences between students’ proficiency in writing general topics and academic topics and between their proficiency in writing personal topics and academic topics. This study suggests that EFL teachers of writing should not consider students’ apprehension levels as a factor that affects students’ proficiency in writing in a negative way. In addition, when assigning students to write academic topics, EFL teachers are recommended to provide some strategies to help them write more easily.
The Knotted Web of Dominations. Epistemological Investment in the Anthropology of Work
Authors: Absi Pascale , Bazin Laurent , Selim Monique
Published: August 2016

In the globalized world, work presents itself as a nub of actualization of intermixed relations of domination. How does the ethnological analysis study such intermixed relations? To answer the question the first part of the paper compares the anthropological approaches that Pierre Bourdieu and Gérard Althabe designed in the key period of decolonization. They both broke with colonial ethnography through the analysis of relations of colonial domination in the field of work. Bourdieu’s approach is structuralist and he combines ethnography and sociological analysis to display the symbolic structure of the social positions. Althabe’s ethnologic approach is constructivist and tries to show the production of social relations by the power of imagination.

In the second part of the paper three researches are briefly presented: prostitution in the brothels of Potosi in Bolivia, the job of the highly qualified women of University of Canton in China, work in the building industry in Oran in Algeria by way of a return to the Bourdieu’s work. In these very different situations, the analysis lays stress on the means by which the social agents build their social relations.
ERP Systems and Earnings Quality: The Impact of Dominant Shareholdings in China
Authors: Chen Songsheng , Harris Ling , Lai Jiao , Li Wenying
Published: August 2016

Using a sample of ERP adopters among Chinese publicly listed firms and a one-group pre- and post-test design, this study examines the impact of dominant shareholdings on the relationship between Enterprise Resources Planning (ERP) systems and earnings quality. We use the absolute value of discretionary accruals as a proxy for earnings quality. We predict and find that as the dominant shareholdings increase, Chinese firms show a decrease in the absolute value of total discretionary accruals after ERP implementations. Furthermore, we find that after ERP implementations, discretionary short-term accruals decrease with higher dominant shareholdings, while discretionary long-term accruals increase with higher dominant shareholdings. Our study contributes to research and practice by documenting that dominant shareholdings in China can influence the impact of ERP implementations on earnings quality, suggesting that dominant shareholdings may induce dominant shareholders' self-serving incentives to influence firms' financial reporting via ERP implementations.
Information Traffic and Information Effectiveness
Authors: Xu Bixia , Huang Zhulin
Published: August 2016

Search engines are among the most important information technology (IT) applications and platforms on which to conduct information search. This study contributes by investigating whether and how the search engine-enabled information search is related to accounting information effectiveness. We develop the concept of information traffic to conceptualize investor IT-enabled information search activities and to explore whether the searches captured by this concept provide any insights for understanding and enhancing accounting information effectiveness. Building upon the input-process-output model (Maines and McDaniel 2000) and with a sample of 59 accounting information items, we report that information items with higher information traffic have greater ability to explain and predict firm market value (i.e., higher information effectiveness). The impact of information traffic on information effectiveness is higher for economic upturns than for economic downturns and differs among different types of information. We propose a conceptual measure that integrates both information traffic and information effectiveness to capture information relative importance and to suggest empirically an order in importance of the ten types of information we investigate. Our dynamic analysis of information traffic reveals a significant increase of investor IT-enabled information search in the post-financial-crisis period. It also shows higher search increases for accounting items that received previously scant investor attention.
Loss of Mbd2 Protects Mice Against High-Fat Diet–Induced Obesity and Insulin Resistance by Regulating the Homeostasis of Energy Storage and Expenditure
Authors: Cheng Jia , Song Jia , He Xiaoyu , Zhang Meng , Hu Shuang , Zhang Shu , Yu Qilin , Yang Ping , Xiong Fei , Wang Dao Wen , Zhou Jianfeng , Ning Qin , Chen Zhishui , Eizirik Decio L. , Zhou Zhiguang , Zhao Chunxia , Wang Cong-Yi
Published: August 2016

