bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Avaliação da epífora de cães usando dacriocistografia e tomografia computadorizada
Authors: Vieira Nivea M.G. , Ranzani Joaquim J.T. , Brandão Cláudia V.S. , Cremonini Daniela N. , Schellini Silvana A. , Padovani Carlos R. , Vulcano Luis C. , Almeida Mariana F.
Published: January 2016

Resumo: A avaliação da epífora pode ser feita por exames clínicos, testes de excreção lacrimal, exames contrastados, como avaliação radiológica e estudo tomográfico; estes dois últimos permitem análise minuciosa das estruturas. O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a via lacrimal excretora com uso de radiografia e tomografia computadorizada contrastadas, feitas em animais com epífora, comparando-se com animais sadios, sem essa afecção. Foram utilizados 20 cães, de raças e pelagens variadas, machos e fêmeas, com peso de 1 a 20 kg, com 0,7 a 8 anos de idade, apresentando epífora (grupo epífora - GE). Como grupo de controle (GC), foram utilizados 15 cães, sem alterações clínicas de drenagem do sistema lacrimonasal de raças e pelagens variadas, machos e fêmeas, pesando 1 a 20 kg, com 0,7 a 8 anos. Foi proposta a divisão do sistema de drenagem lacrimal em quatro regiões. Na região 1, o GE teve 29 (76,3%) animais com dilatação visibilizada pelo R-X e 32 (84,2%) pela TC; no GC, 4 (12,5%) no R-X e 1 (3,1%) na TC demonstraram dilatação. Na região 3, 13 (34,2%) cães evidenciaram dilatação do DLN no R-X e 14 (36,8%) na TC; e 21 (55,3%) comunicação do ducto lacrimonasal com o seio nasal pelo R-X e 28 (73,7%) pela TC. Já no GC, 15 (46,9%) pelo R-X e 22 (68,7%) pela TC possuíam comunicação do ducto lacrimonasal com o seio nasal. Concluiu-se que: dilatações também podem ser observadas em alguns cães sem sinal clínico da afecção; comunicação do ducto lacrimonasal com o seio nasal não indica alteração causadora de epífora, pois está presente em animais com e sem afecção; os dados do presente estudo confirmam que o exame DCG por si pode dar importantes informações, de forma semelhante à TC, devendo-se recorrer à ela apenas quando houver dúvidas sobre lesões ósseas, fraturas e corpos estranhos não detectados pelo primeiro.
Distinct Requirements for Vacuolar Protein Sorting 34 Downstream Effector Phosphatidylinositol 3-Phosphate 5-Kinase in Podocytes Versus Proximal Tubular Cells
Authors: Venkatareddy Madhusudan , Verma Rakesh , Kalinowski Anne , Patel Sanjeevkumar R. , Shisheva Assia , Garg Puneet
Published: January 2016

The mechanisms by which the glomerular filtration barrier prevents the loss of large macromolecules and simultaneously, maintains the filter remain poorly understood. Recent studies proposed that podocytes have an active role in both the endocytosis of filtered macromolecules and the maintenance of the filtration barrier. Deletion of a key endosomal trafficking regulator, the class 3 phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) 3-kinase vacuolar protein sorting 34 (Vps34), in podocytes results in aberrant endosomal membrane morphology and podocyte dysfunction. We recently showed that the vacuolation phenotype in cultured Vps34–deficient podocytes is caused by the absence of a substrate for the Vps34 downstream effector PtdIns 3-phosphate 5-kinase (PIKfyve), which phosphorylates Vps34-generated PtdIns(3)P to produce PtdIns (3,5)P2. PIKfyve perturbation and PtdIns(3,5)P2 reduction result in massive membrane vacuolation along the endosomal system, but the cell-specific functions of PIKfyve in vivo remain unclear. We show here that the genetic deletion of PIKfyve in endocytically active proximal tubular cells resulted in the development of large cytoplasmic vacuoles caused by arrested endocytic traffic progression at a late-endosome stage. In contrast, deletion of PIKfyve in glomerular podocytes did not significantly alter the endosomal morphology, even in age 18-month-old mice. However, on culturing, the PIKfyve-deleted podocytes developed massive cytoplasmic vacuoles. In summary, these data suggest that glomerular podocytes and proximal tubules have different requirements for PIKfyve function, likely related to distinct in vivo needs for endocytic flux.
Dynamin–Related Protein 1 Deficiency Improves Mitochondrial Fitness and Protects against Progression of Diabetic Nephropathy
Authors: Ayanga Bernard A. , Badal Shawn S. , Wang Yin , Galvan Daniel L. , Chang Benny H. , Schumacker Paul T. , Danesh Farhad R.
Published: January 2016

