bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Bloomsbury Research Handbook of Early Chinese Ethics and Political Philosophy
Authors: Ram-Prasad Chakravarthi , Ames Roger , Tan Sor-hoon , Berger Doug , Defoort Carine , Flanagan Owen , Frazier Jessica , Li Chenyang , Littlejohn Ronnie , Thompson Evan
Published: February 2019

Focusing on early Chinese ethical and political thought across multiple schools and thinkers, this book presents a comprehensive overview of the research being done in Chinese comparative ethics and political philosophy.

In addition to chapters on Chinese comparative and interpretative thought, The Bloomsbury Research Handbook of Early Chinese Ethics and Political Philosophy brings early Chinese ethics and political philosophy into conversation with Western and Indian Philosophy, as well as Western Theology. Contributors discuss numerous texts and schools in Pre-Qin and Han Philosophy, including Confucianism, Daoism, Mohism, the Xunzi, the Liyun, and the Zhuangzi. The volume also shows how early Chinese ethical and political theories can be used to contextualise contemporary philosophical issues, such as metaethics, human rights, emotions, and the connection between ethics and metaphysics.

The Bloomsbury Research Handbook of Early Chinese Ethics and Political Philosophy is an ideal resource for undergraduate and postgraduate students encountering early Chinese ethics and political philosophy for the first time.
Gods and Rollercoasters
Authors: Paine Crispin
Published: February 2019

This worldwide study examines how religion gets into theme parks – as mission, as an aspect of culture, as fable and by chance. Gods and Rollercoasters analyzes religion in theme parks, looking at how it relates to modernism, popular culture, right-wing politics, nationalism and the rise of the global middle class.

Crispin Paine argues that religion has discovered a major new means of expression through theme parks. From the reconstruction of Biblical Jerusalem at the Holy Land Experience in Orlando, through the world of Chinese mythology at Haw Par Villa in Singapore, to the great temple/theme-park Akshardham in New Delhi, this book shows how people are encountering and experiencing religion in the context of fun, thrills and leisure time.

Drawing on examples from six of the seven continents, and exploring religious traditions including Christianity, Daoism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam, Gods and Rollercoasters provides a significant contribution to the study of religion, sociology, anthropology and popular culture.
Politics of the Everyday
Authors: Manzini Ezio
Published: February 2019

In Politics of the Everyday, celebrated design theorist Ezio Manzini advocates for the creation of flexible communities which are open and inclusive, and therefore resilient and socially sustainable. He proposes a radical overhaul in how we as individuals spend our time, and in what we value. By choosing different ‘policies’ for our own lives in this way, Manzini demonstrates that we can reverse negative current trends such as living in connected solitude; often working, travelling and relaxing alone, yet feeling misleadingly sociable by means of technology.

The book draws on precedents of various innovative projects which have successfully used design thinking to address social challenges, like carpooling in California, participatory politics at Milan’s City Council and research into ‘meaningful encounters’ at the University of the Arts London. Manzini argues that the success of these examples indicates the real possibility of changing society, not by making demands, but by putting into practice new ways of doing things as individuals.
Food Justice and Narrative Ethics
Authors: Dixon Beth A.
Published: February 2019

Beth A. Dixon explores how food justice impacts on human lives. Stories and reports in national media feature on the one hand hunger, famine and food scarcity, and on the other, rising rates of morbid obesity and health issues. Other stories—food justice narratives—illustrate how to correct the ethical damage created by the first type of story. They detail the nature of oppression and structural injustice, and show how these conditions constrain choices, truncate moral agency, and limit opportunities to live well.

With stories from national media, food and farming memoirs, and scholarly ethnographies, Dixon reveals how different food narratives are constructed, and enable identification of just solutions to issues surrounding food insecurity, farm labor, and the lived experience of obesity. Drawing on Aristotle’s concept of ethical perception, Dixon demonstrates how we can use narratives to enhance our understanding and ethical competence about injustice in relation to food.

Food Justice and Narrative Ethics is a must-read for students of food studies, philosophy, and media studies.
Fantastic Creatures in Mythology and Folklore
Authors: Wood Juliette
Published: February 2019

Drawing on historical sources, myth and folklore, Fantastic Creatures in Mythology and Folklore explores the roles of fantastical beasts - particularly the unicorn, the mermaid, and the dragon - in a series of thematic chapters organised according to their legendary dwelling place, be this land, sea, or air.

Through this original approach, Juliette Wood provides the first study of mythical beasts in history from the medieval period to the present day, providing new insights into the ways these creatures continue to define our constantly changing relationship to both real and imagined worlds. It places particular emphasis on the role of the internet, computer games, and the cyberspace community, and in doing so, demonstrates that the core medieval myth surrounding these creatures remains static within the ever-increasing arena of mass marketing and the internet.

This is a vital resource for undergraduates studying fantastic creatures in history, literature and media studies
Sonic Writing
Authors: Magnusson Thor
Published: February 2019

Sonic Writing explores how contemporary music technologies trace their ancestry to previous forms of instruments and media. Studying the domains of instrument design, musical notation, and sound recording under the rubrics of material, symbolic, and signal inscriptions of sound, the book describes how these historical techniques of sonic writing are implemented in new digital music technologies. With a scope ranging from ancient Greek music theory, medieval notation, early modern scientific instrumentation to contemporary multimedia and artificial intelligence, it provides a theoretical grounding for further study and development of technologies of musical expression. The book draws a bespoke affinity and similarity between current musical practices and those from before the advent of notation and recording, stressing the importance of instrument design in the study of new music and projecting how new computational technologies, including machine learning, will transform our musical practices.