Previous studies including ours demonstrated that methyl-CpG–binding domain 2 (MBD2) acts as a reader to decipher DNA methylome-encoded information. We thus in the current study used Mbd2−/− mice as a model to dissect the impact of high-fat diet (HFD) on DNA methylome relevant to the pathoetiology of obesity. It was interestingly noted that mice deficient in Mbd2 were protected from HFD-induced obesity and insulin resistance. Mechanistic study revealed that HFD rendered epididymal adipose tissues to undergo a DNA methylation turnover as evidenced by the changes of methylation levels and patterns. Specifically, HFD was noted with higher potency to induce DNA hypomethylation in genes relevant to energy storage than that in genes associated with energy expenditure. As a result, arrays of genes were subjected to expression changes, which led to an altered homeostasis for energy storage and expenditure in favor of obesity development. Loss of Mbd2 resulted in impaired implementation of above DNA methylation changes associated with altered energy homeostasis, which then protected mice from HFD-induced obesity and insulin resistance. Those data would provide novel insight into the understanding of the pathoetiology underlying obesity with potential for developing effective therapies against obesity in clinical settings.
FGF21 Improves the Adipocyte Dysfunction Related to Seipin Deficiency
Authors: Dollet Lucile , Levrel Clara , Coskun Tamer , Le Lay Soazig , Le May Cedric , Ayer Audrey , Venara Quentin , Adams Andrew C. , Gimeno Ruth E. , Magré Jocelyne , Cariou Bertrand , Prieur Xavier
Published: August 2016

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) was shown to improve metabolic homeostasis, at least partly by controlling white adipocyte profile and adiponectin secretion. Here, we studied its effect on adipocyte dysfunction in the context of Berardinelli-Seip congenital lipodystrophy (BSCL) linked to seipin deficiency. Bscl2−/− mice displayed a progressive adipose tissue loss with aging as evidenced by the altered profile of residual fat pads and the decrease in adiponectin plasma levels in 12- vs. 4-week-old animals. Aiming to prevent this impairment, we treated 6-week-old Bscl2−/− mice with an FGF21 analog (LY2405319) for a period of 28 days. FGF21 treatment increased adiponectin plasma levels and normalized insulin sensitivity in Bscl2−/− mice by improving the white adipose tissue gene expression pattern. To further decipher the molecular pathways altered by seipin deficiency in mature adipocytes, we developed a unique inducible seipin knockdown cell line (SKD). SKD showed chronic activation of the p38 MAPK pathway associated with apoptotic cell death. Interestingly, FGF21 treatment exerted an antistress effect on SKD cells, reducing p38 MAPK phosphorylation and limiting mature adipocyte loss. Our data demonstrate that FGF21 treatment improves the metabolic profile of Bscl2−/− lipodystrophic mice, partly by improving mature adipocyte maintenance through suppression of cellular stress via inhibition of p38 MAPK activity.
Response of Seed Dressing With Boron Dust and Slurry on Wheat Variety WK- 1204 For Grain Yield and Agronomic Traits under Poly Bag and Field Study At Khumaltar, Nepal
Authors: Paudel Mina Nath
Published: August 2016

Field and poly bag experiments were carried out at Khumaltar on wheat variety WK-1204 by dressing seed with sodium borate decahydrate dust (containing 11.34% elemental boron) and slurry per 100 g wheat seed. A total of nine treatments of Boron (B) dust and slurry to treat wheat seed at 2.2, 4.4, 6.4 and 8.8 gram per 100 g seed and basal application of B at 1.0 kg a.i./ha was in three replications for both field and poly bag experiments in randomized complete block design. The objective of the study was to find out the effect of boron seed dressing on grain yield and agronomic attributes of wheat variety under study. The result of the study revealed that grain yield and agronomic traits were highly and significantly correlated with seed dressing with boron dust at 2.2 to 8.8 g boron /100 g seed of wheat. This finding was consistent with field and poly bag experiments which were coherent with the findings of lab analysis for attributes of root and shoot length, and percentage of germination. However, seed dressing with boron slurry at 2.2 to 8.8 g/ 100 g wheat seed inhibited grain yield and agronomic attributes of wheat in the study. Therefore, seed dressing with boron dust at different level was superior over seed dressing with boron slurry for higher grain yield and yield related traits of wheat variety WK-1204 at Khumaltar condition. Boron deficiency for wheat could be corrected by seed dressing with boron dust at 2.2 to 8.6 g boron /100g wheat seed. This could be very economical and practical way of enhancing wheat production in hilly terrain areas of Nepal where one of the reasons of yield limitations is due to deficiency of boron.Agronomy Journal of Nepal (Agron JN), Vol.4, 2016, page: 64-74
Cultivar Mixtures in Bean Reduced Disease Infection and Increased Grain Yield Under Mountain Environment of Nepal
Authors: Prasad R C , Paudel M N , Ghimire N H , Joshi B K
Published: August 2016

