bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structural and Mechanistic Implications of Rearrangement Frequencies within Human TCRBV Genes
Authors: Yassai Maryam B. , Demos Wendy , Gorski Jack
Published: June 2017

The T cell repertoire is a function of thymic V(D)J rearrangement and of peripheral selection. The mature repertoire embodies TCR sequences that are important for survival and can identify important structural aspects of the TCR. Analysis of the circulating TCRBV19 CD8 T cell repertoire showed that a majority of NDN-encoded CDR3 amino acid motifs start at CDR3 position four, well within the V region. Rearrangement at this position indicates that the DNA hairpin loop is not opened at the position adjacent to the recombination signal sequence, but rather is trimmed back three or more bases. In this article, we show that the rearrangement frequency distribution within the V region reveals selection on CDR3 position four. The selection is already established in single-positive CD8 thymocytes. Crystal structures reveal a possible basis for this selection due to the location of this residue in a bend that positions the remaining portion of CDR3 to interact with the peptide and MHC. Examination of other TCRBV families also shows selection for rearrangement within the V region of a number of genes and for CD8 and CD4 cells. The exact profile of rearrangement within the V region appears to be V gene specific. The frequent observation of side chains associated with turn motifs at CDR3 positions three and four fits with the structural need for a bend. The data are discussed in terms of the generation of a structural turn motif, the rearrangement mechanism, and selection of the repertoire on the peptide and MHC.
Alterations in the Thymic Selection Threshold Skew the Self-Reactivity of the TCR Repertoire in Neonates
Authors: Dong Mengqi , Artusa Patricio , Kelly Stephanie A. , Fournier Marilaine , Baldwin Troy A. , Mandl Judith N. , Melichar Heather J.
Published: June 2017

Neonatal and adult T cells differ in their effector functions. Although it is known that cell-intrinsic differences in mature T cells contribute to this phenomenon, the factors involved remain unclear. Given emerging evidence that the binding strength of a TCR for self-peptide presented by MHC (self-pMHC) impacts T cell function, we sought to determine whether altered thymic selection influences the self-reactivity of the TCR repertoire during ontogeny. We found that conventional and regulatory T cell subsets in the thymus of neonates and young mice expressed higher levels of cell surface CD5, a surrogate marker for TCR avidity for self-pMHC, as compared with their adult counterparts, and this difference in self-reactivity was independent of the germline bias of the neonatal TCR repertoire. The increased binding strength of the TCR repertoire for self-pMHC in neonates was not solely due to reported defects in clonal deletion. Rather, our data suggest that thymic selection is altered in young mice such that thymocytes bearing TCRs with low affinity for self-peptide are not efficiently selected into the neonatal repertoire, and stronger TCR signals accompany both conventional and regulatory T cell selection. Importantly, the distinct levels of T cell self-reactivity reflect physiologically relevant differences based on the preferential expansion of T cells from young mice to fill a lymphopenic environment. Therefore, differences in thymic selection in young versus adult mice skew the TCR repertoire, and the relatively higher self-reactivity of the T cell pool may contribute to the distinct immune responses observed in neonates.
The impact of agricultural extension on farmers’ technical efficiencies in Ethiopia: A stochastic production frontier approach
Authors: Gebrehiwot Kidanemariam G.
Published: June 2017

Background: To address the structural food deficit and top down extension system that persisted for decades, the government of Ethiopia has introduced a new extension system, called Participatory Demonstration and Training Extension Systems, which serves more than 80% of the total population. As the program was streamlined to fit the different agro-climatic condition of the country, the extension approach practiced in the Tigray region (research area) was called Integrated Household Extension Program.Aim: This article reports on research aimed at measuring the technical efficiency levels of extension participants and non-participants; measuring the impact extension service on technical efficiency.Setting: The research was conducted in the northern part of the country, where agriculture is the main sources of livelihoods. Moisture is the most critical factor in the production system. The land holding size averages 0.5 ha per household compared to above three ha 30 years ago; indicating the high population pressure in the area.Methods: A sample of 362 agricultural extension service participants and 369 non-participant farm households from the northern part of Ethiopia, participated in the study. The stochastic production frontier technique was used to analyse the survey data and to compute farm-level technical efficiency.Results: The results showed an average level of technical efficiency of 48%. It is suggested that substantial gains in output and/or decrease in cost can be attained with the existing technology. All the variables included in the model to explain efficiency were found significant and with the expected sign, except education and number of dependants.Conclusion: The research tried to assess the impact of a new extension service (participatory in nature) on farmers’ productivity in a semi-arid zone, as compared with the conventional extension service and found in the literature areas with relatively better climatic conditions. Hence, if extension administrators could work to uplift the average and below average farmers into better performing farmers level, the overall production and living condition could improve substantially in the research area, and more or less in the rest part of the country.
University of the Witwatersrand physiotherapy undergraduate curriculum alignment to medical conditions of patients within Gauteng state health facilities
Authors: Ntsiea Mokgobadibe V. , Mudzi Witness , Comley-White Nicolette , Van Aswegen Heleen , Olivier Benita , Roos Ronel , Pilusa Sonti , Potterton Joanne , Myezwa Hellen , Benjamin Natalie , Naidoo Vaneshveri
Published: June 2017

