bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring the Relationship between State Charitable Solicitation Regulations and Fundraising Performance
Authors: Dietz Nathan , Barber Putnam , Lott Cindy , Shelly Mary
Published: August 2017

In the USA, the regulatory framework for fundraising by charitable organizations has been described as a “50-state mix of fees, registration, auditing, and financial reporting requirements” (Irvin 2005, “State Regulation of Nonprofit Organizations: Accountability Regardless of Outcome.” Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly 34 (2):161–178). However, little is known about how differences in state fundraising regulations might affect the ability of organizations to raise funds from donors. State charities regulation is intended to cultivate an environment that incentivizes giving and reduces fraud, where donor dollars are maximized for the mission to which they are given. Whether current charitable solicitation regulations actually succeed or impede this regulatory goal is the subject of this paper. For this research, we create an index of fundraising regulatory breadth, based on the presence or absence of key components of state charitable solicitation regulations. We use a nationally representative, longitudinal database to examine the impact of state fundraising regulations on fundraising performance. The database, which contains details of over 110 million gift transactions recorded by charities between 2006 and 2016, permits the creation of several organization-level metrics used by professional fundraisers. These metrics serve as dependent variables in multivariate models, where the control variables characterize the charitable environment of the states where the organizations are located. Although space does not permit a complete description of our results, we suggest that further research will add to the understanding of how to construct effective regulation of these and other transactions. The analysis compares state-level measures of fundraising performance, which summarize the organization-level metrics calculated from the multivariate analysis, with the state-level values of the regulatory breadth index. The results of the analysis suggest that organizations tend to have lower values for these fundraising metrics, controlling for the characteristics of the state’s charitable environment, in states that have more robust regulatory regimes (where more activities are covered). However, these results appear to be largely a result of the influence of those states where both (1) regulatory breadth is greater and (2) the oversight system is bifurcated: that is, oversight of fundraising is located in both the state attorney general’s office and another state agency, such as a secretary of state’s office.
An Overview of Image Analysis Algorithms for License Plate Recognition
Authors: Aboura Khalid , Al-Hmouz Rami
Published: August 2017

Background and purpose: We explore the problem of License Plate Recognition (LPR) to highlight a number of algorithms that can be used in image analysis problems. In management support systems using image object recognition, the intelligence resides in the statistical algorithms that can be used in various LPR steps. We describe a number of solutions, from the initial thresholding step to localization and recognition of image elements. The objective of this paper is to present a number of probabilistic approaches in LPR steps, then combine these approaches together in one system. Most LPR approaches used deterministic models that are sensitive to many uncontrolled issues like illumination, distance of vehicles from camera, processing noise etc. The essence of our approaches resides in the statistical algorithms that can accurately localize and recognize license plate.

Design/Methodology/Approach: We introduce simple and inexpensive methods to solve relatively important problems, using probabilistic approaches. In these approaches, we describe a number of statistical solutions, from the initial thresholding step to localization and recognition of image elements. In the localization step, we use frequency plate signals from the images which we analyze through the Discrete Fourier Transform. Also, a probabilistic model is adopted in the recognition of plate characters. Finally, we show how to combine results from bilingual license plates like Saudi Arabia plates.

Results: The algorithms provide the effectiveness for an ever-prevalent form of vehicles, building and properties management. The result shows the advantage of using the probabilistic approached in all LPR steps. The averaged classification rates when using local dataset reached 79.13%.

Conclusion: An improvement of recognition rate can be achieved when there are two source of information especially of license plates that have two independent texts.
Industry 4.0 and the New Simulation Modelling Paradigm
Authors: Rodič Blaž
Published: August 2017

Background and Purpose: The aim of this paper is to present the influence of Industry 4.0 on the development of the new simulation modelling paradigm, embodied by the Digital Twin concept, and examine the adoption of the new paradigm via a multiple case study involving real-life R&D cases involving academia and industry.

Design: We introduce the Industry 4.0 paradigm, presents its background, current state of development and its influence on the development of the simulation modelling paradigm. Further, we present the multiple case study methodology and examine several research and development projects involving automated industrial process modelling, presented in recent scientific publications and conclude with lessons learned.

Results: We present the research problems and main results from five individual cases of adoption of the new simulation modelling paradigm. Main lesson learned is that while the new simulation modelling paradigm is being adopted by big companies and SMEs, there are significant differences depending on company size in problems that they face, and the methodologies and technologies they use to overcome the issues.

Conclusion: While the examined cases indicate the acceptance of the new simulation modelling paradigm in the industrial and scientific communities, its adoption in academic environment requires close cooperation with industry partners and diversification of knowledge of researchers in order to build integrated, multi-level models of cyber-physical systems. As shown by the presented cases, lack of tools is not a problem, as the current generation of general purpose simulation modelling tools offers adequate integration options.
The Evaluation of Seed Germination on 12 Soybean Cultivars Under Different Salinity Stress Levels
Authors: Kargar Seyyed Mohammad Ali , Kareh Saba Jahan
Published: August 2017

In order to study effects of saline water on seed germination of various soybean cultivars, an experiment was conducted using completely randomized design with factorial method and three replications in 2012.