Sonic Writing offers a richly illustrated study of contemporary musical media, where interactivity, artificial intelligence, and networked devices disclose new possibilities for musical expression. Thor Magnusson provides a conceptual framework for the creation and analysis of this new musical work, arguing that contemporary sonic writing becomes a new form of material and symbolic design–one that is bound to be ephemeral, a system of fluid objects where technologies are continually redesigned in a fast cycle of innovation.
An Exploration of the Cultural Adaptation Process during an International Experience in France
Authors: Conner Nathan W. , Roberts T. Grady , Sterns James
Published: February 2019

The purpose of this study was to explore how a group of students experienced cultural adaptation during a short-term study abroad program in Paris, France. The intrinsic case study was used and data collection methods included pre-experience questions, reflective journaling, post-experience questions, and participant observation. The grounded theory analysis method was used to identify the following eight stages of cultural adaptation: a) Initial Feelings, b) Cultural Uncertainty, c) Cultural Barriers, d) Cultural Negativity, e) Group Dynamics, f) Academic and Career Growth, g) Feelings throughout the Program, and h) Cultural Growth.
Findings indicated that participants experienced cultural adaptation in a non-linear fashion and study abroad facilitators should incorporate and encourage cultural learning.
Farm Operations and Injury Risks to Children in Cocoa Households in the Western Region of Ghana: Implications for Extension Education
Authors: Okorley Ernest L.
Published: February 2019

Cocoa remains the most important cash crop in Ghana, with the Western Region being the leading producer. More recently, concerns have been raised about ethical cocoa production, especially regarding child labour. Drawing on historical sources and a survey, the research assessed the injury risks of children in cocoa farming in the Western Region of Ghana and its implications for extension education. The study concludes that cocoa farm households in Ghana, typically in Western Region, engage children in the households in almost all aspects of cocoa production operations as a way of socializing them into the family cocoa production business – a complex and socially tolerable practice in Ghana. The extent of engagement however, is low across the operations. The operations engaged by the children are generally repetitive and include carrying loads, land preparation, planting, fertilizer application, harvesting, and breaking cocoa pods. More importantly, the study concludes that cocoa farmers are more at risk to injuries caused by repetitive strain, and lifting and carrying of loads, which are the work normally done by children. Nonetheless, the focus of extension education in Ghana has been on adult farmers in design and content. To effectively manage
the risk associated with this complex phenomenon, the study emphasized the need for a holistic extension education that includes child-sensitive labour practices in cocoa production, focusing on the entire farm household. This will best empower cocoa households to ethically and health-wise socialise children as part of a livelihood system for sustainable cocoa production.
Forecasting Future Funds for Food Security Projects: A Reflection on Trainings for Frontline Extension Staff on Improved Agricultural Practices in Malawi
Authors: Malaidza Hector M. , Strong Jr. Robert
Published: February 2019

Eighty percent of the Malawian population depends on agriculture for employment. This commentary is a reflection of a number of training workshops conducted to orient frontline extension staff on improved agricultural technologies. These trainings were conducted by the Technology Transfer Unit (TTU) is under the Department of Agricultural Research Services (DARS) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Malawi. The manuscript contains an analysis across various activities were done before, during, and after a number of technical training sessions. The manuscript presents a detailed picture of processes associated with implementation of the trainings where technical information was shared. The results conceptualize insights of things what was effective, and suggests ways of improving trainings in the future. Therefore, this commentary stresses on the importance of conducting training needs assessments for specific technical groups. The lessons drawn from the analysis are sketched in a general schematic model that can be used for designing, implementing and evaluating future agricultural extension staff trainings to improve food security of Malawians.
Increasing Female Enrollment for Agricultural Programs of Study in Sub-Saharan Africa: What Motivates Women to Pursue Careers in Agriculture?
Authors: Mukembo Stephen C. , Uscanga José M. , Edwards M. Craig , Brown Nicholas R.
Published: February 2019

Women in developing countries, especially in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA), play a critical role in ensuring food security and sovereignty for their families and nations. Unfortunately, in spite of this, their significance in the agricultural sector is seldom fully appreciated. Further, very few women in SSA are professionally trained agriculturists (Beintema & Di Marcantonio, 2009; Kanté, Edwards, & Blackwell, 2013), which has likely contributed to their low productivity per hectare in the agricultural sector compared to their male counterparts (O'Sullivan, Rao, Banerjee, Gulati, & Vinez, 2014). This study investigated the experiences of young, aspiring female agriculturists from Uganda who were members of Young Farmers’ Clubs (YFC) at high
school to understand better how their club experiences may have impacted their career choices. Findings indicate the participants’ YFC activities, especially supervised agripreneurship projects (SAPs) and field trips, had transformative impacts on their choosing to study agriculture. However, gender stereotypes associated with females pursuing agricultural careers were still prevalent and discouraged them from becoming professional agriculturists. More research should be conducted about the impact of subjective norms (Ajzen, 1991) on females preparing to pursue careers in agriculture.
The 4.2 ka BP Event in northeastern China: a geospatial perspective
Authors: Scuderi Louis A. , Yang Xiaoping , Ascoli Samantha E. , Li Hongwei
Published: February 2019