Background: The healthcare sector requires graduates with the ability to confidently assess and manage the majority of the medical conditions seen in hospitals.Objective: To establish whether the most prevalent medical conditions treated by physiotherapists in Gauteng (South Africa) state health facilities align with the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) physiotherapy curriculum.Methods: This was a retrospective review of condition-related statistics from physiotherapy departments within the Gauteng province state health facilities. Data from all Gauteng government hospitals that had submitted at least 75% of their physiotherapy condition–related statistics to the provincial statistics coordinator from January 2012 to December 2014 were considered and compared to medical conditions covered in the Wits 2015 physiotherapy curriculum to check if all conditions listed in the Gauteng statistics appeared within the Wits curriculum document. The number of teaching hours for the common conditions was noted to check the emphasis given to these conditions in the curriculum.Results: Eighty-three per cent of the hospitals submitted 75% of their monthly statistics. Overall, the most common conditions treated were lower limb fractures (13%) followed by stroke (7.6%) (n = 705 597). Within the neuro-musculoskeletal category, the most common conditions after lower limb fractures were soft tissue injuries (15.1%) (n = 330 511). The most common cardiopulmonary conditions were tuberculosis (24.9%), followed by pneumonia (13.8%) (n = 94 895). The most common neurological conditions were stroke (30.9%) followed by cerebral palsy (17%) (n = 174 024). Within the non-specified categories, the number of intensive care unit (ICU) patients was the highest (23%), followed by sputum induction (21%) (n = 138 187). The most common conditions that were emphasised within the Wits curriculum as indicated by the teaching hours: fractures, 14.5 (66%) of 22 third-year orthopaedics hours; stroke, 30 (73%) of 41 third-year neurology hours; soft tissue injuries, 18 (38%) of 48 fourth-year neuro-musculoskeletal hours; back lesions, 24 (50%) of 48 fourth-year neuro-musculoskeletal hours; and ICU patients, 30 (79%) of 38 fourth-year cardiopulmonary hours.Conclusion: The Wits physiotherapy curriculum covers all medical conditions treated by physiotherapists within the Gauteng state health facilities, and overall, the curriculum prepares the students to practise in a variety of situations.
Deproteinization: an integrated-solution approach to increase efficiency in β-galactosidase production using cheese whey powder (CWP) solution
Authors: Santos Leandro Freire dos , Gonçalves Cibely Maria , Ishii Priscila Lumi , Suguimoto Hélio Hiroshi
Published: June 2017

Whey is the liquid that results from the coagulation of milk during cheese manufacture. Cheese whey is also an important environmental pollution source. The present experiment sought to compare β-galactosidase (EC 3.2.1.23) production by Aspergillus oryzae from deproteinized and un-deproteinized CWP solutions. β-galactosidase was produced by submerged fermentation in deproteinized or un-deproteinized CWP solutions. To determine the activity of the enzyme, a reaction mixture containing cell-free extract and ortho-Nitrophenyl-β-galactoside (ONPG) was used. The results indicated that β-galactosidase induction was greater when using deproteinized CWP solution compared to the un-deproteinized CWP solution. These results may enable an alternative management of cheese whey, thereby decreasing its impact on the environment and producing value-added biomacromolecules.
Evasion of CO2 and dissolved carbon in river waters of three small catchments in an area occupied by small family farms in the eastern Amazon
Authors: Rosa Maria Beatriz Silva da , Figueiredo Ricardo De Oliveira , Markewitz Daniel , Krusche Alex Vladimir , Costa Fabíola Fernandes , Gerhard Pedro
Published: June 2017

CO2 effluxes from streams and rivers has been hypothesized to be a critical pathway of carbon flow from the biosphere back to the atmosphere. This study was conducted in three Amazonian small catchments to evaluate carbon evasion and dynamics, where land-use change has occurred on small family-farms. Monthly field campaigns were conducted from June 2006 to May 2007 in the Cumaru (CM), Pachibá (PB) and São João (SJ) streams. Electrical conductivity, pH, temperature, and dissolved oxygen measurements were done in situ, while water samples were collected to determine dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) concentrations, as well as carbon dioxide partial pressures (pCO2) and CO2 evasion fluxes. Instantaneous discharge measured by a current meter was used to calculate DOC fluxes. The sites’ DOC, DIC, pCO2, and CO2 flux measurements ranged as follows, respectively: 0.27 - 12.13 mg L-1; 3.5 - 38.9 mg L-1; 2,265 - 26,974 ppm; and 3.39 - 75.35 μmol m-2 s-1. DOC annual flux estimates for CM, SJ and PB were, respectively, 281, 245, and 169 kg C ha-1. CO2 evasion fluxes ranged from 3.39 to 75.35 μmol m-2 s-1, with an average of 22.70 ± 1.67 μmol m-2 s-1. These CO2 evasion fluxes per unit area were similar to those measured for major Amazonian rivers, thus confirming our hypothesis that small streams can evade substantial quantities of CO2. As secondary vegetation is abundant as a result of family farming management in the region, we conclude that this vegetation can be a major driver of an abundant carbon cycle.
Bioaccumulation of heavy metals in Oncorhynchus mykiss for export at production centers in the Peruvian Central Highlands
Authors: Zapata Fernán Cosme Chanamé , Villanueva María Custodio , Esquivel Rafael Antonio Pantoja , Payano Ide Gelmore Unchupaico
Published: June 2017