Mitochondrial fission has been linked to the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy (DN). However, how mitochondrial fission affects progression of DN in vivo is unknown. Here, we report the effect of conditional podocyte–specific deletion of dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1), an essential component of mitochondrial fission, on the pathogenesis and progression of DN. Inducible podocyte–specific deletion of Drp1 in diabetic mice decreased albuminuria and improved mesangial matrix expansion and podocyte morphology. Ultrastructure analysis revealed a significant increase in fragmented mitochondria in the podocytes of wild–type diabetic mice but a marked improvement in mitochondrial structure in Drp1-null podocytes of diabetic mice. When isolated from diabetic mice and cultured in high glucose, Drp1-null podocytes had more elongated mitochondria and better mitochondrial fitness associated with enhanced oxygen consumption and ATP production than wild-type podocytes. Furthermore, administration of a pharmacologic inhibitor of Drp1, Mdivi1, significantly blunted mitochondrial fission and rescued key pathologic features of DN in mice. Taken together, these results provide novel correlations between mitochondrial morphology and the progression of DN and point to Drp1 as a potential therapeutic target in DN.
The use of English as a lingua franca in translation
Authors: Foley J. A. , Deocampo M. F.
Published: January 2016

In translation, not only two languages but two cultures come into contact which means that translators must consider who wrote the text, when, why, for whom and who is now reading it and for what purpose. In the wake of rapid technological advances and the need to spread information quickly and efficiently, translation has grown in importance in the globalized world. So has its reliance on English in its role as a global lingua franca. English is often being used for ‘interculturalizing’ native languages but it is also true that English texts are written by speakers who use English as a lingua franca (ELF) with the additional consequence of local languages being incorporated into the texts. This is the linguistic hybridity used in constructing a wider view of the world. However, the prime aim of any lingua franca communication is mutual intelligibility. Saussure wrote about the contrasting principles of provincialism (ésprit de clocher) and what he termed intercourse: the need for broader communication. We can see Saussure’s principles as two imperatives: the cooperative and territorial imperatives. That is to say that language change is brought about by the ‘cooperative imperative’ as we need to continually modify our language in order to communicate with other people. At the same time, there is the ‘territorial imperative’ to secure and protect our own space and sustain our separate social and individual identity. In this study, the translation of linguistic units can only be understood when considered together with the cultural contexts in which they arise, and in which they are used. Blogging in Singapore and the Philippines is part of the ‘cooperative and territorial imperatives’ where the use of English as a lingua franca is intertwined with translanguaging.
Teaching English in ASEAN: The voices of English teachers in ASEAN nations
Authors: Waterworth Peter
Published: January 2016

The effective teaching of the English language is regarded as an essential element in the creation of a culturally vibrant, economically sound and socially stable ASEAN community. The ASEAN region is populated by a culturally diverse collection of peoples with very different and complex linguistic histories, some of which included a strong English component. This paper examines the opinions and understandings of teachers of English in eight of the ten ASEAN nations. It arose out of a research study of English teaching in ASEAN being conducted jointly by Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia and CfBT Brunei. Although the teachers differed in their levels of competence in English and in their experience of local, national and international culture, they shared a remarkably similar story in attempting to provide the best instruction they possibly could to their students. As non-native speakers of English, they shared the responsibility of representing not only the English language but also the culture of first language English speakers to their non-native speaking students. The conflicts and tensions of their roles were identified and examined. The study concluded that teachers need support in their intercultural role as well as in their pedagogical responsibilities. Teachers reported that their students had little knowledge or appreciation of the ASEAN community or of the importance of their own capacity to speak English in it.
Implementation of school-based curriculum as perceived by secondary school teachers of English
Authors: Diem Chuzaimah D. , Yusfardiyah Yusfardiyah , Koniaturrohmah Binti , Lismalayani Lismalayani
Published: January 2016

Information about Curriculum 2013 has seemed to make many EFL teachers feel anxious. This anxiety is assumed to happen due to the unwillingness of the teachers to implement the new curriculum because they have not yet even implemented the previous curriculum (KTSP) in their classrooms optimally. This study was aimed primarily at investigating the implementation of KTSP covering three important components: preparation, application, and evaluation by 107 secondary school teachers of English. To collect the data, “KTSP Implementation Questionnaire” was used. The data collected based on the teachers’ own perceptions were analyzed in relation to their education level, teaching experience, certification status, and KTSP socialization involvement. The results showed that (1) 62% teachers confessed that they had not yet optimally implemented KTSP although all of them had been involved in its dissemination program done by the government; (2) there was no correlation between either education level or teaching experience and the implementation of KTSP. However, (3) there was a significant correlation between teachers’ certification status and their (i) KTSP preparation, (ii) teaching experience, and (iii) involvement in dissemination program activities.
The patterns of language choice at the border of Malaysia-Thailand
Authors: Jaafar Mohammad Fadzeli , Awal Norsimah Mat , Mis Mohammed Azlan , Lateh Norhayati
Published: January 2016