Abstract. The Hunshandake Sandy Lands of northeastern China, currently a semiarid
lightly vegetated region, were characterized by perennial lakes and forest
stands in the early and middle Holocene. Well-developed dark grassland-type
paleosols (mollisols) at the southern edge of the Hunshandake – OSL (optically stimulated luminescence)-dated to
between 6.93±0.61 and 4.27±0.38 ka along with
lacustrine sands at higher elevations that date to between 5.7±0.3 and
5.2±0.2 ka – and thick gray lacustrine sediments suggest a
wetter climate. Between 4.2 and 3.8 ka, the region experienced
extreme drying that was exacerbated by lake overflow drainage and sapping
that depleted the groundwater table. The region supported a robust
population, the Hongshan Culture, but was depopulated post 4.2 ka with
migration likely to the Yellow River Valley where the Hongshan introduced
their characteristic cultural elements to early Chinese civilization.
Evidence for extreme and sudden environmental change in northeastern China,
at and following the 4.2 ka BP Event and like that we document in the
Hunshandake, is widespread. However, no comprehensive overview of this
climatic episode exists. Here, we discuss the relevant events in northeastern
China and capture them in a spatially explicit Geographic Information Systems
database that can be used to analyze the timing and spatial pattern of
climate and environmental change associated with the 4.2 ka BP Event.
This approach could serve as a prototype for a global 4.2 ka BP Event
database.
The Impact of Religion on Gender Gap in Adult Literacy in Developing Countries
Authors: Liu Fangyao , Feng Xixi
Published: February 2019

Literacy measures human capital of a country, literacy rates are much lower in developing countries compared to developed countries, especially the gap in literacy rates between men and female. We examine the determinants of the gender gap in literacy rates in developing countries, particularly the relationship between religion and gender gap in literacy. From the empirical study, we show that Protestant and Islam increase the gender gap in literacy in developing countries controlling other factors.
Vetores das leishmanioses no Parque Estadual do Morro do Diabo (PEMD), Município de Teodoro Sampaio - SP, Brasil
Authors: Casagrande Baltazar , Guimarães Raul Borges
Published: February 2019

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a similaridade, a dominância e a diversidade das comunidades de flebotomíneos do interior e da borda do Parque Estadual do Morro do Diabo (PEMD). Este trabalho foi realizado por meio de coletas noturnas de flebotomíneos, utilizando armadilhas tipo Shannon e CDC. Os dados foram analisados pelo software PAST e DivEs. Foram encontrados no interior do PEMD quatro espécies diferentes de flebotomíneos, sendo 190 exemplares de Nyssomyia neivai, 128 de Pintomyia pessoai, quatro Evandromyia carmelinoi e dois Nissomyia whitmani. Já na borda foram encontradas cinco espécies diferentes, sendo 1620 exemplares de Nyssomyia neiva, 12 de Nissomyia whitmani, quatro de Evandromyia lenti, um de Psathyromyia aragaoi e um exemplar de Brumptomyia brumpti. Diante destes dados, constatou-se que o índice de similaridade entre as comunidades de flebotomíneos do interior e da borda do parque foi de 0,44,o índice de dominância de 0,50 e a diversidade com diferença significativa de 0,015. Os parâmetros obtidos e calculados foram importantes entender a similaridade e dominância entre as comunidades de flebotomíneos do parque, sendo a similaridade entre as diferentes comunidades baixa e não apresentada uma dominância de espécie. Foi encontrada uma diferença significativa na diversidade de espécies entre as amostras.
Validation of a Novel Surgical Data Capturing System After Hip Arthroscopy
Authors: Brown Marsalis C. , Westermann Robert W. , Hagen Mia S. , Strnad Gregory J. , Rosneck James T. , Spindler Kurt P. , Lynch T. Sean
Published: February 2019

Introduction:

The purpose of this study is to compare the utility and validity of the OrthoMiDaS (Orthopaedic Minimal Data Set) Episode of Care (OME) database with the current benchmark for recording procedural details, the operative note (OpNote), with regard to disease severity and risk factors for hip arthroscopy cases.

Methods:

A convenience sample of the first 100 hip arthroscopy cases for labral tears done at our institution between February and August 2015 were selected for this study. Surgeons recorded procedural details within OME after each case. An individual blinded to the OME data performed a chart review of the OpNote and/or implant log and recorded the information in a separate REDCap database.

Results:

OME demonstrated higher completion rates than the OpNote for important procedural details such as previous left and right hip surgery (P < 0.001), anchor type (P = 0.008), and labrum tear clockface variables (P < 0.001 for both). In addition, OME exhibited “near-perfect” agreement with the OpNote for several important procedural details such as surgical limb (Kappa = 1.000), suture configuration (Kappa = 0.982), repair type (Kappa = 0.947), tear clockface: from (Kappa = 0.949), and tear clockface: to (Kappa = 0.885). On average, surgeons took 117 seconds to complete data entry within OME.