The bioaccumulation of the heavy metals Cu, Zn, Fe and Pb was determined in the livers, kidneys and muscles of Oncorhynchus mykiss trout at seven production centers in the province of Yauli, Junín-Peru. The determination and quantification of total heavy metals in water samples collected monthly from the production sites and in 28 trout that averaged 250 g and 27 cm was performed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, according to the methodology recommended by FAO. Levels of Zn, Fe and Pb were found to exceed the environmental quality standards established by the Peruvian Ministry of the Environment for the rivers of the coast and highlands, as well as the quality standards of the European Union for the cultivation of trout, while levels of Cu conformed with those standards. Concentration of Cu, Zn, Fe and Pb in the livers, kidneys and muscles exceeded the maximum permissible limits established by the European Union for fish meat and by the Mexican official standard, NOM-027-SSA1-1993, for fresh, refrigerated and frozen fishery products, in the case of Pb. The correlation between the concentrations of copper, zinc, iron and lead in the water and the concentrations of these metals in the livers, kidneys and muscles is low and not significant, except for copper, which had a significant correlation.
About the convolution of distributions on groupoids
Authors: Lescure Jean-Marie , Manchon Dominique , Vassout Stéphane
Published: June 2017

We review the properties of transversality of distributions with respect to submersions. This allows us to construct a convolution product for a large class of distributions on Lie groupoids. We get a unital involutive algebra

\mathcal E_{r,s}'(G,\Omega^{1/2})

enlarging the convolution algebra

C^\infty_c(G,\Omega^{1/2})

associated with any Lie groupoid

G

. We prove that

G

-operators are convolution operators by transversal distributions. We also investigate the microlocal aspects of the convolution product. We give sufficient conditions on wave front sets to compute the convolution product and we show that the wave front set of the convolution product of two distributions is essentially the product of their wave front sets in the symplectic groupoid

T^*G

of Coste–Dazord–Weinstein. This also leads to a subalgebra

\mathcal E_{a}'(G,\Omega^{1/2})

of

\mathcal E_{r,s}'(G,\Omega^{1/2})

which contains for instance the algebra of pseudodifferential

G

-operators and a class of Fourier integral

G

-operators which will be the central theme of a forthcoming paper.
Factorization homology and calculus $\textit{à la}$ Kontsevich Soibelman
Authors: Horel Geoffroy
Published: June 2017

We use factorization homology over manifolds with boundaries in order to construct operations on Hochschild cohomology and Hochschild homology. These operations are parametrized by a colored operad involving disks on the surface of a cylinder defined by Kontsevich and Soibelman. The formalism of the proof extends without difficulties to a higher dimensional situation. More precisely, we can replace associative algebras by algebras over the little disks operad of any dimensions, Hochschild homology by factorization (also called topological chiral) homology and Hochschild cohomology by higher Hochschild cohomology. Our result works in categories of chain complexes but also in categories of modules over a commutative ring spectrum giving interesting operations on topological Hochschild homology and cohomology.
Deformation quantization of integrable systems
Authors: Sharygin Georgy , Talalaev Dmitry
Published: June 2017

In this paper we address the following question: is it always possible to choose a deformation quantization of a Poisson algebra

\mathcal{A}

so that certain Poisson-commutative subalgebra

\mathcal{C}

in it remains commutative? We define a series of cohomological obstructions to this, that take values in the Hochschild cohomology of

\mathcal{C}

with coefficients in

\mathcal{A}

. In some particular case of the pair

(\mathcal{A},\mathcal{C})

we reduce these classes to the classes of the Poisson relative cohomology of the Hochschild cohomology. We show, that in the case, when the algebra

\mathcal{C}

is polynomial, these obstructions coincide with the previously known ones, those which were defined by Garay and van Straten.
Foreword
Authors: GOLOB Nina
Published: June 2017

The first, summer issue of the seventh volume of the ALA journal comprises six academic articles, of which the first three share pragmatic concepts in discourse analysis in Japanese and Bangla, while the latter three deploy different language varieties of Japanese and Chinese to provide overviews of their linguistic characteristics.Shinichi SHOJI is the author of the first article “Understanding Reference: Morphological Marking in Japanese”, which investigated the anaphor-antecedent relationship in Japanese, particularly in cases with repeated-name anaphors. He has come to the conclusion that the topic postposition wa after an anaphora determines the anaphors’ topic-hood and as such plays an important role in facilitates the realization of antecedents.Another conversational discourse was used by Soumya Sankar GHOSH, Samir KARMAKAR and Arka BANERJEE to explore the occurance and role of indeclinable ar in Bangla. Authors point out that multiple interpretations of ar, which in addition have a large semantic and pragmatic scope, can be systematized by the use of phonological context.Hironori NISHI in his article was interested in the use of the Japanese past form n deshita/n datta in a discourse. His results, based on the analyses of a large corpus, show that approximately two-thirds of the n deshita/n datta cases are not grammatically constrained, and that those cases exhibit either the speaker’s recollection of previously held knowledge, or confirmation-seeking utterances for their previously held knowledge.Andrei A. AVRAM explored phonological, morphological, syntactic and lexical aspects of Yokohama Pidgin Japanese and Japanese Pidgin English to find out that the bi-directional approach detected several common features typical of pre-pidgins though the two languages differ considerably in the circumstances of their emergence and the context of use.Yet another language variety, namely the legal Chinese sociolect, was analyzed quantitatively by Ľuboš GAJDOŠ. Referring to the Chinese monolingual corpus Hanku, the author touched several statistical parameters, including the length of sentences and the proportion of parts of speech, and additionally discussed the issues on statistical data processing.  Last but not least, Tereza SLAMĚNÍKOVÁ turned to Czech speakers of Chinese to search on and discuss the L1 influences on the L2 perception at the early stages of the learning process. The author focused on segmental and suprasegmental features, and found out that while some perceptional mistakes are language-independent, others are language-specific, and stressed the importance of the latter.  Editors and Editorial Board thank all the contributors to this volume, and wish the regular and new readers of the ALA journal a pleasant read full of inspiration.
Understanding Reference: Morphological Marking in Japanese
Authors: SHOJI Shinichi
Published: June 2017