Any activities conducted at the boundary area between countries will only be successful if the community of speakers has mutual understanding in terms of language, especially those involving business. This study focuses on a community in the northern part of Malaysia near the Thailand border where majority of people are bilingual in Malay and Thai. This study aims to investigate the patterns of language used by speakers in the Malaysia-Thailand border, in the context of language maintenance and language shift. Both countries use different languages; with Malaysians use Malay and the Thais use Thai language. In this cross-border context, activities pertaining to business, visit or personal matters will have an impact on the development of the two languages. This study presents the findings on the language choice from a survey involving 202 respondents that was conducted in two border towns at the Malaysia-Thailand border, namely Rantau Panjang (Malaysian side) and Golok (Thailand side). By utilizing the domain concept that was introduced by Fishman (1972), this study focuses on two domains namely, business and family. In addition to the questionnaire, participant observations and interviews were also conducted as supplements. The data on the patterns of language choice were analyzed statistically. The findings show that although Malaysians and Thais speak two different languages, Kelantanese dialect, which is a variety of the standard Malay, was the most dominant language at the border. This study also found that age was a significant factor in determining the patterns of language use. The younger generations were using Kelantanese dialect and Thai language in domains where older people would only use Kelantanese dialect. This points to the occurrence of language shift at the border. However, the community at the Thai side of the border tends to choose Kelantanese dialect in their daily activities, which seems to indicate language maintenance in this area. These findings suggest that language can serve as a marker of identity, especially for those communities in Golok as most of them are originally from Malaysia. Finally, this study has contributed empirical data on language usage at the Malaysia-Thailand border.
Accounting for L2 learners’ errors in word stress placement
Authors: Karjo Clara Herlina
Published: January 2016

Stress placement in English words is governed by highly complicated rules. Thus, assigning stress correctly in English words has been a challenging task for L2 learners, especially Indonesian learners since their L1 does not recognize such stress system. This study explores the production of English word stress by 30 university students. The method used for this study is immediate repetition task. Participants are instructed to identify the stress placement of 80 English words which are auditorily presented as stimuli and immediately repeat the words with correct stress placement. The objectives of this study are to find out whether English word stress placement is problematic for L2 learners and to investigate the phonological factors which account for these problems. Research reveals that L2 learners have different ability in producing the stress, but three-syllable words are more problematic than two-syllable words. Moreover, misplacement of stress is caused by, among others, the influence of vowel lenght and vowel height.
Lexical richness in academic papers: a comparison between students’ and lecturers’ essays
Authors: Djiwandono Patrisius Istiarto
Published: January 2016

In the area of writing, research has yet to explore EFL learners’ ability to use varied vocabulary. Although vocabulary teaching has enriched learners’ knowledge of lexical items, whether they can use the words they have learned remains to be seen. It is important, therefore, to investigate their lexical richness in their academic writing. Lexical richness, defined as the presence of different words in a text, is commonly measured through type-token ratio (TTR). The present study set out to identify the lexical richness of senior students by comparing them to academic papers written by their lecturers. There are four objectives: (1) to determine the difference between the type-token ratio (TTR) in students’ essays and that in their lecturers’ essays; (2) to determine the difference between the use of 2000-word level (henceforth K2) in students’ essays and that in their lecturers’ essays; (3) to determine the difference between the use of academic words in students’ essays and that in their lecturers’ essays; (4) to determine the difference between the students’ essays and their lecturers’ in terms of the use of words other than the 2000-word level and the academic words (designated “off-list words”). The essays written by the respondents were submitted to a website for vocabulary profiling (http://www.lextutor/ca/vp). This analysis shows that the lecturers fare better in terms of TTR and academic words, but write slightly fewer 2000-word level and off-list words than their students. While the differences in TTR and academic words are significant, the differences in the use of 2000-word level and off-list are not significant. The subsequent discussion addresses possible causes of these differences, and offers some implications for the teaching of vocabulary and writing.
The effect of topic selection on writing fluency among Japanese high school students
Authors: Lubold Sarah Lin , Forbes Sarah , Stevenson Ian
Published: January 2016

Written fluency and fluency building activities have been shown to promote linguistic choice and student voice development, increased ability to express ideas using complex grammatical structures and greater intrinsic motivation in English language learners. Since the 1970’s, process-oriented writing has been emphasized, yielding an amplified focus on meaning of student content over linguistic form precision. Current research of writing fluency must delve deeper into questions of student ownership of topic and the outcomes for low-risk activities that support fluency practice and encourage confidence building in students. The purpose of this replication study is to further explore previous findings on the effects of topic selection on writing fluency for high school English as foreign language learners. Building off of the work of Bonzo (2008), this study focused on a timed, non-graded writing activity administered to groups of Japanese engineering students in three departments: mechanical, electrical, and global engineering. The six subsequent samples for each participating student were analyzed using online text-analysis for total and unique word counts, providing data used to perform a t-test. Responses to bi-lingual student questionnaires, with prompts on self-perceived written English ability, self-efficacy and strategies for success while writing, provided additional insight into the facets of fluency. The results of these writing sessions offer both confirmation of and contrast to Bonzo’s original work, demonstrate increased student meaning making, and support the use of free writing activities in English language classrooms as a means by which student written fluency may be improved.
Coherence and cohesion: An analysis of the final project abstracts of the undergraduate students of PGRI Semarang
Authors: Suwandi Suwandi
Published: January 2016