Field experiment on cultivar mixture was conducted for trailing type and bushy type bean (Phaseolusvulgaris L.) to know the effect of cultivar mixtures on grain yield and disease infection during summer season 2015 in Jumla. The result of the study revealed that agronomic attributes were enhanced while Anthracnose infection was reduced under cultivar mixtures of bean than those of their sole cropping both for trailing type and bushy type beans under study. Agronomy Journal of Nepal (Agron JN), Vol.4, Page: 128-135, 2016
Influence of climate on radial growth of Abies pindrow in Western Nepal Himalaya
Authors: Thapa U K , Shah S K , Gaire N P , Bhuju D R , Bhattacharyya A. , Thagunna G. S.
Published: August 2016

This study aims to understand the influence of climate on radial growth of Abies pindrow growing in the plateau of mixed forest in Khaptad National Park in Western Nepal Himalaya. Based on the dated tree-ring samples, 362-year long tree-ring width chronology was developed dating back to 1650. The studied taxa of this region was found to have dendroclimatic potentiality that was evident from the chronology statistics calculated. The tree-ring chronology was correlated with climate (temperature and precipitation) data to derive the tree-growth climate relationship. The result showed significant negative relationship with March-May temperature and positive relationship with March-May precipitation. This indicates that the availability of moisture is the primary factor in limiting the tree growth.Banko Janakari, Vol. 23, No. 2, 2013
Role of trees and forests in disaster risk reduction and mitigation
Authors: Mathema Prakash
Published: August 2016

Not available.Banko JanakariA Journal of Forestry Information for NepalVol. 26, No. 1, Page : 1-2, 2016
Effects of the environment on species richness and composition of vascular plants in Manaslu Conservation Area and Sagarmatha region of Nepalese Himalaya
Authors: Rai S. K. , Sharma S. , Shrestha K. K. , Gajurel J. P. , Devkota S. , Nobis M. P. , Scheidegger C.
Published: August 2016

This study analyzed how the environmental conditions constrained the species richness and composition in the four river valleys of Central Nepal i.e. two from Manaslu Conservation Area (MCA) and two from Sagarmatha region. Topographical, bioclimatic and measured variables were used to analyze their effects on the vascular plant diversity along elevation and land use gradients. Altogether, 148 plots were established at five elevation levels between 2,200 m and 3,800 m above the mean sea level. Four land use types namely crop field, meadow, exploited forest and natural forest were sampled at each elevation level. Altogether, 790 species of vascular plants belonging to 114 families were recorded; Asteraceae had the highest number of species (84) followed by Rosaceae (52) and Poaceae (50). Explorative data analysis of species composition by canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) showed that the topographical variables explained the composition better than both the bioclimatic set of variables and the logger data. However, all groups of variables revealed significant effects on species composition. Generalized Linear Model (GLM) also revealed significant effects of elevation, land-use types, slope angle, aspect, temperature and precipitation on species richness. Banko JanakariA Journal of Forestry Information for NepalVol. 26, No. 1, Page: 3-16, 2016
Ecological status and diversity indices of Panchaule (Dactylorhiza hatagirea) and its associates in Lete village of Mustang district, Nepal
Authors: Khadka C. B. , Hammet A. L. , Singh A. , Balla M. K. , Timilsina Y. P.
Published: August 2016