The factors were salinity stress levels (A) (0, 30, 60 and 90) mM NaCl, soybean cultivars (B) (Including 12 seed cultivars of II and III maturity groups). Five traits including seed germination, seed vigor, dry weight of radical and, plumule and biologic yield were studied. The results of analysis of variance showed significant differences between cultivars on studied traits at 1 % level of significance. The highest biologic yield belonged to Hy-1 and Steel under 90 mM. It was belong to M9, Clark and Union under 60 mM and belonged to Hy-1, Halcor and Union under 30 mM.

The results of comparison means using Duncan’s method showed L17 and Steel not only had the high seed germination and vigor but also they had dry weight of radicles and biologic yield than others. It was identified although Union, Elgine and Williams were in second grade on seed germination and vigor but they had considerable growth and dry weight. Based on display scatter plot with two STI and GMP indices, L17 and Elgine were placed in A region of plot under 30 mM NaCl, while they were in B region under 60 and 90 mM salinity stress. The cultivars such as Union and Hy-1 were in C region of mentioned scatter plot.
The Loss of Vigour and Sowing Value of Yellow Lupin Seeds (Lupinus luteus L.) as a Result of Mechanical Harvesting
Authors: Faligowska Agnieszka , Szymańska Grażyna , Panasiewicz Katarzyna
Published: August 2017

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of mechanical harvest on the seed quality of yellow lupin. Two effects were studied: the cultivar of yellow lupin (the indeterminate cultivar - Mister and the determinate cultivar - Perkoz) and harvest methods: hand-picked plants with manual shelling of seeds as a control and mechanical shelling with a plot harvester. In comparison with manual shelling of seeds, the mechanical harvest reduced the seed germination and increased the number of abnormal seeds both cultivars. Determinate cultivar was more sensitive, because the loss of its quality was higher (germination of 10%) than indeterminate cultivar (6%). Perkoz had also higher electrical conductivity, with the mean value of 34.3 μS × cm−1× g−1. Manual shelled seeds were characterized by a significantly lower leakage of exudates (24.9 μS × cm−1× g−1), and hence, it exhibited greater vigour than mechanical harvested seeds. Most relations of Pearson correlation coefficient between vigour tests and germination were strong or practically functional.
Biplot Analysis of Silicon Dioxide on Early Growth of Sunflower
Authors: Sabaghnia Naser , Janmohammadi Mohsen
Published: August 2017

Research into nanotechnology has advanced in almost all fields of technology and the aim of this study was to evaluate the role of nano-silicon dioxide (nano-SiO2) in germination performance sunflower. Germination and seedling growth are the most important stage of plant development and are critical factors to crop production and are essential to achieve optimum performance. The effects of pre-germination hydration in solutions of nano-SiO2 (0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1 and 1.2 mM for 8 h) on germination characteristics of sunflower were investigated. The trait by treatment (TT) biplot explained 93% of the total variation of the standardized data (77% and 16% for the first and second principal components, respectively). According to polygon-view of TT biplot, T2 (0.2 mM) had the highest values for all of the measured traits except mean germination time and the time to 50% germination. The germination percentage was determined as the best trait and showed the high association with promptness index, energy of germination and germination rate traits. The results of the present study indicated that pre-sowing seed treatments with low concentration of nano-SiO2 had favorable effect sunflower seed germination and seedling early growth. Such a similar outcome could be applied in the future to outline other crops in response to nano-particles as well as to help define tolerance tools for recommendations in stressful conditions in the world.
Evaluation of Wheat (Triticum aestivum, L.) Seed Quality of Certified Seed and Farm-Saved Seed in Three Provinces of Iran
Authors: Khazaei Fardin , AghaAlikhani Majid , Mobasser Samad , Mokhtassi-Bidgoli Ali , Asharin Hesam , Sadeghi Hossein
Published: August 2017

The objective of this study was to study the seed quality aspects of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and the extent of weed seed contamination present in wheat seeds produced in different regions of Iran. Four districts (cities), each including 12 fields (six certified seed fields and six farm-saved seed fields), were selected in each regions (provinces). One kilogram of the wheat seed sample was collected from each field for analysis in the laboratory. Wheat seeding was commonly done by farm-saved seed sourced from within the farm due to the high costs of certified seeds purchased from outside sources, followed by the low seed quality. The use of a farm-saved seed resulted in a higher germination rate and a lower mean time to germination compared with another system. The more positive temperatures experienced by mother plants could decrease the number of normal seedling and seedling length vigor index. Generally there was virtually no difference about physiological quality between certified seed and farm-saved seed sector that is related to lower quality of certified seed. The certified produced seeds had the lower number of weed seed, species and genus before and after cleaning. The highest seed purity and 1000 seed weight was obtained from the certified seed production system. The need for cleaning the farm-saved seed samples before sowing is one of the important findings of this survey.
The Social Dimension of the Orthodox Liturgy: From Biblical Dynamism to a Doxological Liturgism
Authors: Vassiliadis Petros
Published: August 2017