Conclusion:

The findings of this study validate the ability of OME to accurately and consistently capture important procedural details pertaining to arthroscopic hip surgery. Through the use of OME, high-quality standardized information can be captured and used to advance the field of hip arthroscopy by determining the clinically useful predictors of patient-reported outcome measures.
Social Media and Loneliness - Forever connected?
Authors: Yavich Roman , Davidovitch Nitza , Frenkel Zeev
Published: February 2019

Young adults’ use of social media has soared in recent years, and the many hours that young adults now spend in front of screens replace time spent in face-to-face interactions. Previous studies indicate that the unique features of social media offer advantages to adolescents compared with other communications media. Today, the fact that young adults spend a significant part of their social lives spent on social media and forums triggers an important question that interests educators and therapists about whether presence in the digital world offers an adequate sense of social belonging and mitigates the feeling of loneliness that young adults occasionally experience. Using self-report questionnaires, this study examined associations between reported Facebook usage patterns and loneliness among Ariel University students. The hypotheses of this study, predicting an association between social media usage and loneliness, were not supported, in contrast to findings of previous studies.
Strong Geodetic Number in Some Networks
Authors: Ge Huifen , Wang Zhao , Zou Jinyu
Published: February 2019

A vertex subset S of a graph is called a strong geodetic set if there exists a choice of exactly one geodesic for each pair of vertices of S in such a way that these (|S| 2) geodesics cover all the vertices of graph G. The strong geodetic number of G, denoted by sg(G), is the smallest cardinality of a strong geodetic set. In this paper, we give an upper bound of strong geodetic number of the Cartesian product graphs and study this parameter for some Cartesian product networks.
The Quadratic Diophantine Equations x^2− P(t)y^2− 2P′(t)x + 4P(t)y + (P′(t))^2− 4P(t) − 1 = 0
Authors: Chandoul Amara , Marques Diego , Albrbar Samira Shaban
Published: February 2019

Let P := P(t) be a non square polynomial. In this paper, we consider the number of integer solutions of Diophantine equation

E : x2− P(t)y2− 2P′(t)x + 4P(t)y + (P′(t))2− 4P(t) − 1 = 0.

We derive some recurrence relations on the integer solutions (xn,yn) of E. In the last section, we consider the same problem over finite fields Fpfor primes p ≥ 5. Our main results are generaliations of previous results given by Ozcok and Tekcan (Ozkoc and Tekcan, 2010).
Quantification of Vitamins A, E, and K and Carotenoids in Submilliliter Volumes of Human Milk
Authors: Levêques Antoine , Oberson Jean-Marie , Tissot Emeline Alexandra , Redeuil Karine , Thakkar Sagar K , Campos-Giménez Esther
Published: February 2019

Background: Human milk is the optimal nutrition for all newborns in the first 6 months of life. In order to assess the nutritional needs of the breastfed infant, human milk is often characterized for multiple nutrients. Objective: To ensure that we minimize the volume of milk dedicated for research and optimize the number of nutrients characterized, we developed analytical methodologies for the determination of vitamins A (retinol), E (alpha and gamma tocopherol), K (phylloquinone and menaquinone-4), and five carotenoids (β-carotene, lycopene, β-cryptoxanthin, lutein, and zeaxanthin) using <1 mL human milk. Method: Vitamins E and K and carotenoids are simultaneously isolated from 750 μL milk by liquid–liquid extraction (LLE). Tocopherols and carotenoids are determined by normal-phase LC with fluorescence and ultraviolet detection respectively. Vitamin K is analyzed on the same extracts after resuspension and clean-up by reversed phase liquid chromatography coupled to tandem MS. The analysis of vitamin A involves saponification of 200 μL milk followed by LLE and determination by normal-phase LC with UV detection. Results: Full single-laboratory validation at four different concentration levels is presented. Recovery rates were within 90–105% in all except one case (retinol at 1.9 μg/mL, 88% recovery), with RSDs of repeatability and intermediate reproducibility below 10 and 15%, respectively for all the compounds. Conclusions and Highlights: To the best of best knowledge, this is the first report that allows for the characterization and quantification of vitamins A, E, and K and five carotenoids in <1 mL human milk.
The Student Discourse Observation Tool: Supporting Teachers in Noticing Justifying and Generalizing
Authors: Melhuish Kathleen , Thanheiser Eva , Fagan Joshua
Published: February 2019

In classrooms, students engage in argumentation through justifying and generalizing. However, these activities can be difficult for teachers to conceptualize and therefore promote in their classrooms. In this article, we present the Student Discourse Observation Tool (SDOT) developed to support teachers in noticing and promoting student justifying and generalizing. The SDOT serves the purpose of (a) focusing teacher noticing on student argumentation during classroom observations, and (b) promoting focused discussion of student discourse in teacher professional learning communities. We provide survey data illustrating that elementary-level teachers who participated in professional development leveraging the SDOT had richer conceptions of justifying and generalizing and greater ability to characterize students' justifying and generalizing when compared with a set of control teachers. We argue that the SDOT provides both an important focusing lens for teachers and a means to concretize the abstract mathematical activities of justifying and generalizing.
Bullying y cyberbullying: la respuesta de las comunidades autónomas
Authors: Rubio Hernández Francisco José , Díaz López Adoración , Cerezo Ramírez Fuensanta
Published: February 2019