This study investigates reference resolution with repeated-name anaphors in Japanese, particularly focusing on (i) subject anaphor with the nominative postposition ga, (ii) topic-subject anaphor with the topic postposition wa, (iii) scrambled object anaphor with the accusative postposition o, and (iv) topic-object anaphor with the topic postposition wa. A self-paced sentence-by-sentence reading experiment was conducted using two-sentence discourse items followed by comprehension questions, aiming to examine which type of anaphor would trigger a faster realization of the anaphor-antecedent relationship. The discourse items included antecedents in the first sentence and anaphors in the second sentences, and the comprehension questions asked about the antecedents in the first sentences. Results showed that the comprehension questions for the discourses that included topic anaphors (topic-subject-wa and topic-object-wa) were responded to faster than those for the discourses that included non-topic anaphors (subject-ga and scrambled object-o). The results indicate that anaphors’ topic-hood given by wa facilitates the realization of antecedents.
Surface-charge-induced orientation of interfacial water suppresses heterogeneous ice nucleation on α-alumina (0001)
Authors: Abdelmonem Ahmed , Backus Ellen H. G. , Hoffmann Nadine , Sánchez M. Alejandra , Cyran Jenée D. , Kiselev Alexei , Bonn Mischa
Published: June 2017

Abstract. Surface charge is one of the surface properties of atmospheric aerosols, which has been linked to heterogeneous ice nucleation and hence cloud formation, microphysics, and optical properties. Despite the importance of surface charge for ice nucleation, many questions remain on the molecular-level mechanisms at work. Here, we combine droplet-freezing assay studies with vibrational sum frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy to correlate interfacial water structure to surface nucleation strength. We study immersion freezing of aqueous solutions of various pHs on the atmospherically relevant aluminum oxide α-Al2O3 (0001) surface using an isolated droplet on the surface. The high-pH solutions freeze at temperatures higher than that of the low-pH solution, while the neutral pH has the highest freezing temperature. On the molecular level, the SFG spectrum of the interfacial water changes substantially upon freezing. At all pHs, crystallization leads to a reduction of intensity of the 3400 cm−1 water resonance, while the 3200 cm−1 intensity drops for low pH but increases for neutral and high pHs. We find that charge-induced surface templating suppresses nucleation, irrespective of the sign of the surface charge. Heterogeneous nucleation is most efficient for the nominally neutral surface.
Species interactions can shift the response of a maerl bed community to ocean acidification and warming
Authors: Legrand Erwann , Riera Pascal , Lutier Mathieu , Coudret Jérôme , Grall Jacques , Martin Sophie
Published: June 2017

Abstract. Predicted ocean acidification and warming are likely to have major implications for marine organisms, especially marine calcifiers. However, little information is available on the response of marine communities as a whole to predicted changes. Here, we experimentally examined the combined effects of temperature and partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) increases on the response of maerl bed assemblages, composed of living and dead thalli of the free-living coralline alga Lithothamnion corallioides, epiphytic fleshy algae, and grazer species. Two three-month experiments were performed in the winter and summer seasons in mesocosms with four different combinations of pCO2 (ambient and high pCO2) and temperature (ambient and +3 °C). The response of maerl assemblages was assessed using metabolic measurements at the species and assemblage scales. Gross primary production and respiration of assemblages were enhanced by high pCO2 conditions in the summer. This positive effect was attributed to the increase in epiphyte biomass, which benefited from higher CO2 concentrations for growth and primary production. Conversely, high pCO2 drastically decreased the calcification rates in assemblages. This response can be attributed to the decline in calcification rates of living L. corallioides due to acidification as well as increased dissolution of dead L. corallioides. Future changes in pCO2 and temperature are likely to promote the development of non-calcifying algae to the detriment of the engineer species L. corallioides. The development of fleshy algae may be modulated by the ability of grazers to regulate epiphyte growth. However, our results suggest that predicted changes will negatively affect the metabolism of grazers and potentially their ability to control epiphyte abundance. Here, we demonstrate that the response of marine communities to climate change will depend on the direct effects on species physiology and the indirect effects due to shifts in species interactions. This double, interdependent response underlines the importance of examining community-level processes, which integrate species interactions, to better understand the impact of global change on marine ecosystems.
Landscape-scale water balance monitoring with an iGrav superconducting gravimeter in a field enclosure
Authors: Güntner Andreas , Reich Marvin , Mikolaj Michal , Creutzfeldt Benjamin , Schroeder Stephan , Wziontek Hartmut
Published: June 2017