A historical and theological journey in 12 steps, from the early Biblical origin to later Patristic and contemporary expression of the Orthodox liturgy, in order to uncover the social dimension of Christian liturgy. Some of the causes are analyzed in brief: the marginalization of the Antiochene tradition, an overdose eschatology, the “modern” understanding of the Bible, the gradual loss of the prophetic character of the Church, which is more evident in the Bible, and the marginalization – until the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church – of its witnessing responsibility, have resulted in a significant legacy that hinders any real Biblical and liturgical renewal. The experiment of the Church of Greece that launched nearly 20 years ago an official, albeit unsuccessful, liturgical renewal project. The final proposal is a combination of both this neglected prophetic character and the prevailing eschatological dimension of the Orthodox faith, with all that these imply for an authentic and genuine Orthodox liturgical practice.
The Nationalization of Liturgy in the Orthodox Church of Finland in the 1920s-30s
Authors: Takala-Roszczenko Maria
Published: August 2017

The article explores the nationalization of the Orthodox liturgical tradition in Finland in the 1920s-30s. It was a process through which the Finnish Orthodox tried to remove signs of Russian heritage from their church culture in order to prove their loyalty to the newly independent Republic of Finland. The analysis of the national discourse reveals how the contemporary writers justified the nationalizing reforms.
Liturgical Development between Ecclesiastical Normativity and Societal Perception
Authors: Wegscheider Florian
Published: August 2017

The historical kiss of peace between Polish Prime Minister Tadeusz Mazowiecki and German Chancellor Helmut Kohl in Krzyżowa/Kreisau in 1989 serves as an example for how existential experiences can profoundly impact and even alter liturgy. However, liturgy can also be an obstacle for the further reflection and processing of such experiences, if they are not taken up in the liturgical setting. The political situation of a divided Europe as well as the Cold War following World War II indicate a unique situation in recent history that concernes believers all over the world. The question that results from taking this immediate past seriously is what kind of experiences liturgy can and should address (and in what form) and if there might be experiences or forms of handling such experiences that threaten the power of the ritual.
The Interdependence between Social and Liturgical Change. An Empirical Investigation on the Case of the Jewish Community in Hongkong
Authors: Pătru Alina
Published: August 2017

The present study addresses new insights into the interdependent relationship between social and liturgical change by examining the Jewish community in Hong Kong. It shows how social change affects liturgical practice, and how liturgical change, on its turn, leads to social change. The changes of the social are to be considered primarily on the meso level and the micro level. Concerning the liturgical, primarily liturgical practice, i.e. the performance of liturgical services, as well as liturgical attitudes of individuals, liturgical participation and liturgical reception are the focus of the analysis. New forms of liturgical participation in the age of new communication technologies are also presented and their social and liturgical relevance is examined.
“Nutella versus Church”. Worship, Need, and Social Change
Authors: Müller Konrad
Published: August 2017

The following essay argues that worship attendance rates stand in direct competition with current social developments at all times. The author bases his arguments upon the empirical research results found in the sociological study by Martin Engelbrecht “Human–Routine–Worship”, which determined criteria for church attendance. He discovered that people are motivated to participate in routines or rituals based on needs. These needs can be described in the following seven categories: pleasure; self-determination; self-care; locality; sense of purpose; structure and orientation; and aesthetics. Müller focuses more closely on four of these needs and explores how 1) each of these needs is influenced by social change, and 2) how this can affect the decision to participate in worship. Müller emerges with the axiom: these needs describe a person's inner demand on his or her outer world. And while religious worship addresses these inner needs and fulfils them (or not), each and every social (outer) change will correspondingly influence a person's decision to attend worship (or not). The trajectory of worship is always two-way: worship is certainly the product of social change, yet worship can also effect change in society because of its transformative power.
Rediscovering the Liturgy - a Solution to the Spiritual Crises of Today’s Consumerism?
Authors: Streza Ciprian
Published: August 2017

The post-modern secular society is questioning all traditional Christian values in an attempt to create a new kind of religious life and through the transformation of old religious elements in something else than religion. This new “religious life” is characterized by a process of an overall re-shaping of the whole human world through re-absorption, re-melting and re-elaboration of everything it ever carried in it for thousands of years of Christianity legacy. In such a situation and context, in order to be relevant and survive in a secularist and pluralist society, the Church must first and foremost concentrate on its liturgical life, on its rich Christian spiritual tradition. Only if the Liturgy becomes again the source of all theological expression, as well as of the individual life of each Christian, then the response of the Church to all the problems of modernity will be a living, profound, personal and relevant one.
The Opera in J. I. Kraszewski’s Novels of the 18th Century (Under the Saxon Kings)
Authors: Sokalska Małgorzata
Published: August 2017

Poland in the 18th century is generally associated with a period of cultural decline, yet in the history of Europe it is the golden age of the opera. In his cycle of historical novels set in Poland under the Saxon kings Józef Ignacy Kraszewski did not omit the opera, an important cultural feature of the period, and made it a significant factor in the lives of the main characters of Gräfin von Cosel, Brühl, Seven Years’ War, Saxon Remains, The Starosta of Warsaw, and The Virago (Herod-Baba). The first part of the article deals with the documentary aspect of Kraszewski’s fiction, ie. his use of opera references to fill in the picture of the period. It is followed by analyses of his typification techniques, ie. the way he invests his characters, events and narrative interpretations with some typifying or stereotyping formulas. References to the opera are often used in this way. The third part of the article focuses on Brühl, where the opera is an exceptionally rich source of images and ideas for the creation of the fictional world. Most importantly, the opera provides Kraszewski with a model of interpersonal relations – the hidden mechanism of power struggle in the world of politics which he explores in that novel.
The Acoustic Medium, or Spiritist Themes in ‘Poetic Musicology’
Authors: Puchalska Iwona
Published: August 2017