This paper focuses on the ecological status and diversity indices: Simson’s Index (C), Simson’s Index of Dominance (D) and Shannon-Weaver Index (H) of Dactylorhiza hatagirea and its associates- Rheum australe and Rumex nepalensis in Lete village of Mustang District within the Annapurna Conservation Area. The study was conducted during the monsoon season (June/July) of 2013 in the Lete VDC of Mustang District. The study site possessed an area of 4.5 ha. Altogether, 100 circular plots, each with 25 m2 area, were laid out purposively within the study area; the sampling intensity being 5.55%. The relative frequency, the relative density, the abundance, the relative coverage and the Important Value Index of the species were found to be 61.11, 53.91, 1,061.54, 72.2 and 187.24 respectively. Similarly, the Simson’s Index (C), the Simson’s Index of Dominance (D) and the Shannon-Weaver Index of the species were found to be 0.41, 0.59 and 3.27 respectively, indicating relatively even and relatively diverse community. The study showed relatively higher values of all the parameters of D. hatagirea as compared to its associates indicating good ecological value. However, threats remain due to the illegal harvesting of this valuable orchid and overgrazing in the study site.Banko JanakariA Journal of Forestry Information for NepalVol. 26, No. 1, Page: 45-52, 2016
Identification of land reclamation area and potential plantation area on Bagmati river-basin in the Terai region of Nepal
Authors: Acharya A. K. , Chaudhary A. K. , Khanal S.
Published: August 2016

Utilization of land reclamation area offers the potentiality of increasing greenery as well as providing forest products. This study refers to the identification of the land reclamation areas and potential plantation areas on the Bagmati river-basin in the Terai region of Nepal, and recommends appropriate species for plantation in order to rehabilitate such areas. Multi-temporal Landsat Satellite Images (Landsat 7 and Landsat 8) were acquired for 2002 and 2014. Object-based Image Classification method was used to classify the land cover classes into four broad categories: i) Water, ii) Sand and gravel, iii) Plantation potential (open areas suitable for plantation) and iii) Others (forest, agriculture, built-up areas etc.). The Mean Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) values and Mean Brightness values were found to be helpful in identifying the water and sand & gravel areas from the other land cover classes. The overall classification accuracy was 0.97 with a kappa coefficient of 0.89 in the case of the 2014 Image classification. In this study, the land reclamation area referred to the areas occupied by water, sand & gravel on the river-beds that were converted into plantation potential and other classes between 2002 and 2014. Similarly, the potential plantation area referred to the summation of the area of reclaimed land, the area of ‘Others’ class converted into ‘Plantation potential’ class and the area that remained to be plantation potential on the bed of the Bagmati River and its tributaries between 2002 and 2014. Altogether, 4,819.10 ha land was reclaimed in the study area, and a total of 5,395.10 ha land was found to be potential for plantation within the study area.Banko JanakariA Journal of Forestry Information for NepalVol. 26, No. 1, Page:53-59, 2016
Broken Glass: Fifty Years Forward to the Past
Authors: Otten Terry
Published: August 2016

Arthur Miller’s career of some fifty years of playwriting, extending from the 1940s to the mid-1990s, incorporates three dominant influences: the structure of Aristotelian tragedy, Ibsen’s adaptation of it in depicting the modern age, and Miller’s own deeply rooted Jewish heritage. Arguably his last great play, Broken Glass reflects these elemental strains and is especially reminiscent of Ibsen’s Ghosts, the first Ibsen play that Miller witnessed onstage. Although Miller adopted absurdist and postmodern features in his later plays, he never abandoned these elemental sources of his art. Broken Glass forms an arc spanning a half-century of his evolving work, linking the past securely to the present, the end to the beginning of his dramatic art.
Mild Cognitive Impairment in Parkinson’s Disease: Impact on Caregiver Outcomes
Authors: Szeto Jennifer Y.Y. , Mowszowski Loren , Gilat Moran , Walton Courtney C. , Naismith Sharon L. , Lewis Simon J.G.
Published: August 2016

Background: Recent attempts to standardise the definition of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) in Parkinson’s disease (PD) by the Movement Disorder Society Task Force has led to a greater understanding of this entity but to date, there has been a paucity of research regarding the impact of PD-MCI on caregiver outcomes.

Objective: The aim of this study was to utilise the newly established PD-MCI diagnostic criteria to investigate caregiver outcomes in relation to four specific aspects: (1) caregiver burden, (2) quality of life (QoL), (3) caregiving experience, and (4) psychological distress.