Abstract. In spite of the fundamental role of the landscape water balance for the Earth's water and energy cycles, monitoring the water balance and its components beyond the point scale is notoriously difficult due to the multitude of flow and storage processes and their spatial heterogeneity. Here, we present the first field deployment of an iGrav superconducting gravimeter (SG) in a minimized enclosure for long-term integrative monitoring of water storage changes. Results of the field SG on a grassland site under wet–temperate climate conditions were compared to data provided by a nearby SG located in the controlled environment of an observatory building. The field system proves to provide gravity time series that are similarly precise as those of the observatory SG. At the same time, the field SG is more sensitive to hydrological variations than the observatory SG. We demonstrate that the gravity variations observed by the field setup are almost independent of the depth below the terrain surface where water storage changes occur (contrary to SGs in buildings), and thus the field SG system directly observes the total water storage change, i.e., the water balance, in its surroundings in an integrative way. We provide a framework to single out the water balance components actual evapotranspiration and lateral subsurface discharge from the gravity time series on annual to daily timescales. With about 99 and 85 % of the gravity signal due to local water storage changes originating within a radius of 4000 and 200 m around the instrument, respectively, this setup paves the road towards gravimetry as a continuous hydrological field-monitoring technique at the landscape scale.
La atención a la discapacidad en los recursos de acogimiento residencial
Authors: González-Rodríguez Rubén , Gallego Fernández María Cristina
Published: June 2017

En este trabajo se presentan algunas de las conclusiones extraídas de un estudio realizado en 2014 y actualizado en 2015 sobre los recursos de acogimiento residencial existentes en Galicia. En nuestra investigación se han analizado el número de menores acogidos y el tipo de centros de atención residencial en los que se encuentran. De igual modo, se ha identificado el perfil del menor, el tipo de profesional y los programas que se implementan en estos centros. Si bien las intervenciones y atenciones prestadas en dispositivos de acogimiento residencial implican una importante especialización, estas tareas han de ser necesariamente más específicas en el caso de menores que presentan una discapacidad o una situación de dependencia. En base a esta hipótesis, se recogen las atenciones específicas que la normativa vigente en España contempla para los menores con discapacidad en medidas de acogimiento. Las conclusiones apuntan a un alto número de acogimientos residenciales en Galicia en contraste con los de España, así como la necesidad de una mayor coordinación y especialización en los programas de atención específicos para personas con diversidad funcional y/o necesidades educativas especiales en los centros de acogimiento residencial de Galicia.
Efectos desintegradores de las políticas de integración: la Renta de Inclusión Social en Navarra
Authors: Lasheras Ruiz Rubén , Jabat Torres Edurne , D'Oliveira-Martins Madalena , Sánchez de la Yncera Ignacio
Published: June 2017

Este trabajo averigua y explica cómo personas en riesgo de exclusión social, perceptoras de la Renta de Inclusión Social (RIS) en Navarra no solo reciben un ingreso económico sino también recursos simbólicos (interiorizados y reproducidos) que, frecuentemente, carecen de la dimensión integradora e inclusiva para la que está constituido el recurso.Lo originó la solicitud de la Dirección General de Inclusión y Protección Social del Departamento de Derechos Sociales del Gobierno de Navarra para llevar a cabo un diagnóstico y recabar propuestas incorporables al proceso de modificación de la RIS (de un grupo tradicionalmente excluido de procesos deliberativos).Entre los resultados se identifican discursos tendentes a la responsabilización individual por las situaciones de vulnerabilidad, a exigir a los servicios sociales mayor control sobre el propio endogrupo —asumiendo el deber de auto-control—, o a reclamar el impulso del emprendimiento como vía de acceso al mercado laboral. Se analiza también la dimensión emocional presente en el acceso a estos recursos, con emociones especialmente recurrentes, como la vergüenza o la culpa, vinculadas con la interiorización de juicios responsabilizadores. Resulta también patente una tensa disonancia entre los sentimientos de compasión, empatía y solidaridad hacia las otras personas usuarias, y los de hostilidad y suspicacia que emergen hacia ellas al tomarlas como competidoras rivales por los recursos sociales.
El Trabajo Social como opción de lucha contra la desigualdad, el empobrecimiento y la exclusión social: trayectorias y estrategias de la coordinación Baladre
Authors: García Escamilla Enrique , Muñoz Rodríguez David , Sáez Bayona Manuel
Published: June 2017

El presente artículo describe cuales han sido algunas de las claves teóricas y estrategias metodológicas del Trabajo Social que los diferentes grupos de Baladre han ido desarrollando a la largo de sus ya más de treinta años de historia. Se trata de poner en valor un conjunto de prácticas de Trabajo Social a través de las cuales -en oposición al Trabajo Social como saber poder del gobierno neoliberal sobre lo social-, se han intentado actualizar y recrear prácticas críticas, liberadoras y emancipadoras de Trabajo Social en contextos caracterizados por la precariedad, el empobrecimiento y la exclusión social. Este conjunto de prácticas se han ido configurando en el contexto social e histórico estrechamente marcado por la tendencia hacia la privatización progresiva de las condiciones básicas de la sociabilidad y existencia humana bajo la hegemonía política e ideológica del neoliberalismo. Para finalizar, se expondrá una breve sistematización del conjunto de reflexiones que han conducido a los diversos grupos, colectivos y personas que participan en Baladre a reivindicar el derecho social incondicional a la Renta Básica de las Iguales.
Resistencias femeninas. Arte contemporáneo regional desde una perspectiva de género
Authors: Geat Andrea Soledad
Published: June 2017