An abstract is the gist of a research report which has the purpose to allow the reader to get the main information without reading the whole document. Since it plays an important role in grasping the information of the whole research report, the writing of the abstract, therefore should be concise and the logical relation among sentences is clear, coherent and cohesive. However, many of the students still find difficulties in making their writing coherent due to their limitation in understanding the cohesive devices and their application in their writing. This article attempts to reveal the coherence of the abstracts of the final project reports of the undergraduate students of PGRI University Semarang, Indonesia. Its objectives are (1) to reveal the micro-level coherence, how each sentence is connected to the other to make logical relations and (2) to discover the macro-level coherence, the right use of cohesive devices like conjunction, reference, substitution or ellipsis so as to make the whole text coherent. Several abstracts of the students’ final projects were selected randomly to be analyzed. Since it is a qualitative research, the data were in the level of words or sentences. The result shows that the abstracts analyzed have not satisfactorily achieved coherence though some cohesive devices like reference, conjunctions, ellipsis which are used to link one sentence to the other. Some grammatical mistakes are also found such as the plural forms, active-passive voice.
The role of moving images in the conference interpreting classroom
Authors: Rakhmawati Susi Septaviana
Published: January 2016

This paper reports on the study of the student interpreters’ performance in conference interpreting classes in an Indonesian university when multimodal texts were provided as part of the teaching methods. It aims to answer how multimodal texts can influence interpreting performance among students. A case study design was used to allow an in-depth analysis of the students’ interpreting performance as the phenomenon described (Yin, 2003) using triangulation of data analysis. Observation, interview, and seven transcription analysis from three students were carried out. Observation and interview result shows that the students used visual information such as lips movement, running text on video, moving images, and the speakers’ gestures in their interpreting processes. Moreover, the students said that the existing method of teaching interpreting using multimodal texts is really helpful for them in developing their interpreting skills. Furthermore, transcription analysis also confirms that the student with multimodal strategies (facing the speaker, the screen/the video) performed better during interpreting process. However, a student who faces both did not seem to perform well. The indication is that he was unable to focus, being distracted and nervous. Thus, overall the student interpreters used visual information as part of multimodal communication, in addition to speech, working on the regular mode of listening and speaking during interpreting process, which suggest significant contribution of multimodal texts to better rendition in the target language.
The Halo surrounding native English speaker teachers in Indonesia
Authors: Kramadibrata Angga
Published: January 2016

The Native Speaker Fallacy, a commonly held belief that Native English Speaker Teachers (NESTs) are inherently better than Non-NESTs, has long been questioned by ELT researchers. However, this belief still stands strong in the general public. This research looks to understand how much a teacher’s nativeness affects a student’s attitude towards them, as well as the underlying reasons for their attitudes. Sixty seven respondents in two groups were asked to watch an animated teaching video, after which they completed a questionnaire that used Likert-scales to assess comprehensibility, clarity of explanation, engagement, and preference. The videos for both groups were identical apart from the narrator; one spoke in British English, while the other, Indian English. In addition, they were also visually identified as Caucasian and Asian, respectively. The video was controlled for speed of delivery. The quantitative data were then triangulated using qualitative data collected through open questions in the questionnaire as well as from a semi-structured interview conducted with 10 respondents. The data show that there is a significant implicit preference for NEST teachers in the video, as well as in respondent’s actual classes. However, when asked explicitly, respondents didn’t rank nativeness as a very important quality in English teachers. This discrepancy between implicit and explicit attitudes might be due to a subconscious cognitive bias, namely the Halo Effect, in which humans tend to make unjustified presumptions about a person based on known but irrelevant information.
Contesting Indonesia in children’s films: An analysis of language use and mise-en-scène
Authors: Noorman Safrina , Nafisah Nia
Published: January 2016

This research aims to investigate and interpret nationalism in Indonesian films for children with local settings. Four films for children –Garuda Di Dadaku (2009), Di Timur Matahari (2011), Serdadu Kumbang (2011), dan Tanah Surga…katanya (2012)- are analyzed with reference to the theoretical assumption of film as a form system covering its language use and mise-en-scène (Bordwell & Thomson, 2010). Employing a formal system analysis, aspects of nationalism were constructed and interpreted using Bhabha’s (2000) dissemination theory and a seminal theory of ideology in children and teenagers’ literary texts by Hollindale (1988). Results show that nationalism is presented: 1) through the films’ mise-en-scène which generates attachment to Indonesian nation; 2) in abstract notions through the films interconnection with aspects of humanity, social justice, and unity; 3) the use of children characters’ points of view. The presentation implied that, in the context of building nationalism, the constructed meanings from exposures on nationalism originated in local issues as well as socio-cultural issues have placed children in an instrumental role as the glue in the weaving of Indonesian nationalism. These findings generate three implications: (1) giving inputs about the kind of texts for children which focus on children’s point of view; (2) encouraging the exposure of localities to raise the sense of nationalism; and (3) preparing practical ways to empower film as part of national character building in teaching children.
Issues of terrorism on the internet in the wave of democratization of post-reform Indonesia: A semiotic analysis
Authors: Saifullah Aceng Ruhendi
Published: January 2016

