bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hypertriglyceridemia: An indicator of poor prognosis in acute pancreatitis – A hospital based study
Authors: Mushtaq Mosin , Wani Abid H , Sadiq Faud , Mushtaq Mudasir , Tabassum Sameena , Mudasir Taiba
Published: May 2014

Background and study aims: Hypertriglyceridemia can be a primary cause for acute pancreatitis or secondary to other factors prior to the increase of lipid levels, or both. The aim of our study was to assess the severity of acute pancreatitis with elevation in serum triglyceride levels and report the outcomes of our series. Patients and methods: One hundred twenty?six patients of acute pancreatitis were admitted within 72 hours of onset of symptoms, out of whom 26 patients were excluded during the course of study due to preexisting comorbidities. 100 patients in the study population were divided into group A having serum triglyceride levels ≥500 mg/dl (n = 30) and group B having <500 mg/dl (n = 70) at the time of admission. Results: The mean age of group A was similar to group B (50.2 ± 17.1 vs 49.26 ± 17.2 years; p = 0.860). Most common etiological factor of acute pancreatitis was found to be gall stones (56%) in both groups. Ranson's score at admission in group A was 2.93 ± 0.22 and in group B it was 1.34 ± 0.99. Mortality below two weeks was noted in (12/30, 40%) of group A and (6/70, 8%) of group B patients, which was statistically significant, (p = 0.015). Conclusions: The final conclusion of this study was that patients of acute pancreatitis with elevated triglyceride levels form a morbid group and these should be monitored aggressively for the development of any complications. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ajms.v5i4.9971 Asian Journal of Medical Sciences 2014 Vol.5(4); 21-24
Theories and Practices of Development: An Anthropological Perspective
Authors: Pokharel Binod
Published: May 2014

Development is a contested ideology and concept. There is a long anthropological tradition that looks at development actions and events from different perspectives. Each perspective has its own explanation, methodology, epistemology, interest articulation, imagination and policy agenda. It seems that development policy and practice has been periodically regenerated and reformulated with new ideas and thinking. In recent years, anthropologists have increasingly been involved in the ethnographic study of development projects, such as strategies, policies, practices and organizations. Despite the growing number of development literatures in Nepal, few studies have examined interfaces between development projects and local politics. Broadly, there are two traditions of looking at the community development in Nepal. The first category of literature is basically concerned with social transformations through development intervention. The second type is more interpretive and focuses on discourse analysis.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/dsaj.v7i0.10435 Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 7, 2013; 1-30
Locating Pawai in the Social Hierarchy of the Khasa: a Preliminary Note on Jumli Caste Structure
Authors: Luintel Youba Raj
Published: May 2014

Until very recently, Jumla’s Pawai, or the Matawali Chhetri, have remained one of the very least understood caste groups in Nepal. In many sense Pawai can be considered as an unusual caste group and possess some unique yet paradoxical socio-cultural traits and claims. Overall, they represent Chhetri sub-caste, but in the Jumli caste hierarchy they are placed lower than Chhetri. They do not wear sacred thread called “janai,” do mostly worship masto, and in Bota village, some of them even offer liquor to their Hindu diety. This article attempts to explain the distinctive characteristics of Pawai in light of the Jumli caste hierarchy, and differs from some of the simplistic explanations of human ecological approach to argue that Pawai are simply the by-product of their cultural interface with the local ecology, or the reductionist arguments of identity politics that it is the ethnicity and not the class that differentiates society and forms different identity of the culturally marginalised one. This article first sheds lights on the social construction of Pawai as the kamsel caste group, takes into account the uniqueness of paddy cultivation in Jumla and its caste implications in the local political economy, and then compares and contracts the Pawai vis-a-vis the Jyulel to make an argument that the uniqueness of Pawai can only be meaningfully understood by placing them in their dynamic relationship with Jyulel. This relationship essentially entails a relationship of privilege and deprivation in terms of access to and ownership of jyula (as productive low lands). By implication, it is differential access to assets and resources that brings diversity and inequality in society and not the vice-versa. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/dsaj.v7i0.10436 Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 7, 2013; 31-50
Some Theoretical Considerations on Caste
Authors: Subedi Madhusudan
Published: May 2014