Los fenómenos de acoso escolar y ciberacoso continúan preocupando a la sociedad en general, y especialmente a la comunidad educativa, la cual se siente incapaz de abordarlos por no contar con un sustento legal que le indique cómo detectar el problema, qué hacer en esos casos y de qué manera sensibilizar a padres, profesores y alumnos para prevenir la violencia escolar. La presente investigación analiza la normativa educativa de las 17 comunidades autónomas españolas para mostrar el grado de respaldo legal que se está dando al bullying y cyberbullying. Para ello se ha ejecutado una revisión sistemática cualitativa de decretos, leyes, órdenes y resoluciones con la ayuda de un instrumento de evaluación documental creado ad hoc. Los resultados indican que la mayor parte de las CC.AA contemplan el acoso escolar, pero menos de la mitad el ciberacoso, y solo 2 de las 17 aluden al bullying homofóbico y/o transfóbico. Respecto a los protocolos, únicamente 6 de las comunidades autónomas reflejan en su legislación un reglamento que apoye la detección e intervención en cyberbullying. En cuanto a las medidas para agresor y víctima, la mayor parte de la legislación educativa analizada alude a medidas correctivas-disciplinarias para el acosador y de apoyo y protección para el acosado. Por tanto, el grado de respaldo normativo de las CC.AA al acoso escolar y ciberacoso se considera aún insuficiente o inadecuado, no ciñéndose a lo expuesto en los informes del Defensor del Pueblo Español ni a las sugerencias aportadas por los estudios más actuales.
Systemer, portaler og platforme
Authors: Pedersen Michael , Dalsgaard Christian
Published: February 2019

Editorial

Som baggrund for dette nummer af tidsskriftet Læring og Medier rejser vi

spørgsmålet om, hvordan teknologi indvirker på eksisterende praksisser. I

temanummeret ønsker vi at sætte fokus på de pædagogiske og didaktiske

implikationer af systemer og portaler, der de seneste år er implementeret

bredt på danske uddannelsesinstitutioner. Der er tale om teknologiske

systemer og portaler, der eksempelvis betegnes som e-læringssystemer,

læringsportaler, Learning Management Systems eller Virtual Learning

Environments. Et centralt spørgsmål i denne sammenhæng er, hvad et elæringssystem,

en læringsportal eller -platform overhovedet er for en

størrelse. Skal vi betegne dem som systemer eller værktøjer eller som

læringsmiljøer eller klasserum?

I hvor høj grad har brugerne – i form af både lærere, undervisere, elever og

studerende – kontrollen over teknologierne, og i hvilken grad er det

teknologierne der påvirker praksissen og dens udøvere? Er det teknologien,

der sætter rammerne for hvordan f.eks. læreren kan handle? - hvilket

potentielt kan være i uoverensstemmelse med, hvordan læreren plejer at

handle. Eller etablerer teknologierne nærmere et udvidet mulighedsrum, der

forstærker lærerens valg og metodefrihed til at tilrettelægge undervisningen

efter egne overbevisninger.

Hvis teknologiens rammer opleves som begrænsninger kan teknologien

enten blive afvist eller blive tilpasset en eksisterende praksis og tænkemåde.

Opleves teknologiens rammer som muligheder, kan teknologien i stedet

udfordre vante handlinger og forestillinger og åbne for, at man begynder at

handle eller tænke på ny måder.

Under alle omstændigheder er teknologierne noget, man skal forholde sig til i

de danske uddannelsesinstitutioner. Derfor sætter dette temanummer fokus

på følgende spørgsmål:

• Hvilke rammer og mulighedsrum opstiller teknologierne?

• Hvordan begrænser og/eller fremmer systemerne lærerens

pædagogiske og didaktiske muligheder?

• Findes der en indbygget pædagogik/didaktik i systemerne?

• Er der tale om en “udlicitering” af pædagogiske og didaktiske metoder til systemudviklere?
REFLEXIONES SOBRE LA IMPLEMENTACIÓN DE UNA SECUENCIA DIDÁCTICA
Authors: España Palop Eduardo
Published: February 2019

A partir del trabajo con secuencias didácticas, el grupo de investigación GIEL propone proyectos de escritura en todos los niveles educativos. Aquí se presentan las características que rigen la producción de textos argumentativos en Educación Primaria. Asimismo, se presentan los criterios de análisis que el grupo tiene en cuenta para realizar los distintos módulos que componen una secuencia didáctica.
SECUENCIAS PONDERADORAS DE IDENTIFICACIÓN CON COMO EN TEXTOS LITERARIOS Y PERIODÍSTICOS CUBANOS (2000-2008)
Authors: López Acosta Pedro de Jesús
Published: February 2019

La presente investigación analiza, a partir de textos cubanos actuales, un tipo de construcciones que proponemos denominar «secuencias ponderadoras de identificación con como». Se explica su funcionamiento en calidad de construcción lingüística peculiar mediante la descripción e interpretación de sus características morfosintácticas y semánticas.
NORMA Y VARIACIÓN LINGÜÍSTICA: PARALELISMOS Y DIVERGENCIAS ENTRE EL ESPAÑOL Y EL CATALÁN
Authors: Ramos Joan-Rafael
Published: February 2019

Este artículo analiza la presencia de la variación lingüística de carácter dialectal en la norma académica o modelo de lengua estándar del español y del catalán. Esta variación se manifiesta a través de la aceptación de alternativas normativas, también conocida como polimorfismo. El estudio se centra en la lengua escrita, concretamente en el nivel ortográfico, en el morfológico y en el sintáctico, y analiza los contenidos de las principales obras académicas de estas dos lenguas. El hecho de tratarse de lenguas con una situación sociolingüística diferente tiene consecuencias en la manera de concebir el posible polimorfismo y también en la forma de aplicarlo, ya que entra en conflicto la defensa de un único modelo estándar frente a la permisividad de más de un modelo estándar por razones de identidad geográfica.
Seasonal variations of the ichthyoplankton assemblage in the Yangtze Estuary and its relationship with environmental factors
Authors: Zhang Hui , Xian Weiwei , Liu Shude
Published: February 2019