The discourse of terrorism is a global issue but tends to be interpreted as controversial. This study sought to dismantle the controversy of meanings through the analysis of signs and meanings, with a view to explore and demonstrate the wave of democratization that took place in post-reform era in Indonesia. This study was a case study using readers’ responses to terrorism issues provided by cyber media on the Internet. It also rests primarily on the semiotic theory of Peirce and the concept of democratization of Huntington. The results showed that participation, freedom of expression, and equal power relations occurred in the interactive discourse in the cyber news media in the form of a dialogue between the responders, the media, and the debate among the responders. Responders tended to argue that signs and meanings are constructed by the media and to interpret information about terrorism as "political engineering" which was expressed by means of emotive tone. Meanwhile, the media tended to construct a "political imagery" which was expressed in a confrontational way, and the resources tended to understand it as "noise level of political elite ", which was expressed in a persuasive manner. Such differences occurred due to the factors of media context that tended to be "convivial" and the context of the communication situation on the Internet that tends to show "discretion". Based on these findings, this study concluded that interactive discourse in the Internet can be formulated as a democratic forum as the meaning making of the text is no longer dominated by media and the sources of information, but tend to be shared with the public. However, in terms of discourse process, interactive discourse in cyber media tends to be anarchic because the tone of interaction tends to be little, the relationship patterns tend to center on and be dominated by responders, the identities of responders tend to be anonymous, and linguistic expressions of the responders tend to be emotive.
Reliability of sentinel lymph node biopsy in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Khalid Nawaz M. Khaja , Nazriya R.
Published: January 2016

Background: The sentinel lymph node is the hypothetical first lymph node or group of nodes draining a cancer. In case of established cancerous dissemination it is postulated that the sentinel lymph node is the target organs primarily reached by metastasizing cancer cells from the tumor. Thus, sentinel lymph nodes can be totally void of cancer, due to the fact that they were detected prior to dissemination. Sentinel node biopsy is considered to be the gold standard investigation tool for the detection of lymph node metastases in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Methods: Sentinel node mapping uses one or all of the following three :(1) radioisotope scan imaging (2) injection of blue dye (3) use of a handheld isotope tracer probe for localization, it has been shown that the combination of all three techniques increases the accuracy and the yield of sentinel lymph node identification.

Results: Sentinel lymph node biopsy should be recommended only in patients with previously untreated early stage (T1/2) oral cavity and oropharynx cancer with clinical N0 stage. Sentinel node radio localization in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma may potentially reduce the time, cost, and morbidity of regional lymph node management.
Conclusions: Sentinel node biopsy is a reliable means of staging the clinically N0 neck for patients with cT1/T2 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. It can be used as the sole staging tool for the majority of patients.
Comparison of neural networks and neuro-fuzzy computing techniques for prediction of peak breach outflow
Authors: Elmazoghi Hasan G. , Karakale (Waiel Mowrtage) Vail , Bentaher Lubna S.
Published: January 2016

Accurate prediction of peak outflows from breached embankment dams is a key parameter in dam risk assessment. In this study, efficient models were developed to predict peak breach outflows utilizing artificial neural network (ANN) and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS). Historical data from 93 embankment dam failures were used to train and evaluate the applicability of these models. Two scenarios were applied with each model by either considering the whole data set without classification or classifying the set into small dams (48 dams) and large dams (45 dams). In this way, nine models were developed and their results were compared to each other and to the results of the best available regression equations and recent gene expression programming. Among the different models, the ANFIS model of the first scenario exhibited better performance based on its higher efficiency (E = 0.98), higher coefficient of determination (R2 = 0.98) and lower mean absolute error (MAE = 840.9). Moreover, models based on classified data enhanced the prediction of peak outflows particularly for small dams. Finally, this study indicated the potential of the developed ANFIS and ANN models to be used as predictive tools of peak outflow rates of embankment dams.
Operational manifestations of institutional dysfunction in post-apartheid South Africa
Authors: Clifford-Holmes Jai K. , Palmer Carolyn G. , de Wet Chris J. , Slinger Jill H.
Published: January 2016