Among the vast range of themes that make up the field of poetic musicology there is a whole division dedicated to the tracing of the creator’s lasting presence in his work (the creator can mean here both the composer and the performer). The matter admits of a number of approaches, not least of the spiritualist metaphorics. This article tries to outline the interrelations between spiritualism, ontological reflection and the effects of music by analyzing an assortment of poems and other texts by Maria Pawlikowska-Jasnorzewska, Konstanty Ildefons Gałczyński and Jarosśaw Marek Rymkiewicz.
Detecting differential viability selection between environments by analysis of compositional differentiation at different levels of genetic integration
Authors: Gillet Elizabeth M. , Ziehe Martin , Gregorius Hans-Rolf
Published: August 2017

Viability selection can be detected directly in an environment when the genotypes of the individuals at one ontogenetic stage (e.g. seeds) and the genotypes of the survivors at a later stage are both known, but genotypes at the earlier stage often cannot be determined. In this case, differential viability selection between environments can be detected as differences in the distributions of genetic types among survivors growing in different environments, provided that the survivors stem from random samples of seeds from the same base population (e.g. seed lot). Since common FST
-outlier methods for detecting selected gene loci use only allele frequencies, selection that affects the higher hierarchical levels of genetic integration (single- or multi-locus genotypes) without changing allele frequencies is not noticed. A new method for detecting differential viability selection at any level of genetic integration enables discovery of elementary mechanisms of selection that older methods miss. It is based on two measures of compositional differentiation between environments. δSD
measures qualita-tive differences between distributions of genetic types at any given integration level without regarding differences in their constituent alleles, while ΔSD
measures quantitative differences between the same distributions by additionally considering the genic differences. The difference between these measures expresses the degree to which the patterns of gene association in the genotypes differ between environments. The P-values of all measures are estimated by permutation analysis under the assumption that survivors were randomly assigned to environments. Significance indicates the occurrence of differential viability selection at the loci. As a case study, a field study of viability in juvenile beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) for twelve enzyme loci is reanalyzed. It turns out that the significant differential selection for genotypes detected at three loci can be attributed to three combinations of selective effects: on alleles only (SKDH-A), mostly alleles but also association patterns (LAP-A); interaction of effects on alleles and association patterns that are non-significant when viewed separately (AAT-B).
Developments in the Syntax and Logic of the Talmudic HermeneuticKelal Uferaṭ Ukelal
Authors: Chernick Michael
Published: August 2017

The purpose of this study is to show that the logical content of aTann’ayitic hermeneutic changed and developed as it passed into the hands of the’Amor’ayim, theTann’ayim’s successors, and then into the anonymous stratum of theBabylonian Talmud. This hermeneutic was based on a very specific syntactical order in a biblical verse, which was formed by an initial inclusive clause, followed by a list of specifics, and then followed by a second inclusive clause. This hermeneutic is called in Hebrewkelal uferaṭ ukelal. In theTann’ayitic period the hermeneutic required that the second inclusive clause had to be more extensive than the first one. It appears that this new degree of extensiveness suggested that the list of specifics was not definitive of the initial inclusive clause and that other things might be implied by the second one. The way that the rabbinic interpreter determined what these things might be was by seeking the common characteristics that the items in the specifics clause shared. By the time of the lateTann’ayimand early’Amor’ayimthe requirement for the two inclusive clauses had changed. The formal syntax of the hermeneutic remained, but inclusive clauses had to be equal in their degree of inclusivity. The change in logic seems to be the result of viewing a second, more inclusive clause as a distinct element that could be disconnected from the first inclusive clause and the specifics that follow it. If the two inclusive clauses were, however, the same or similar, the rabbinic interpreter could argue that they belonged to the same categories and thus formed a legitimatekelal uferaṭ ukelal.In the final period of the Talmud’s creation neither the syntactic nor logical requirements were any longer needed to form akelal uferaṭ ukelal. Two artificially constructed inclusive clauses and some specifics could appear in almost any order within a biblical verse and be considered akelal uferaṭ ukelal.It appears that the desire of the rabbinic interpreters of each era to connect theirhalakotto the Torah was the force behind the changes we have described.
Suspending New Testament: Do the Two Talmuds Belong to Hermeneutics of Texts?
Authors: Dolgopolski Sergey
Published: August 2017

The paper explores the role of competing notions of what does it mean to have a testament of the law of the past in Christian and Rabbinic corpora of text and thought. The argument probes and renegotiates the complex relationships of the Christian suspension of Old Testament by the New Testament and the Rabbinic suspension of (any) new testament in the twoTalmudim. It consequently draws implications of that analysis for understanding the relationships of the twoTalmudimto the tradition of hermeneutics of texts, as influenced as the latter has been by theological and literary approaches of various Christian theologies of the two Testaments. As a part of that analysis the articles justifies the task of advancing and providing a critique of political theology and political philology as modes of thought and investigation. That provides a way to ask anew the question about relationships between theology, literary theory, and political thought.
Using Lotteries in Logic of Halakhah Law. The Meaning of Randomness in Judaism
Authors: Merzbach Ely
Published: August 2017