Seasonal variations of the ichthyoplankton assemblage and its relationship with the environment were analyzed based on four seasonal surveys during 2012. Historical data was collected to be compared with results from previous years in order to indicate the seasonal and inter-annual variation of the ichthyoplankton assemblage in the Yangtze Estuary and the adjacent waters. A total of 3,688 individuals belonging to 5 orders, 9 families, and 15 species were collected. No samples were collected in the winter cruise. In 2012, all samples were separated into four ecotypes, which is comparable with the historical data from previous years. The Engraulis japonicus was the most abundant species of all teleost fishes. The E. japonicus was captured in every season and contributed the most to the abundance of ichthyoplankton, which was greater than that of previous years. This result may be due to the periodic fluctuations of E. japonicus or from the displacement of spawning grounds offshore for environmental reasons. The diversity indices of the assemblage were significantly different among seasons, with the number and abundance of the species peaking in the spring, while richness, evenness and diversity indices peaked in the autumn. The species richness of the ichthyoplankton varied from 0.74 to 1.62, the Pielou evenness index varied from 0.10 to 0.49 and the Shannon–Wiener index varied from 0.19 to 1.04. The results of CCA analysis showed that the major factors affecting the ichthyoplankton assemblage differed throughout the seasons. Chla was the key factor affecting the ichthyoplankton in 2012. These seasonal and inter-annual variations likely resulted from migrations associated with fish spawning as well as the environment. Compared with data from previous studies, the relationship between the assemblage structure of ichthyoplankton and corresponding environmental variables have undergone a decline.
Dual mechanism of TRKB activation by anandamide through CB1 and TRPV1 receptors
Authors: Diniz Cassiano R.A.F. , Biojone Caroline , Joca Samia R.L. , Rantamäki Tomi , Castrén Eero , Guimarães Francisco S. , Casarotto Plinio C.
Published: February 2019

Background

Administration of anandamide (AEA) or 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2AG) induces CB1 coupling and activation of TRKB receptors, regulating the neuronal migration and maturation in the developing cortex. However, at higher concentrations AEA also engages vanilloid receptor TRPV1, usually with opposed consequences on behavior.

Methods and Results

Using primary cell cultures from the cortex of rat embryos (E18) we determined the effects of AEA on phosphorylated TRKB (pTRK). We observed that AEA (at 100 and 200 nM) induced a significant increase in pTRK levels. Such effect of AEA at 100 nM was blocked by pretreatment with the CB1 antagonist AM251 (200 nM) and, at the higher concentration of 200 nM by the TRPV1 antagonist capsazepine (200 nM), but mildly attenuated by AM251. Interestingly, the effect of AEA or capsaicin (a TRPV1 agonist, also at 200 nM) on pTRK was blocked by TRKB.Fc (a soluble form of TRKB able to bind BDNF) or capsazepine, suggesting a mechanism dependent on BDNF release. Using the marble-burying test (MBT) in mice, we observed that the local administration of ACEA (a CB1 agonist) into the prelimbic region of prefrontal cortex (PL-PFC) was sufficient to reduce the burying behavior, while capsaicin or BDNF exerted the opposite effect, increasing the number of buried marbles. In addition, both ACEA and capsaicin effects were blocked by previous administration of k252a (an antagonist of TRK receptors) into PL-PFC. The effect of systemically injected CB1 agonist WIN55,212-2 was blocked by previous administration of k252a. We also observed a partial colocalization of CB1/TRPV1/TRKB in the PL-PFC, and the localization of TRPV1 in CaMK2+ cells.

Conclusion

Taken together, our data indicate that anandamide engages a coordinated activation of TRKB, via CB1 and TRPV1. Thus, acting upon CB1 and TRPV1, AEA could regulate the TRKB-dependent plasticity in both pre- and postsynaptic compartments.
The Effect of Internal Control Systems on Financial Performance in the Kassena Nankana Municipality, Upper East Region
Authors: Ayamga Benard Nicodemos , Bagina Regina Wompakeah
Published: February 2019

The study aims at determining the effect of internal control systems on the financial performance of Kassena Nankana East Municipal Assembly, in the Upper East Region of Ghana. The study was cross sectional and adopted a case study approach. The data for the study was completely primary and was gathered through face- to -face interaction with respondents (the staff of the Kassena Nankana East Municipal Assembly). A purposive sampling technique was use to select sixty (60) respondents for the study, finally the data was analysed using central tendency, frequencies and percentages and the information represented with tables, charts and graphs. The findings of the study showed that, there is a strong relationship between internal control system and organizational financial performance of the Kassena Nankana East Municipal Assembly. It was concluded that organizations that had invested on effective internal control systems had more improved financial performance as compared to those organizations that had a weak internal control system. Base on the findings the study recommends that, the governing body, possibly supported by the audit committee, should ensure that the internal control system is periodically monitored and evaluated.
Minerals, Vitamins and Amino Acids Compositions of Melanthera biflora
Authors: Kalu E. C. , Ikewuchi O. C. , Ayalogu C. J.
Published: February 2019