El presente artículo explora la capacidad de la teoría de género para abordar la producción artística de mujeres de la ciudad de Resistencia (Chaco, Argentina) con el objetivo de analizar sus trabajos a partir de nociones, conceptos y problemáticas que han podido leerse en sus obras. La selección corresponde a producciones de tres autoras que viven y trabajan actualmente en Resistencia y que han planteado a través de sus obras la sexualidad femenina como temática para la problematización de ideas por medio de su compromiso estético y personal. Con el fin de reflexionar sobre la creación estética a partir del tópico de la/s sexualidad/es en diferentes expresiones plásticas, la descripción iconográfica, el análisis de las obras y la lectura en clave de género confluyen en este trabajo para poner en cuestión categorías y conceptos abordados en las obras como el trabajo doméstico, los estereotipos de mujeres, la maternidad, ciertos tabúes que persisten en la cultura, modos de violencia, el deseo y el goce sexual femenino.
¿Un neologismo a la moda?: Repensar la interseccionalidad como herramienta para la articulación política feminista
Authors: Gandarias Goikoetxea Itziar
Published: June 2017

La interseccionalidad se considera una de las mayores contribuciones a los estudios de género y feministas de las últimas décadas. A pesar de ello, algunas teóricas son suspicaces al actual uso acrítico y fetichización de la interseccionalidad y otras la contemplan como un neologismo a la moda. En base a la experiencia de articulación de la Plataforma de la Marcha Mundial de Mujeres del País Vasco, este texto explora alguna de las tensiones  que surgen a la hora de poner en práctica la interseccionalidad. Con el fin de recuperar su carácter radical y transformador originario de los feminismos negros, se presentan tres retos de la interseccionalidad como herramienta de articulación política: (i)  atender la interrelación entre subjetividad e interseccionalidad (ii) su repolitización  y radicalización y (iii) la apuesta por una interseccionalidad situada y contingente. Más que una noción caduca, la interseccionalidad es presentada como una herramienta con un potencial político y teórico aún por explorar
Intersectionality and its journeys: from counterhegemonic feminist theories to law of european multilevel democracy
Authors: La Barbera María Caterina
Published: June 2017

Democratization processes imply questioning the discriminatory effects of law and politics, and challenging exclusionary legal categories and political institutions. Intersectionality was born as a tool for critical legal analysis and allowed identifying the multiplicity of interactions generated by social exclusion on the grounds of gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, national origin, (dis)ability and socioeconomic status, shedding light on the complexity of the mechanisms of power and privilege in social relations. In the last twenty-five years, intersectionality gained increasing popularity in the Anglophone academia, but it had uneven diffusion in the different socio-political contexts. The goal of this article is to identify the challenges of using intersectionality in the multilevel context of the European Union. To this end, the first part of this article addresses the conceptual origins of intersectionality, providing a genealogy that connects it with counterhegemonic feminist theories. In the second part, intersectionality is put in the American socio-legal context of the 70s where it originated in connection with the movement of Critical Legal Studies. Finally, considering the challenges involved in transposing into the legal framework of European Union a concept that traveled from another legal system, the third part of the article offers an overview of the recent development of European Union law as an example of the advancements and challenges that the introduction of intersectionality can suppose for democratic societies. The final goal of this study is to contribute to the broader debate on the implementation of intersectionality in the multilevel European democracy.
Opening the Black-box of Academic Research: Assessment, Publishing and Critical Perspectives
Authors: Magaudda Paolo , Bruni Attila
Published: June 2017

What does it mean today to take a critical stance on scientific knowledge, its production and its dissemination? And what tactics should one adopt for this purpose? These questions are relevant to all disciplines; but for STS they are crucial, because the processes by which knowledge is produced and institutionalized are among the main themes of the entire STS field of study. This paper tries to answer the above questions by outlining the main features of the scenario in which the production and assessment of scientific knowledge today take place. It then concentrates on a concrete case in the field of open-access scientific publishing in order to show some of the tactics useful for pursuing a critical perspective on both the production and dissemination of knowledge at academic level.
Aging of beef rumpsteak on sensory quality, color appereance and texture properties
Authors: Šulcerová Hana , Sýkora Vladimí­r , Nedomova Sarka , Mihok Michal
Published: June 2017

The aim of the work was to optimize the time of aging of beef - rumpsteak for culinary processing in relation to color, texture and sensory changes.The 8 weeks of dry-aging had an influence on color change by 18% and there was darkening of samples, darker meat linearly, without any variations. During dry-aging decreased softness and increased strength steaks. There was no significant effect of maturation and softness, it has only been affected by less than 5% (p <0.05). The best evaluation was obtained after 7 weeks of aging in descriptors. The main point was in intensity and pleasantness of flavor and intensity and pleasantness and taste. On the other hand, juiciness and texture to bite was evaluated after 4 weeks of aging the best. As the softest sample in descriptor texture in bites it was four-week aging; as the hardest sample was observed in 8 week of dry-aging. Dry-aging affected (p <0.05) the L* value, the trend during dry-aging period had decreasing tendencies. On the other hand, in the course of decreasing lightness fluctuations was observed in lightness value L*. Chromaticity value a* displayed a negative significant (p <0.05) correlation to weeks of dry-aging. Dry aging had a significant negative effect (p <0.05) on the chromatic value b*. The length of the dry-aging had significant statistical impact on the ligthness and both chromatic coordinates. The length of dry-aging had paramount influence on the textural properties of rump steaks evaluated by instrument.
Reviewer Acknowledgements for Vol. 5, No. 2, June 2017
Authors: Williams Richard
Published: June 2017