There are many phenomena in the Bible connected to the idea of the random, generally in a positive light, but sometimes in a negative one. Both in the Talmudic literature and in the Halakhah texts, the ḥazal (the Sages) also relate to random processes. As we will see here, for them every chance event has a clear meaning, usually even a holy one. In fact, every culture in the world relates to randomness. However, from the Greek philosophers until the rationalism of the 19th century, a process of denuding randomness of its holiness has been taking place. In Judaism, a lottery is not a blind process; moreover the randomness has a clear and profound theological meaning.
Effect of traffic routes on the trace element concentration in plants in the Warsaw agglomeration
Authors: Kowalczyk Aleksandra , Szulc Wiesław
Published: August 2017

This work presents the results of an analysis of concentration levels of selected trace metals (Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd) in plants and soil near the main roads of the Warsaw agglomeration. The aim of the study was to assess the degree of contamination by selected trace elements of plants growing at different distances from the road (directly at the roadside and 50 meters away from the road) and to examine the relationship between the concentration of the tested parameters in the soil and their content in the plant. It was found that the lack of clear differentiation in the levels of all heavy metals in plants depending on the distance from the road was associated with the possibility of considerable pollutant migration. In addition, it was found that dandelion usually reveals higher concentrations of heavy metals than meadow-grass.
Floristic Diversity of Lakes Subjected to Long Term Changes in the Water Network of the West Polesie (Eastern Poland)
Authors: Sender Joanna , Maślanko Weronika
Published: August 2017

The Wieprz-Krzna Canal, built in 1961, is one of the longest in Poland (142 km). Although the drainage construction was intended to revitalize the region of wetlands and peat-bogs of the West Polesie, it caused large hydrological changes. Research on catchments of three natural lakes and three retention reservoirs involved cartographic analysis using photointerpretation, as well as the Braun-Blanquet method. In the studied area, between 1939 and 2016 the length of rivers and ditches increased more than three times. Macrophytes covered about 20-27% of the natural lakes water surface, whereas in retention reservoirs the coverage was 12-15.5%. Also a greater diversity of macrophytes occurred in natural lakes. In retention reservoirs it was restricted to only emerged macrophytes.
The Cavefish Oreonectes jiarongensis can be Induced to Differentiate and Recover under the Light Condition
Authors: Xu Tielong , Deng Huaiqing , Zhou Jiang
Published: August 2017

This research indicated that one cave fish species of Oreonectes jiarongensis can recover the transparent to black under the light condition, this species belongs to the Oreonectes, Nemacheilinae, and distributes in Libo County, Guizhou Province, China. The changing process time was 14 days. This is the first time that suggests the cave vertebrates which lived in the dark environment not longer time could change the body color in the light environment, and has a new adaptive strategy for the darkness condition. The result may indicate that this species entrance the underground river not so long time, and the genes not mutation, which control the melanin express, it still has the physiological regulation mechanism under the light condition.
OP449 inhibits breast cancer growth without adverse metabolic effects
Authors: Shlomai Gadi , Zelenko Zara , Antoniou Irini Markella , Stasinopoulos Marilyn , Tobin-Hess Aviva , Vitek Michael P , LeRoith Derek , Gallagher Emily Jane
Published: August 2017

Hyperinsulinemia is associated with a decrease in breast cancer recurrence-free survival and overall survival. Inhibition of insulin receptor signaling is associated with glycemic dysregulation. SET is a direct modulator of PP2A, which negatively regulates the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. OP449, a SET inhibitor, decreases AKT/mTOR activation. The effects of OP449 treatment on breast cancer growth in the setting of pre-diabetes, and its metabolic implications are currently unknown. We found that the volumes and weights of human MDA-MB-231 breast cancer xenografts were greater in hyperinsulinemic mice compared with controls (P < 0.05), and IR phosphorylation was 4.5-fold higher in these mice (P < 0.05). Human and murine breast cancer tumors treated with OP449 were 47% and 39% smaller than controls (P < 0.05, for both, respectively). AKT and S6RP phosphorylation were 82% and 34% lower in OP449-treated tumors compared with controls (P < 0.05, P = 0.06, respectively). AKT and S6RP phosphorylation in response to insulin was 30% and 12% lower in cells, pre-treated with OP449, compared with control cells (P < 0.01, P < 0.05, respectively). However, even with decreased AKT/mTOR activation, body weights and composition, blood glucose and plasma insulin, glucose tolerance, serum triglyceride and cholesterol levels were similar between OP449-treated mice and controls. Xenografts and liver tissue from OP449-treated mice showed a 64% and 70% reduction in STAT5 activation, compared with controls (P < 0.01 and P = 0.06, respectively). Our data support an anti-neoplastic effect of OP449 on human breast cancer cells in vitro and in xenografts in the setting of hyperinsulinemia. OP449 led to the inhibition of AKT/mTOR signaling, albeit, not leading to metabolic derangements.
The microenvironment induces collective migration in SDHB-silenced mouse pheochromocytoma spheroids
Authors: D'Antongiovanni Vanessa , Martinelli Serena , Richter Susan , Canu Letizia , Guasti Daniele , Mello Tommaso , Romagnoli Paolo , Pacak Karel , Eisenhofer Graeme , Mannelli Massimo , Rapizzi Elena
Published: August 2017