The minerals, vitamins and Amino acids composition of Melanthera biflora leaves were investigated using standard methods. The result shows that out of the eleven vitamins detected; only vitamin C was found in moderately high amount (99.37 mg/100 g), while the rest were in insignificant amount. Ten minerals element were detected, including iron (14.63) copper (2.32). Cobalt (0.04) manganese (5.13), calcium (93.52) magnesium (126.17), potassium (71.39) sodium (32.37), phosphorus 36.50, selenium (0.006) all in mg/100 g. The leaves have essentials and non-essential amino acid of 47.5% and 45.94% respectively. It has all the essential amino acids except tryptophan. This result shows that the leaves contain an appreciable amount of amino acids, vitamins and minerals that could be included in diets to supplement our daily dietary allowance.
Comparison the Effect of Golghand and Foot Reflexology on Constipation in Elderlies
Authors: Moghadam Tayebeh Mirani , Shareinia Habib , Moghadam Hosein Mohammadzadeh , Sajjadi Moosa , Rajabi Amir Reza
Published: February 2019

Objective: Constipation is one of the most common problems of the elderly, causing many complications and high costs for these individuals and affecting their quality of life. This study aimed to compare the effect of Golghand (a pharmaceutical composition of roses and honey) and foot reflexology on constipation in the elderly.

Methods: This clinical trial was conducted on 60 elderly people with constipation in 2017. Subjects were selected through simple and purposive sampling and were randomly allocated to Golghand and foot reflexology groups by permuted block method. The foot reflexology was carried out in the specific area of constipation twice a day and each time for 15 minutes for two weeks. Golghand group received Golghand half an hour before lunch (one teaspoon of Golghand in one cup of cooled boiled water). Constipation assessment scale was filled for the subjects before and at the end of the intervention by an evaluator, who was unaware of the intervention approaches of the groups. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 20 using statistical tests of Chi-square, Fisher’s exact test, Mann-Whitney U, and Friedman test at the significance level of <0.05.

Results: In this research, mean age of the participants was 66±8.66 years. According to the results of Mann-Whitney U, no significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of the frequency of bowel movements on the first day after intervention (P=0.246). However, on days 2-14 after the intervention, a significant difference was observed between the study groups in this regard (P<0.05). Similarly, results of the Friedman test were indicative of a significant difference between the two groups regarding the frequency of bowel movements (P<0.001), in a way, that after the passing of the mean period, the number of bowel movements increased in both groups. However, this increase was higher in the Golghand group, compared to the foot reflexology group (P<0.001). Moreover, independent t-test demonstrated a statistically significant difference between the groups regarding mean intensity of constipation (P=0.01).

Conclusion: Consumption of Golghand increased the frequency of bowel movements and reduced the intensity of constipation in elderly individuals. This method had greater impacts on constipation, compared to the foot reflexology technique.
Epid‐based in vivo dose verification for lung stereotactic treatments delivered with multiple breath‐hold segmented volumetric modulated arc therapy
Authors: Cilla Savino , Ianiro Anna , Craus Maurizio , Viola Pietro , Deodato Francesco , Macchia Gabriella , Buwenge Milly , Morganti Alessio G. , Valentini Vincenzo , Piermattei Angelo
Published: February 2019

We evaluated an EPID‐based in‐vivo dosimetry (IVD) method for the dose verification and the treatment reproducibility of lung SBRT‐VMAT treatments in clinical routine. Ten patients with lung metastases treated with Elekta VMAT technique were enrolled. All patients were irradiated in five consecutive fractions, with total doses of 50 Gy. Set‐up was carried out with the Elekta stereotactic body frame. Eight patients were simulated and treated using the Active Breath Control (ABC) system, a spirometer enabling patients to maintain a breath‐hold at a predetermined lung volume. Two patients were simulated and treated in free‐breathing using an abdominal compressor. IVD was performed using the SOFTDISO software. IVD tests were evaluated by means of (a) ratio R between daily in‐vivo isocenter dose and planned dose and (b) γ‐analysis between EPID integral portal images in terms of percentage of points with γ‐value smaller than one (γ%) and mean γ‐values (γmean) using a 3%(global)/3 mm criteria. Alert criteria of ±5% for R ratio, γ% < 90%, and γmean > 0.67 were chosen. 50 transit EPID images were acquired. For the patients treated with ABC spirometer, the results reported a high level of accuracy in dose delivery with 100% of tests within ±5%. The γ‐analysis showed a mean value of γmean equal to 0.21 (range: 0.04–0.56) and a mean γ% equal to 96.9 (range: 78–100). Relevant discrepancies were observed only for the two patients treated without ABC, mainly due to a blurring dose effect due to residual respiratory motion. Our method provided a fast and accurate procedure in clinical routine for verifying delivered dose as well as for detecting errors.
Whole‐body dose equivalent including neutrons is similar for 6 MV and 15 MV IMRT, VMAT, and 3D conformal radiotherapy
Authors: Hauri Pascal , Schneider Uwe
Published: February 2019

Purpose

This study investigates the difference in whole‐body dose equivalent between 6 and 15 MV image‐guided radiotherapy (IGRT) for the treatment of a rhabdomyosarcoma in the prostate.