Caste as a system of social stratification was an encompassing system in the past. There was reciprocal system of exchange goods and services. With time, occupation and mode of generation of livelihood of various caste groups changed, and the traditional form of jajmani system fizzled out. This paper provides an account of changing perspectives of caste relations in social science writing and political discourse. The discourse of caste has been shifted from ritual hierarchy and social discrimination to an instrument to mobilize people for economic and political gain. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/dsaj.v7i0.10437 Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 7, 2013; 51-86
Malaria, Tarai Adivasi and the Landlord State in the 19th century Nepal: A Historical-Ethnographic Analysis
Authors: Rai Janak
Published: May 2014

This paper examines the interplay between malaria, the Tarai Adivasi and the extractive landlord state in the 19th century Nepal by focusing on Dhimal, one indigenous community from the easternmost lowlands. Throughout the 19th century, the Nepali state and its rulers treated the Tarai as a state geography of extraction for land, labor, revenue and political control. The malarial environment of the Tarai, which led to the shortage people (labor force), posed a major challenge to the 19th  century extractive landlord state and the landowning elites to materialize the colonizing project in the Tarai. The shortage of labor added pressure on the malaria resistant Tarai Adivasi to reclaim and cultivate land for the state. The paper highlights the need for ethnographically informed social history of malaria in studying the changing relations between the state and the ?div?si communities in the Tarai DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/dsaj.v7i0.10438 Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 7, 2013; 87-112
Climate Change and Bangladesh: Geographical and Socio-economic Impacts
Authors: Jahan Farjana , Quddusi Kazi SM Khasrul Alam
Published: May 2014

Climate change, the effects of greenhouse effect and global warming, is out to alter the global map with its devouring prospects of sending a number of countries under the waves. Unfortunately yet unavoidably, Bangladesh stands at the forefront of climate forays. Its land, water and weather are being severely affected by undesirable climatic changes. Alarmingly, the dangers are to be intensified unless the trend is reversed. However, local initiative will hardly be enough to offset the grave concerns of unintended climatic changes in Bangladesh. The changes will also impact the socio-economic conditions of the country, putting the future of the nation on the line. Some ominous signs are already there for the concerned to respond with required amount of fervour. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/dsaj.v7i0.10439 Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 7, 2013; 113-132
Development and Environment: An Assessment of Population Growth vis-a-vis Soil Erosion in Nepal
Authors: Pandey Rishikesh
Published: May 2014

This paper discusses the environmental myths and narratives prevailing in Nepal in reference to the population growth and soil erosion. Soil erosion is taken as primary element of environmental degradation by the theory of the Himalayan Environmental Degradation (HED). Many myths and narratives were generated by the vested interest groups to develop the HED. Population growth and over exploitation of natural resource were considered as the prominent causes of soil erosion related environmental degradation. The myths and narratives based on the theory of the HED are still influential in development and environmental policy process in Nepal. In this background this paper highlights some of the research findings that are contrary to conventional belief i.e. population growth lead to soil erosion. The paper is based on literature review. The research evidences from both social and natural sciences are entertained. This paper generates alternative thinking to end the hegemony and unquestionable acceptance of the findings of research undertaken by 'Western, White men' as truth; and their recommendations as the 'blue print' solutions. Critics over orthodox environmentalism and neo-Malthusian accounts are made to validate the ‘hybrid knowledge’ generated in this paper. There are evidences that population pressure have promoted soil erosion. However, Himalayan environmental dynamism which is purely a natural process is far more responsible for soil erosion in the Himalaya. Hence, it is suggested that a critical assessment of any ‘facts’ obtained from research should be made before making them the narratives and reflecting them in policy process. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/dsaj.v7i0.10442 Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 7, 2013; 173-196
Religious Culture and Medicinal Plants: An Anthropological Study
Authors: Sapkota Prakash Prasad
Published: May 2014

This study is based on primary data collection from the field from January 2011 to September 2013 to satisfy the query about the relation between religious culture and the medicinal plants. This study was carried out in Brahmin/ Chhetry dominated community of Baglung district of western development region of Nepal. The data were collected by using participant observation and interview. From this study it is found that, Brahmin/Chhetry use 48 plant species in their ritual, festivals and ceremony. Similarly they use 8 species in their religion. This entire plant species have important medicinal value. This plants species are necessary to complete their rituals, festivals, ceremony and religion but most of them have not knowledge about the medicinal value of these practicing plant species in their daily life. The answer of respondent is that, these plants are necessary for them because their ancestors use the plants but why they used the plants is unknown for them. This situation reflects that though the knowledge of medicinal value of the plants has vanished, it is still practiced on their religious culture. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/dsaj.v7i0.10443 Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 7, 2013; 197-224
Somewhere under the rainbow: Exploring the identities and experiences of trans persons
Authors: Dargie Emma , Blair Karen L. , Pukall Caroline F. , Coyle Shannon M.
Published: May 2014