Pheochromocytomas (Pheos) and paragangliomas (PGLs) are neuroendocrine tumors. Approximately 30–40% of Pheos/PGLs are due to germline mutations in one of the susceptibility genes, including those encoding the succinate dehydrogenase subunits A-D (SDHA-D). Up to 2/3 of patients affected by SDHB mutated Pheo/PGL develop metastatic disease with no successful cure at present. Here, for the first time, we evaluated the effects of SDHB silencing in a three dimension (3D) culture using spheroids of a mouse Pheo cell line silenced or not (wild type/wt/control) for the SDHB subunit. We investigated the role of the microenvironment on spheroid growth and migration/invasion by co-culturing SDHB-silenced or wt spheroids with primary cancer-activated fibroblasts (CAFs). When spheroids were co-cultured with fibroblasts, SDHB-silenced cells showed a significant increase in matrigel invasion as demonstrated by the computation of the migratory areas (P < 0.001). Moreover, cells detaching from the SDHB-silenced spheroids moved collectively, unlike the cells of wt spheroids that moved individually. Additionally, SDHB-silenced spheroids developed long filamentous formations along which clusters of cells migrated far away from the spheroid, whereas these structures were not present in wt spheroids. We found that lactate, largely secreted by CAFs, plays a specific role in promoting migration only of SDHB-silenced cells. In this study, we demonstrated that SDHB silencing per se increases tumor cell migration/invasion and that microenvironment, as represented by CAFs, plays a pivotal role in enhancing collective migration/invasion in Pheo SDHB-silenced tumor cells, suggesting their role in increasing the tumor metastasizing potential.
Duplication and Sub/Neofunctionalization ofMalvolio, an Insect Homolog ofNramp, in the Subsocial BeetleNicrophorus vespilloides
Authors: Mehlferber Elijah C , Benowitz Kyle M , Roy-Zokan Eileen M , McKinney Elizabeth C , Cunningham Christopher B , Moore Allen J
Published: August 2017

With growing numbers of sequenced genomes, increasing numbers of duplicate genes are being uncovered. Here we examine Malvolio, a gene in the natural resistance-associated macrophage protein (Nramp) family, that has been duplicated in the subsocial beetle, Nicrophorus vespilloides, which exhibits advanced parental behavior. There is only one copy of Mvl in honey bees and Drosophila, whereas in vertebrates there are two copies that are subfunctionalized. We first compared amino acid sequences for Drosophila, beetles, mice, and humans. We found a high level of conservation between the different species, although there was greater variation in the C-terminal regions. A phylogenetic analysis across multiple insect orders suggested that Mvl has undergone several independent duplications. To examine the potential for different functions where it has been duplicated, we quantified expression levels of Mvl1 and Mvl2 in eight tissues in N. vespilloides. We found that while Mvl1 was expressed ubiquitously, albeit at varying levels, expression of Mvl2 was limited to brain and midgut. Because Mvl has been implicated in behavior, we examined expression during different behavioral states that reflected differences in opportunity for social interactions and expression of parental care behaviors. We found differing expression patterns for the two copies, with Mvl1 increasing in expression during resource preparation and feeding offspring, and Mvl2 decreasing in these same states. Given these patterns of expression, along with the protein analysis, we suggest that Mvl in N. vespilloides has experienced sub/neofunctionalization following its duplication, and may be evolving differing and tissue-specific roles in behavior and physiology.
Validating the short measure of the Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire in older workers in the context of New Zealand
Authors: Li Jian , Herr Raphael M , Allen Joanne , Stephens Christine , Alpass Fiona
Published: August 2017

Objectives

The objective of this study was to validate a short version of the Effort-Reward-Imbalance (ERI) questionnaire in the context of New Zealand among older full-time and part-time employees.

Methods

Data were collected from 1694 adults aged 48-83 years (mean 60 years, 53% female) who reported being in full- or part-time paid employment in the 2010 wave of the New Zealand Health, Work and Retirement study. Scale reliability was evaluated by item-total correlations and Cronbach’s alpha. Factorial validity was assessed using multi-group confirmatory factor analyses assessing nested models of configural, metric, scalar and strict invariance across full- and part-time employment groups. Logistic regressions estimated associations of effort-reward ratio and over-commitment with poor physical/mental health, and depressive symptoms.

Results

Internal consistency of ERI scales was high across employment groups: effort 0.78-0.76; reward 0.81-0.77, and over-commitment 0.83-0.80. The three-factor model displayed acceptable fit in the overall sample (X2/df = 10.31; CFI = 0.95; TLI = 0.94; RMSEA = 0.075), and decrements in model fit indices provided evidence for strict invariance of the three-factor ERI model across full-time and part-time employment groups. High effort-reward ratio scores were consistently associated with poor mental health and depressive symptoms for both employment groups. High over-commitment was associated with poor mental health and depressive symptoms in both groups and also with poor physical health in the full-time employment group.