Methods

A previously developed model for stray radiation of the primary beam was improved and used to calculate the photon dose and photon energy in the out‐of‐field region for a radiotherapy patient. The dose calculated by the treatment planning system was fused with the model‐calculated out‐of‐field dose, resulting in a whole‐body photon dose distribution. The peripheral neutron dose equivalent was calculated using an analytical model from the literature. A daily cone beam CT dose was added to the neutron and photon dose equivalents. The calculated 3D dose distributions were compared to independent measurements conducted with thermoluminescence dosimeters and an anthropomorphic phantom. The dose contributions from the IGRT treatments of three different techniques applied with two nominal X‐ray energies were compared using dose equivalent volume histograms (DEVHs).

Results

The calculated and measured out‐of‐field whole‐body dose equivalents for the IGRT treatments agreed within (9 ± 10) % (mean and type A SD). The neutron dose equivalent was a minor contribution to the total out‐of‐field dose up to 50 cm from the isocenter. Further from the isocenter, head leakage was dominating inside the patient body, whereas the neutron dose equivalent contribution was important close to the surface. There were small differences between the whole‐body DEVHs of the 6 and 15 MV treatments applied with the same technique, although the single scatter contributions showed large differences. Independent of the beam energy, the out‐of‐field dose of the volumetric‐modulated arc therapy (VMAT) treatment was significantly lower than the dynamic intensity‐modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) treatment.

Conclusion

The calculated whole‐body dose helped to understand the importance of the dose contributions in different areas of the patient. Regarding radiation protection of the patient for IGRT treatments, the choice of beam energy is not important, whereas the treatment technique has a large influence on the out‐of‐field dose. If the patient is treated with intensity‐modulated beams, VMAT should be used instead of dynamic IMRT in terms of radiation protection of the patient. In general, the developed models for photon and neutron dose equivalent calculation can be used for any patient geometry, tumor location, and linear accelerator.
Impact and Timing of Smoking Cessation on Reducing Risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis Among Women in the Nurses’ Health Studies
Authors: Liu Xinyi , Tedeschi Sara K. , Barbhaiya Medha , Leatherwood Cianna L. , Speyer Cameron B. , Lu Bing , Costenbader Karen H. , Karlson Elizabeth W. , Sparks Jeffrey A.
Published: February 2019

Objective

To investigate the impact and timing of smoking cessation on developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and serologic phenotypes.

Methods

We investigated smoking cessation and RA risk in the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) (1976–2014) and the NHS II (1989–2015). Smoking exposures and covariates were obtained by biennial questionnaires. Self‐reported RA was confirmed by medical record review for American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism criteria. Cox regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for RA serologic phenotypes (all, seropositive, seronegative) according to smoking status, intensity, pack‐years, and years since cessation.

Results

Among 230,732 women, we identified 1,528 incident cases of RA (63.4% of which were seropositive) during 6,037,151 person‐years of follow‐up. Compared with never smoking, current smoking increased the risk of all RA (multivariable HR 1.47, 95% CI 1.27–1.72) and seropositive RA (HR 1.67, 95% CI 1.38–2.01) but not seronegative RA (HR 1.20, 95% CI 0.93–1.55). An increasing number of smoking pack‐years was associated with an increased trend for the risk of all RA (P < 0.0001) and seropositive RA (P < 0.0001). With increasing duration of smoking cessation, a decreased trend for the risk of all RA was observed (P = 0.009) and seropositive RA (P = 0.002). Compared to recent quitters (<5 years), those who quit ≥30 years ago had an HR of 0.63 (95% CI 0.44–0.90) for seropositive RA. However, a modestly increased risk of RA was still detectable 30 years after quitting smoking (for all RA, HR 1.25 [95% CI 1.02–1.53]; for seropositive RA, HR 1.30 [95% CI 1.01–1.68]; reference, never smoking).

Conclusion

These results confirm that smoking is a strong risk factor for developing seropositive RA and demonstrate for the first time that a behavior change of sustained smoking cessation could delay or even prevent seropositive RA.
High‐Fidelity Trapping of Spatial–Temporal Mitochondria with Rational Design of Aggregation‐Induced Emission Probes
Authors: Zhang Jie , Wang Qi , Guo Zhiqian , Zhang Shaoze , Yan Chenxu , Tian He , Zhu Wei‐Hong
Published: February 2019

High‐fidelity trapping of mitochondrial dynamic activity is critical to value cellular functions and forecast disease but lack of spatial–temporal probes. Given that commercial mitochondria probes suffering from low photostability, aggregation‐caused quenching effect, and limited signal‐to‐noise ratio from fluorescence “always on” in the process of targeting mitochondria, here, the rational design strategy of a novel aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) molecular motif and unique insight into the high‐fidelity targeting of mitochondria is reported, thereby illustrating the relationship between tailoring molecular aggregation state and mitochondrial targeting ability. This study focuses on how to exactly modulate the hydrophilicity and the aggregated state for realizing “off‐on” fluorescence, as well as matching the charge density to go across the cell membrane for mitochondrial targeting. Probe tricyano‐methylene‐pyridine (TCM‐1) exhibits an unprecedented high‐fidelity feedback on spatial–temporal mitochondrial information with several advantages such as “off‐on” near‐infrared characteristic, high targeting capacity, favorable biocompatibility, as well as excellent photostability. TCM‐1 also produces reactive oxygen species in situ for image‐guided photodynamic anticancer therapy. Through unraveling the relationship between tuning molecular aggregation behavior and organelle‐specific targeting ability, for the first time, a unique guide is provided in designing AIE‐active probes to explore the hydrophilicity and membrane potential for targeting subcellular organelles.