At the centre of the water law reform process initiated by the first democratic government of the Republic of South Africa (RSA) lay the challenge of transforming away from apartheid water injustices. Reform culminated in the promulgation of new legislation, regarded internationally as ambitious and forward-thinking legislation reflective of the broad aims of integrated water resource management (IWRM). However, implementation of this legislation has been challenging. This paper analyses institutional dysfunction in water management in the Sundays River Valley Municipality (Eastern Cape Province, RSA). A transdisciplinary approach is taken in addressing the failure of national law and policy to enable the delivery of effective water services in post-apartheid RSA. A case study is used to explore interventions to promote effective water supply, locating these interventions and policies within the legislative structures and frameworks governing the water sector. We suggest that fine-grained institutional analysis together with learning from persistent iterative, adaptive practice, with principled goals intact, offers a pragmatic and achievable alternative to grand-scale policy change.
High Glucose Stimulates Tumorigenesis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells Through AGER-Dependent O-GlcNAcylation of c-Jun
Authors: Qiao Yongxia , Zhang Xiao , Zhang Yue , Wang Yulan , Xu Yanfeng , Liu Xiangfan , Sun Fenyong , Wang Jiayi
Published: January 2016

Epidemiologic studies suggest that hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a strong relationship with diabetes. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms still remain unclear. Here, we demonstrated that high glucose (HG), one of the main characteristics of diabetes, was capable of accelerating tumorigenesis in HCC cells. Advanced glycosylation end product–specific receptor (AGER) was identified as a stimulator during this process. Mechanistically, AGER activated a hexosamine biosynthetic pathway, leading to enhanced O-GlcNAcylation of target proteins. Notably, AGER was capable of increasing activity and stability of proto-oncoprotein c-Jun via O-GlcNAcylation of this protein at Ser73. Interestingly, c-Jun can conversely enhance AGER transcription. Thereby, a positive autoregulatory feedback loop that stimulates diabetic HCC was established. Finally, we found that AG490, an inhibitor of Janus kinase, has the ability to impair AGER expression and its functions in HCC cells. In conclusion, AGER and its functions to stimulate O-GlcNAcylation are important during liver tumorigenesis, when high blood glucose levels are inadequately controlled.
Student Movement in Social Context
Authors: Dauter Luke , Fuller Bruce
Published: January 2016

Higher rates of school switching by students contribute to achievement disparities and are typically theorized as driven by attributes of individual pupils or families. In contrast the neoclassical-economic account postulates that switching is necessary for competition among schools. We argue that both frames fail to capture social-referential and institutional comparisons that drive student mobility, hypothesizing that pupil mobility stems from the (a) student’s time in school and grade; (b) student’s race, class, and achievement relative to peers; (c) quality of schooling relative to nearby alternatives; and (4) proximity, abundance, and diversity of local school options. Propositions are tested with discrete-time hazard models using data from Los Angeles, including 6.5 million observations. We find the student’s position relative to peers, relative school quality, and proximity to local alternatives contribute significantly to the likelihood of switching schools, beyond the effects of individual pupil or family attributes. Implications for understanding “choice” as a social-referential process within diverse organizational fields like urban education markets are discussed.
Higher Education Financing in Nepal
Authors: Baral Keshar J.
Published: January 2016

National policy on the financing of higher education is to recover the recurrent costs and shift the burden of higher education to the private sector. This paper, using the financial data pub-lished by University Grants Commission (UGC) and extracted from the financial statements of Pokhara University (POKU), attempts to analyze the financing pattern of higher education in Nepal. In gen- eral, it analyzes the overall financing pattern of higher education in Nepal and in particular of POKU during the last eight fiscal years (FY 1999 through 2006). This concludes that the level of budget for higher education in Nepal is relatively low and not enough to bring up the accessibility of qualitative higher education. Moreover, it concludes that government grants-both administrative and development, provided to the universities are not consistent during the study period.

The Journal of Nepalese Business Studies Vol. IV, No. 1 (2007) pp. 1-9
Human Resource Outsourcing: Issues and Challenges
Authors: Kodwani Amitabh Deo
Published: January 2016

Business Process Outsourcing has become new mantra in the corporate business world. Modern as well as traditional organizations are now trimming down their employees from their payroll, and thus Human Resource Outsourcing (HRO) is slowly becoming the new buzzword. In order to utilize the true worth of the employees to its fullest, one must outsource the non-core activities of the organization. The awareness of this has already been realised by the organizations. Outsourcing has no longer the privilege of only huge multinational organizations. Even the public sector and government undertakings as well medium size or start-up companies are also in the race of outsourcing their many HR related activities. This paper examines the motives that are encouraging organizations to go for outsourcing HR, drawing the essence from extensive exploratory study of secondary literature. This paper presents an architectural framework to understand issues and challenges of HR HRO and to suggest what organizations should do to taste success from HRO.