Conclusions

The short ERI questionnaire appears to be a valid instrument to assess adverse psychosocial work characteristics in old full-time and part-time employees in New Zealand. (J Occup Health 2017; 59: 495-505) doi: 10.1539/joh.17-0044-OA
Diversidad haplotípica del exón XII del gen dopamina β-hidroxilasa en tres razas bovinas
Authors: Arredondo Julia , Saavedra German Dario , Hernández Darwin Yovanny
Published: August 2017

Polymorphisms in the dopamine β-hydroxylase gene (DBH) have been associated with temperament in cattle. In 16 animals of Colombian creole breed Blanco Orejinegro (BON), 20 Brahman (BRA) and 16 fighting bulls (GLI), polymorphisms of exon XII of the DBH gene were evaluated by sequencing. 13 haplotypes were found, 6 in BON, 9 and 2 in BRA and GLI respectively. Haplotype H2 was the most frequent in the whole population (0,615) and it was found in all breeds. Haplotypes H6 and H9 were shared between BON-BRA and BRA-GLI, respectively. The greatest value of genetic(DG: 0.915 ± 0.04) and nucleotide (DN: 0.011 ± 0.006) diversity, was found in BRA, followed by BON (DG: 0.700 ± 0.12; DN: 0.008 ± 0.004) and GLI (DG: 0.350 ± 0.14;DN: 0.0011 ± 0.001). The D-Tajima test was greater than zero, but not significant (P> 0.05) in BON and BRA, GLI presented a value of −1.92 (P < 0.05). The analysis of molecular variance showed a variation between the breeds of 23.9% and a poblacional structure (FST) of 0.23 (P < 0.001). The highest values of the coancestry coefficient were presented between GLI and BRA (0.52) and between GLI and BON (0.22). It is concluded that the GLI race has low diversity in the DBH gene compared to BON and BRA, that there are effects of neutral selection in BON and BRA breeds, whereas, in the GLI and not in favor of temperament.
Estrategias de inserción y circulación de migrantes senegaleses recientes en la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires
Authors: Kleidermacher Gisele
Published: August 2017

El presente artículo se propone analizar las principales estrategias de inserción que adoptan los migrantes senegaleses que han arribado a la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires en las últimas dos décadas, prestando especial atención a los factores que inciden en ellas, es decir, características del colectivo y de la ciudad de destino. Mediante una metodología cualitativa basada en entrevistas en profundidad al colectivo senegalés, así como observación participante en la vía pública, se analizan los obstáculos y estrategias que intervienen en su inserción, entendiendo a la migración como una experiencia total, donde confluyen características y experiencias previas a la partida y posteriores a la misma.
Strategies of fertigation with saline water for growing cucumber in a greenhouse
Authors: Oliveira Francisco de A. de , Souza Neta Maria L. de , Miranda Neyton de O. , Souza Antônia A. T. , Oliveira Mychelle K. T. de , Silva Dennis D. A. da
Published: August 2017

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of saline water to grow cucumbers cultivated in substrate composed of coconut fiber and washed fine sand (1:1) and submitted to split-root system. The experimental design was completely randomized, with eight treatments and four replicates. Treatments consisted of different fertigation managements, comprising two nutrient solutions of different electrical conductivities (1.65 and 6.25 dS m-1), applied in a continuous or alternated way, with splitting or not of the root system (S/S). Growth and yield variables were evaluated. The use of water with electrical conductivity of 6.25 dS m-1 to prepare the nutrient solution caused significant reduction in all variables of cucumber growth and production. Adoption of split-root system with simultaneous application of the two water types increased cucumber tolerance to salinity.
Water productivity for sugar and biomass of sugarcane varieties
Authors: Leal Daniel P. V. , Coelho Rubens D. , Barbosa Fernando da S. , Fraga Júnior Eusimio F. , Mauri Robson , Santos Lucas da C.
Published: August 2017

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate the water productivity into biomass and into sugar for 23 sugarcane varieties (second ratoon crop) under two levels of drip irrigation. Two experiments were conducted in a greenhouse. Experiment 1 comprised nine sugarcane varieties grown in a clay soil and Experiment 2 was composed of 14 varieties in a sandy-loam soil. Moreover, two irrigation treatments were adopted: T100 - full irrigation with 100% crop evapotranspiration replacement, maintaining soil moisture near field capacity for each variety; and T70 - irrigation with 70% T100 water depth. Water productivity was evaluated in terms of stem fresh biomass (WPFB) and sugar (WPGSY). The results showed that WPFB ranged from 11.45 to 18.45 kg m-3. The highest values were observed for varieties CTC14, CTC6, RB867515, and SP81-3250 (in T100) and for the varieties CTC6 and CTC14 (in T70). The WPGSY values ranged from 1.68 to 2.22 kg m-3, with emphasis placed on CTC6, RB9675-15, SP81-3250, and RB925211 (in T100) and on CTC6, CTC14, and SP81-3250 (in T70).
Maize growth in response to Azospirillum brasilense, Rhizobium tropici, molybdenum and nitrogen
Authors: Picazevicz Angelita A. C. , Kusdra Jorge F. , Moreno Andréia de L.
Published: August 2017