Journal of Agricultural Studies would like to acknowledge the following reviewers for their assistance with peer review of manuscripts for this issue. Many authors, regardless of whether JAS publishes their work, appreciate the helpful feedback provided by the reviewers. Their comments and suggestions were of great help to the authors in improving the quality of their papers. Each of the reviewers listed below returned at least one review for this issueReviewers for Volume 5, Number 2 Abhishek A. Cukkemane, Bijasu Agri Research Laboratory LLP, IndiaAshit Kumar Paul, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, BangladeshChenlin Hu, The Ohio State University, USA,Eliana Mariela Werbin, National University of Cordoba, ArgentinianErnest Baafi, CSIR-Crops Research Institute, GhanaGerardo Ojeda , Universidad Nacional de Colombia, ColombiaGulzar Ahmad Nayik, SLIET Punjab, IndiaJiban Shrestha, Nepal Agricultural Research Council, NepalMing-Chi Wei, Department and Graduate Institute of Pharmacology, TaiwanReham Ibrahim Abo-Shnaf, Agricultural Research Center, EgyptSahar Bahmani, University of Wisconsin at Parkside, USASait Engindeniz, Ege University Faculty of Agriculture, TurkeySelmi Houc, University of Jandouba, TunisiaSoto Caro Ariel Reinaldo, Universidad de Concepción, ChileZakaria Fouad Abdallah, National Research Centre, EgyptZhao Chen, Clemson University, US Richard Williams,EditorJournal of Agricultural Studies-------------------------------------------Macrothink Institute5348 Vegas Dr.#825Las Vegas, Nevada 89108United StatesPhone: 1-702-953-1852 ext.521Fax: 1-702-420-2900Email: jas@macrothink.orgURL: http://jas.macrothink.org
Reviewer Acknowledgements for Journal of Educational Issues, Vol. 3, No. 1
Authors: Ann Priscilla
Published: June 2017

Reviewer acknowledgements for Journal of Educational Issues, Vol. 3, No. 1, 2017.
Apontamentos dos registros cinematográficos referentes ao Contestado
Authors: Vanali Ana Crhistina
Published: June 2017

O cinema reflete a mentalidade de seu tempo e acaba tornando-se fonte de pesquisa com possibilidades bastante amplas. Nesse artigo resgata-se os filmes documentários referentes à Guerra do Contestado que foram realizados no “calor dos acontecimentos” com o objetivo de analisar sua utilização política.
Elementos em transição em Os Meninos Crescem e a Última Tropa, de Domingos Pellegrini
Authors: Roque Andrius Felipe , Iasinski Luciana Pereira
Published: June 2017

Retratando o cenário do norte pioneiro, Domingo Pellegrini criou obras representativas da literatura paranaense, como O homem vermelho (1977) e O caso da chácara chão (2000), que garantiram ao autor dois Prêmios Jabuti. Apesar do regionalismo, seus textos dialogam com o humano em busca do existencial, daquilo que permanece apesar das transformações no ambiente. Para ele, o homem luta para continuar a ser o mesmo, ainda que mais moderno. Percorrem suas histórias conflitos de transitoriedade, em dimensões sociais, familiares e pessoais. A este trabalho, portanto, cabe analisar elementos em transição presentes em duas obras do escritor londrinense, Os meninos crescem (1977) e A última tropa (1998). O primeiro livro reúne alguns contos reescritos de Os meninos (1977), e outros inéditos, situando a infância e a adolescência como temas. O segundo narra a história de um garoto de Tibagi, que parte para a última viagem tropeira do grupo do pai, com o objetivo de vender mulas em São Paulo. Em análise desses textos, é estabelecido diálogo entre a ficção realista de Pellegrini e as transformações sociais que o Brasil vivenciava partir da metade do séc. XX, como o acesso aos automóveis, a legalização do divórcio e o intenso êxodo rural. Paralelamente, também há os conflitos da adolescência nas personagens meninos, caracterizando um período de transição pessoal (moral, psicológica e sexual). Esse jogo entre modernização e afirmação pessoal, então, movimenta as personagens na trama, de modo a revelarem a crítica do autor à perda de valores tradicionais, que sucumbem à modernidade.
Feasibility for the implementation of the MENtorship Program
Authors: Milligan Kevin J. , Gillespie Gordon L.
Published: June 2017