The Journal of Nepalese Business Studies Vol. IV, No. 1 (2007) pp. 38-46
Foreign Direct Investment in Bangladesh: Problems and Prospects
Authors: Kafi Md. Abdullahel , Mainuddain Mohammad , Islam M. Muzahidul
Published: January 2016

The issue of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has been receiving phenomenal attention from many governments. Bangladesh is not lagging behind from it. Economic development for the developing countries like Bangladesh is largely dependent on FDI. The major challenges for the host country are to ensure an eye-catching and conducive investment climate to foreign investors for FDI inflow. In recent years, Bangladesh has been devoting efforts for attracting FDI offering a lot of lucrative incentives and benefits. Though attempts taken to increase FDI inflow, the result achieved is not appreciable enough for Bangladesh. This paper will portray the FDI inflow since 1995 and finds out causes and reasons of low-inflow based on secondary data. It also finds out the impediments and highlighted prospects for FDI in Bangladesh and provides some recommendations for its enhancements.

The Journal of Nepalese Business Studies Vol. IV, No. 1 (2007) pp. 47-61
A Study on Women's Perception of Glass Ceiling in the Private Organizations, Pokhara
Authors: Rana Barsha
Published: January 2016

The study is intended to explore women’s perception of glass ceiling in the private organizations of Pokhara. Hundred women with different age groups working in different private organizations of Pokhara were taken as the sample. Their perception on the disparate treatment of women in organizations, behavior of their male colleagues towards them, the role of their family members in their professional growth, perception of role conflict and their aspiration towards their career advancements were asked and have been analyzed to find out if women perceive the existence of glass ceiling. In this regard, viewpoints of their male counterparts have also been taken into consideration.

The Journal of Nepalese Business Studies Vol. IV, No. 1(2007) pp. 83-87
Leadership Effectiveness in Nepalese Service Organizations
Authors: Upadhyay Dipesh
Published: January 2016

Leadership is important for Nepalese managers today than ever due to globalization and increasing competition. The findings show leadership has near to moderate level of effectiveness in Nepal which means it is under-utilized as indicated by the variable taken for this study i.e. vision, empowerment, communication, task/relationship orientation and locus of control scales.

The Journal of Nepalese Business Studies Vol. IV, No.1(2007) pp. 105-109
Micro-Enterprises and Household Income
Authors: Thapa Ajay
Published: January 2016

This study assesses the role of micro-enterprises in rural poverty reduction and reveals many facts concerning the role of micro-enterprises and some socio-economic and demographic factors in rural poverty reduction in Parbat district. The study has observed a positive role of micro-enterprises in the household income consequently reducing the rural poverty. It has also found that the size of economically active population in the family and secondary or higher level of education of the principal earner of the households also have positive influence in the household income.

The Journal of Nepalese Business Studies Vol. IV, No. 1(2007) pp. 110-118
Credit for the Poor: The Experience of Rural Development Scheme of Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd.
Authors: Uddin Mohammad Main
Published: January 2016

Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited was founded with the major objective of establishing Islamic economy for balanced economic growth by ensuring reduction of rural-urban disparity and equitable distribution of income. In view of the above, Branches of the Bank have been encouraged to invest their deposits in their respective areas and in particular for the economic upliftment of the rural people. Accordingly, a scheme in the name and style of ‘Rural Development Scheme’ has been introduced to cater to the investment needs of the agriculture and rural sector to create opportunity for generation of employment and raising income of the rural people with a view to alleviate poverty.Key words: Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd (IBBL), Rural Development Scheme (RDS), credit, investment, poorThe Journal of Nepalese Business Studies Vol. V, No. 1, 2008, December Page: 62-75
Volatility Analysis of Nepalese Stock Market
Authors: G.C. Surya Bahadur
Published: January 2016

Modeling and forecasting volatility of capital markets has been important area of inquiry and research in financial economics with the recognition of time-varying volatility, volatility clusturing, and asymmetric response of volatility to market movements. Given the anticipated growth of the Nepalese stock market and increasing interest of investors towards investment in Nepalese stock market, it is important to understand the pattern of stock market volatility. In the paper, the volatility of the Nepalese stock market is modeled using daily return series consisting of 1297 observations from July 2003 to Feb 2009 and different classes of estimators and volatility models. The results indicate that the most appropriate model for volatility modeling in Nepalese market, where no significant asymmetry in the conditional volatility of returns was captured, is GARCH(1,1). The study revealed strong evidence of time-varying volatility, a tendency of the periods of high and low volatility to cluster and a high persistence and predictability of volatility in the Nepalese stock market.Key words: Conditional heteroskedasticity, ARCH, GARCH, volatility clustering, leverage effect, Nepalese Stock MarketThe Journal of Nepalese Business Studies Vol. V, No. 1, 2008, December Page: 76-84
Women's Managerial Level Involvement in Tourism Sector in Pokhara
Authors: Paudel Deepak Raj , Malla Tek Bahadur
Published: January 2016