ABSTRACT The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of Azospirillum brasilense, Rhizobium tropici, nitrogen (N) and molybdenum (Mo) fertilization on maize growth. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse from October to November 2015, in a completely randomized design, in 2 x 2 x 2 x 5 factorial scheme, with 5 replicates, corresponding to the absence and presence of Azospirillum brasilense, Rhizobium tropici, N (30 kg ha-1) and five Mo doses (0, 7.5, 15.0, 22.5 and 30.0 g ha-1). The analyzed variables were: plant height, basal stem diameter, dry biomass of shoots, roots, total and N accumulated in the shoots. There was double or triple interaction between N fertilization, Azospirillum brasilense and Rhizobium tropici for the evaluated variables. However, isolated and/or combined effect of Mo was not observed. Seed inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense as well as their co-inoculation with Rhizobium tropici in the absence of N fertilization was efficient to increase plant growth. Soil N fertilization at sowing was less efficient in promoting plant growth than when it was combined with seed inoculation with Rhizobium tropici.
Post-harvest quality model of pineapple guava fruit according to storage and weather conditions of cultivation
Authors: Parra-Coronado Alfonso , Fischer Gerhard , Camacho-Tamayo Jesús H.
Published: August 2017

ABSTRACT The post-harvest quality of pineapple guava fruit is determined by the storage and prevailing weather conditions during growth and development. This study proposes a model for post-harvest fruit quality according to the storage and weather conditions in the pineapple guava growing region. Physiologically ripe fruit were collected during two harvests from two locations within the Department of Cundinamarca (Colombia): Tenjo and San Francisco de Sales. The fruits were stored at 18 ± 1 °C (76 ± 5% relative humidity (RH), over 11 days) and at 5 ± 1 °C (87 ± 5% RH, over 31 days), and the quality attributes were evaluated every two days. Models of the most significant physio-chemical quality characteristics of the post-harvest fruit were developed by using the Excel® Solver tool for all data obtained in the two crop periods. The results showed that storage and prevailing weather conditions, which differed according to the altitude of the growing site, had considerable impacts on the physio-chemical characteristics of the fruit throughout the post-harvest ripening process.
Physico-chemical composition of native fruits of the Ceará coast at different development stages
Authors: Gonçalves Nigéria P. , Lucena Eliseu M. P. de , Bonilla Oriel. H. , Tavares Francisca J. C.
Published: August 2017

ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the physico-chemical composition of native fruits of the Ceará coast at different development stages. The fruits of ‘guajiru’, ‘manipuçá’, ‘murici-pitanga’ and ‘murta’ were collected during the year 2014, and the following evaluations were made: total soluble solids, total titratable acidity, pH, total soluble solids and titratable acidity ratio. A completely randomized design was used, with 5 or 6 treatments, depending on the maturation stage and 4 replicates. For total soluble solids, ‘murta’ obtained a minimum of 2.6 °Brix in stage 1 and ‘manipuçá’ obtained maximum of 24.53 °Brix in stage 5. For the total titratable acidity, ‘guajiru’ showed minimum of 0.09% in stages 3 and 4, and ‘murici-pitanga’ showed maximum of 3.29% in stage 6. ‘Murici-pitanga’ had minimum pH of 3.44 in stage 5 and ‘guajiru’, maximum pH of 5.9 in stage 2. For total soluble solids and titratable acidity ratio, ‘murici-pitanga’ exhibited a minimum of 3.25 in stages 1 and 3, and ‘guajiru’ showed maximum of 141.11 in stage 4. It was concluded that ‘guajiru’ and ‘manipuçá’ fruits reached physiological maturity in stage 3, whereas ‘murici-pitanga’ and ‘murta’ fruits reached in stage 4; thus, these are the ideal stages for fruit harvest.
A psychological intervention proposal on coping with pain for children with Sickle Cell Disease
Authors: OLIVEIRA Christyne Gomes Toledo de , ENUMO Sônia Regina Fiorim , PAULA Kely Maria Pereira de
Published: August 2017

Abstract Pain is common in Sickle Cell Disease. This study proposes a Psychological Intervention Program for Children with Sickle Cell Disease (Intervenção Psicológica para Crianças com Anemia Falciforme). It was applied to seven children in a hospital. The intervention was based in the Motivational Theory of Coping and includes the Coping with Pain Game (Jogo “Enfrentando a Dor”). The Computerized Assessment Instrument of Coping with Hospitalization-Pain (Instrumento Computadorizado para Avaliação do Enfrentamento da Hospitalização-Dor) was applied before and after seven weekly sessions. The results showed significant increase in the facilitating behaviors to cope with pain, and in problem-solving, an adaptive coping; and a reduction in the non-facilitating behaviors and in rumination, a maladaptive coping. The stressor perception as a challenge to the need of competence increased, whereas the stressor perception as a threat to the need of competence and autonomy decreased. This intervention may have contributed to promote adaptive coping with pain.