Objective: Men comprise only 9% of the U.S. nursing workforce and 15% of baccalaureate nursing students. The odds of male nursing students completing nursing school are significantly lower than that of female nursing students. Mentoring programs designed to improve male nursing student retention are needed. This study was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of a novel “MENtorship” Program for men in nursing school.Methods: This study used a sequential QUAN-qual explanatory mixed methods design in two phases: (1) quantitative web-based surveys were sent to all participants (n = 19) to assess mentor/mentee relationships; and (2) qualitative interviews were conducted to explain the survey results. Data were analyzed thematically, and data source triangulation was done by comparing the qualitative findings to the quantitative findings.Results: Findings included high perceived commitment from mentors and mentees. Participants described multiple program benefits and recommended program improvements. One key recommendation is to provide a thematic focus to each mentor/mentee meeting (i.e. professionalism, ethics, nursing specialties).Conclusions: The MENtorship Program pilot was deemed feasible for future implementation.
Carbon dioxide quantified by the infrared in respiratory activity evaluation in corn seeds
Authors: Dranski João Alexandre Lopes , Malavasi Marlene De Matos , Malavasi Ubirajara Contro , Schuster Ivan , Lazaretti Norma Schlickmann
Published: June 2017

The respiratory activity is one of the first biological manifestations of vigor loss and detecting it can help the monitoring and quality control of seed production by seed industries. This research aimed to develop and validate the methodology of the carbon dioxide concentration in the evaluation of physiological quality of Zea mays (L.) seeds. The proposed method is grounded on the measurement of the CO2 content by infrared through a drag system and exhaustion of the gas released by the seed maintained in a closed system up to the detection chamber of the gas meter. Samples of 15, 20 and 25 seeds of 6 lots of cultivar CD 384 Hx were incubated at temperatures of 15, 25 and 40 °C. The CO2 content released after 1, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 24 h of incubation were quantified. In parallel, the percentage of normal seedlings emerged in the field were evaluated. The simple correlation coefficients among tests were calculated. After determining the reading conditions, the accuracy and precision of the proposed method were evaluated, using 15 seed lots. For the evaluation of the respiratory activity in Z. mays seeds, we recommend a sample of 25 seeds, incubated at 15 °C for a maximum of 12 h, which allows to classify lots with different levels of vigor and predict the establishment of seedlings in the field, being the appropriate method for measuring CO2 as it externalizes precision between successive measurements and agreement to the reference method.
Effects of variable-row-spacing harvesting picker platform scraping plates on cotton fiber quality and quantity
Authors: Baraviera Cíntia Michele De Campos , Mion Renildo Luiz , Zanetoni Hiago Henrique Rocha , Aguero Nayra Fernandes , Bassini Renato Tillmann , Viliotti Carlos Alberto
Published: June 2017

There have been increasing demands for high-quality cotton fibers that meet the textile industry quality standards. Concurrently, there have been efforts to reduce contaminants during harvesting to reduce harvesting costs. The goal of this research was to evaluate the efficiency of the picker platform with Variable-Row-Spacing (VRS) for harvesting cotton in narrow rows, over two harvest seasons in two regions within the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. In this study, how the presence vs. absence of scraping plates and variations in travel speed was related to quantifiable levels of impurities the harvested fibers was examined. The research was divided into three experiments (Exp. I, II, and III), using cotton varieties FM 975 WS, IMA 5672 B2 RF, and IMA 5675 B2 RF, with row spacing of 0.45 m. The experimental design was randomized blocks, in a 2 ? 3 factorial design, using the presence/absence of the plate and three speeds (0.61, 1.0, and 1.42 m·s-¹), with seven repetitions, totaling 42 experimental plots. The plot size was 108 m² (3.6 ? 30 m). The data were analyzed using the F test in ANOVA and the post-hoc Tukey test (p < 0.05). The results showed that scraping plates increased the number of stems and cones, and reduced the harvest efficiency of cotton planted in narrow rows in the region of Sorriso-MT during the 2013/2014 harvest. For the 2014/2015 harvest, the highest speed and the presence of the scraping plates increased the number of cones in the cotton samples. In the experiment conducted in Serra da Petrovina, the removal of the scraping plates decreased the amount of cones in the harvested cotton.
Banana fertigation with treated sanitary wastewater: postharvest and microbiological quality
Authors: Alves Pablo Fernando Santos , Santos Silvânio Rodrigues dos , Kondo Marcos Koiti , Mizobutsi Gisele Polete , Caldeira Luciana Albuquerque , Alves Igor Santos , Antunes Alciane Batista , Oliveira Gilberto Felipe de
Published: June 2017

Sewage may serve as a source of water and nutrients for plants. In this study, the effects of fertigation with treated sanitary wastewater from Janaúba Sewage Treatment Plant were evaluated on the postharvest and microbiological quality of ‘Prata-Anã’ banana. A randomized block experimental design was used. Four concentrations of wastewater were tested (70, 130, 170, and 200% of 150 kg ha-1 sodium). A wastewater-free control treatment was used for comparison. Two crop cycles were assessed for postharvest and microbiological quality. The parameters measured included total soluble solids, titratable acidity, total soluble solids/titratable acidity ratio, pH, total coliforms, and fecal coliforms on both the peel and the pulp. In the first crop cycle, both soluble solids and fruit pulp pH decreased as wastewater level increased up to a maximum of 141.5%. These correlations were not observed in the second cycle. Wastewater management did not affect the titratable acidity of the soluble solids. The agricultural application of treated sanitary wastewater provided banana fruits with a microbiological profile similar to that obtained with the control (pure water) and with mineral fertilizers. A microbial balance is necessary to maintain the nutritional status of the banana crop.