Methods: This study included a total of 166 patient-caregiver dyads. Caregiver outcomes including quality of life, caregiver burden, mood disturbances, and caregiver experience were compared between caregivers of PD patients classified as having normal cognition (PD-NC) and PD-MCI.

Results: Despite the two groups being matched on demographic and clinical features, caregivers of PD-MCI patients reported a lower level of QoL with regard to physical health and more interruptions with usual activities. On the other hand, a higher impact on finances was reported in caregivers of PD-NC patients, relative to caregivers of PD-MCI patients.

Conclusions: This study has shown that even at earlier stages of cognitive impairment, PD-MCI caregivers already experience elevated levels of distress in the role of providing care to their care-recipients. These findings highlight the need to include management of caregiver distress and associated sequelae alongside the management of PD-MCI patients, early on in the disease course.
Structural Imaging and Parkinson’s Disease: Moving Toward Quantitative Markers of Disease Progression
Authors: Sterling N.W. , Lewis M.M. , Du G. , Huang X.
Published: August 2016

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive age-related neurodegenerative disorder. Although the pathological hallmark of PD is dopaminergic cell death in the substantia nigra pars compacta, widespread neurodegenerative changes occur throughout the brain as disease progresses. Postmortem studies, for example, have demonstrated the presence of Lewy pathology, apoptosis, and loss of neurotransmitters and interneurons in both cortical and subcortical regions of PD patients. Many in vivo structural imaging studies have attempted to gauge PD-related pathology, particularly in gray matter, with the hope of identifying an imaging biomarker. Reports of brain atrophy in PD, however, have been inconsistent, most likely due to differences in the studied populations (i.e. different disease stages and/or clinical subtypes), experimental designs (i.e. cross-sectional vs. longitudinal), and image analysis methodologies (i.e. automatic vs. manual segmentation). This review attempts to summarize the current state of gray matter structural imaging research in PD in relationship to disease progression, reconciling some of the differences in reported results, and to identify challenges and future avenues.
The Key Determinants to Quality of Life in Parkinson’s Disease Patients: Results from the Parkinson’s Disease Biomarker Program (PDBP)
Authors: He Lu , Lee Eun-Young , Sterling Nicholas W. , Kong Lan , Lewis Mechelle M. , Du Guangwei , Eslinger Paul J. , Huang Xuemei
Published: August 2016

Background: The impact of motor- and non-motor symptoms on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in Parkinson’s disease (PD) has received increasing attention.

Objectives: To address this, the study explored a large cohort of patients enrolled in the PD Biomarker Program.

Methods: The PD Questionnaire-39 (PDQ-39) measured HRQOL, whereas the Unified PD Rating Scale (UPDRS) assessed motor and non-motor symptoms. Determinants of HRQOL in PD patients were identified by stepwise linear regression analysis. The relationship between the PDQ-39 and UPDRS subscale scores then was explored through structural equation modeling.

Results: The mean disease duration was 6.8 years and the mean PDQ-39 summary index (PDQ-39SI) was 18.4. UPDRS-I (non-motor function) and UPDRS-II (motor questionnaire) scores demonstrated the strongest correlations with PDQ-39SI (r Ϡ 0.4, P < 0.05), whereas UPDRS-III (motor exam) and UPDRS-IV (motor complications) scores were correlated moderately with PDQ-39SI (0.3 < r < 0.4, P < 0.05). Multiple linear stepwise regression analyses showed that age (β= –0.13, P < 0.001), education (β= –0.07, P = 0.008), UPDRS-I (β= 0.32, P = 0.000), and UPDRS-II (β= 0.44, P < 0.001) significantly contributed to HRQOL, and cumulatively accounted for 69.1% of the PDQ-39SI variance. UPDRS-II score was the primary predictor of PDQ-39SI, accounting for 57.3% of the variance, whereas UPDRS-I score accounted for 7.5%. UPDRS-III and -IV and other factors measured did not survive stepwise regression. Structural equation modeling confirmed the association of UPDRS-II (β= 0.67, P < 0.001) and UPDRS-I (β= 0.35, P < 0.001) with the PDQ-39SI.

Conclusion: Both motor and non-motor function scores impacted significantly HRQOL in PD. UPDRS-III, however, has limited contributions to HRQOL although it is used as a main outcome in many clinical trials.