This study examines the factors that have effect on women’s managerial level involvement in hospitality sector of tourism industry in Lakeside, Pokhara; a popular tourism area in Nepal using a census survey of 100 women. The schedule questionnaire and 10 key informants’ interview (KII) were employed in order to collect primary data and to triangulate the results. Significance tests have been performed to determine the association between women’s level of participation with all other possible variables using Chi-square test. Demographic factors such as age and marital status; socioeconomic factors like educational level, prior family involvement, condition of work enviournment, household headship, and social barriers have been identified as independent variables that might have effect on level of women’s participation. The findings revealed that women’s participation in managerial position is low (29%) comparing to the operative level (71%). All socioeconomic factors have significant influence on women’s levels of participation.The Journal of Nepalese Business Studies Vol. Vii, No. 1, 2010-2011Page :39-52Uploaded date: July 7, 2012
A Book Review on Making Capitalism Work for the Poor and Society (Written by Yunus, Muhammad, and Karl Weber. 2007)
Authors: Sharma Puspa Raj
Published: January 2016

Professor Yunus and Karl Weber argue that neither the profit-maximizing business nor the other conventional approaches adopted by nonprofit organizations and multilateral funding agencies can provide a sufficient answer to the problem of persistent poverty and many social problems that we see in the world. The corporate social responsibility approach of profit-maximizing businesses will not work either.The Journal of Nepalese Business Studies Vol. Vii, No. 1, 2010-2011Page : 115-119Uploaded date: July 8, 2012
List of Competed Master Dissertation January 2010 to December 2011
Authors: Editor The
Published: January 2016

The Journal of Nepalese Business Studies Vol. Vii, No. 1, 2010-2011 Page : 120-125 Uploaded date: July 8, 2012
Introduction
Authors: Laszczkowski Mateusz , Reeves Madeleine
Published: January 2016

The aim of this special issue is to bring a critical discussion of affect into debate with the anthropology of the state as a way of working toward a more coherent, ethnographically grounded exploration of affect in political life. We consider how the state becomes a 'social subject' in daily life, attending both to the subjective experience of state power and to the affective intensities through which the state is reproduced in the everyday. We argue that the state should be understood not as a 'fiction' to be deconstructed, but as constituted and sustained relationally through the claims, avoidances, and appeals that are made toward it and the emotional registers that these invoke. This article situates these arguments theoretically and introduces the subsequent ethnographic essays.
“Recognize the Spies”
Authors: Kendzior Sarah
Published: January 2016

This article uses the example of Uzbekistan's national security services to consider how the psychic influence of a police state reveals itself online. What happens when the 'spectral double' of the police becomes a point of focus in a medium known for its transparency? I argue that although the Internet gives citizens the capability to organize and interact, it does not relieve their fears and suspicions; instead, it often intensifies them. Despite the 'transparency' that the Internet affords—and sometimes because of it—there are qualities bound up in the architecture of this medium that give rise to paranoia. Using examples from Uzbek online political discourse, I show how the Internet has fueled suspicion and fears about the state security services despite attempts to demystify and assuage them.
'Father Mao' and the Country-Family
Authors: Steinmüller Hans
Published: January 2016

What does it mean when Mao Zedong is called 'Father Mao' and when ordinary people in central China put a poster of Mao in the place of their ancestors and the emperor? This article analyzes ordinary affection for the Chinese state and explores changing ideas of the leader as a father and the country as a family. The first part deals with the historical transformation of these metaphors from the late Qing dynasty to the Communist Revolution and Maoism, describing the vernacularization and sentimentalization of the 'Confucian order of the father/son' in twentieth-century China. Against this historical background and based on fieldwork material from central China, the second part deals with the 'mixed feelings' that people in the present day now have for fathers at home, for local officials, and for national leaders.
The Turn of the Offended
Authors: Montoya Ainhoa
Published: January 2016

This article explores how the affective dynamics involved in elections and routine politics might inform us about the conditions of possibility of specific political imaginaries. It builds upon research conducted during and after El Salvador's 2009 presidential election. Passions ran high among Salvadorans on both the left and the right that electoral season, as allusions to wartime elicited unsettled divisions and offenses. For many left-wing and disaffected Salvadorans, the victory of the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front—a former guerrilla organization—opened up a political horizon that had been closed during the post-war era. Salvadorans' post-election engagement with state officials and FMLN leaders through clientelist practices evidenced their desire for qualitative state transformation and the extent to which they conceive of themselves as citizens through the state.
Economic Empowerment of Haor Women through Duck Farming in Bangladesh
Authors: Khanum Romaza , Salim Al Mahadi Muhammad
Published: January 2016

A study was conducted to investigate the extent of women participation in duck rearing farm and to address womens economic empowerment in Hakaluki haor area of Maulvibazar district in Bangladesh. Primary data from 80 women duck raisers were collected through face to face interview. In this case haor women played an important role in the duck rearing activities which were carried out to explore the meaningful interpretation of womens present status. The result of the study revealed that duck rearing farming has exerted greater impact on improving socioeconomic condition and economic empowerment of haor women. The successful duck farming provides the women with economic independence and improved livelihood leading to their empowerment.The Agriculturists 2015; 13(1) 18-25