The literature on transgender/transsexual-spectrum persons is limited. Most studies are based on the assumption that trans persons are best understood within rigid and binary definitions of gender and sexuality and tend to focus on diagnostics, medical management and risk factors. Researchers and clinicians may also assume that people who challenge cultural norms of gender and sexuality can be grouped together. Such assumptions about the specific experiences of trans persons can be harmfully incorrect. The goals of the present study were to explore the gender and sexual identities of trans persons, to investigate group differences, and to examine factors that predict better psychological and physical well-being. Participants took part in an online study and provided information about their gender and sexual identity, social support, relationship quality, and mental/physical health. Results depicted diverse gender identities and sexual orientations among trans persons and emphasized that while many challenges faced by sexual and gender minorities are similar, trans persons report unique mental and physical health outcomes. Also, greater social support and relationship quality predicted mental, but not physical, health among trans persons. These results highlight the importance of acknowledging the complexity of trans identities and the key role of social and personal support.
Private ownership and the standing to say so
Authors: Dorfman Avihay
Published: May 2014

Property theory is an ongoing discourse attempting to articulate a compelling answer (or answers) to the following question: what is the single most significant or otherwise interesting thing about the concept of private ownership? In this article, I seek to advance three general claims in response to this question. First, I criticize certain leading attempts to answer this question. Second, the centrepiece of my article defends the claim that an adequate theory of the concept of private ownership must begin with the special standing that an owner possesses, which is to say the standing to demand that others will take the owner as reason providing for them. Third, I argue that private ownership occupies an important place in between the public and the pre-political: One the one hand, private ownership reflects a genuinely private law institution; and on the other, it is a distinctive creature of the political order.
Establishing Bedding Requirements during Transport and Monitoring Skin Temperature during Cold and Mild Seasons after Transport for Finishing Pigs
Authors: McGlone John , Johnson Anna , Sapkota Avi , Kephart Rebecca
Published: May 2014

The broad aim of this study was to determine whether bedding level in the transport trailer influenced pig performance and welfare. Specifically, the objective was to define the bedding requirements of pigs during transportation in commercial settings during cold and mild weather. Animals (n = 112,078 pigs on 572 trailers) used were raised in commercial finishing sites and transported in trailers to commercial processing plants. Dead on arrival (DOA), non-ambulatory (NA), and total dead and down (D&D) data were collected and skin surface temperatures of the pigs were measured by infrared thermography. Data were collected during winter (Experiment 1) and fall/spring (Experiment 2). Total D&D percent showed no interaction between bedding level and outside air temperature in any experiments. Average skin surface temperature during unloading increased with outside air temperature linearly in both experiments (P < 0.01). In conclusion, over-use of bedding may be economically inefficient. Pig skin surface temperature could be a useful measure of pig welfare during or after transport.
Low-Density LiDAR and Optical Imagery for Biomass Estimation over Boreal Forest in Sweden
Authors: Shendryk Iurii , Hellström Margareta , Klemedtsson Leif , Kljun Natascha
Published: May 2014

Knowledge of the forest biomass and its change in time is crucial to understanding the carbon cycle and its interactions with climate change. LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology, in this respect, has proven to be a valuable tool, providing reliable estimates of aboveground biomass (AGB). The overall goal of this study was to develop a method for assessing AGB using a synergy of low point density LiDAR-derived point cloud data and multi-spectral imagery in conifer-dominated forest in the southwest of Sweden. Different treetop detection algorithms were applied for forest inventory parameter extraction from a LiDAR-derived canopy height model. Estimation of AGB was based on the power functions derived from tree parameters measured in the field, while vegetation classification of a multi-spectral image (SPOT-5) was performed in order to account for dependences of AGB estimates on vegetation types. Linear regression confirmed good performance of a newly developed grid-based approach for biomass estimation (R2 = 0.80). Results showed AGB to vary from below 1 kg/m2 in very young forests to 94 kg/m2 in mature spruce forests, with RMSE of 4.7 kg/m2. These AGB estimates build a basis for further studies on carbon stocks as well as for monitoring this forest ecosystem in respect of disturbance and change in time. The methodology developed in this study can be easily adopted for assessing biomass of other conifer-dominated forests on the basis of low-density LiDAR and multispectral imagery. This methodology is hence of much wider applicability than biomass derivation based on expensive and currently still scarce high-density LiDAR data.
Un cinéma des passages – les fantasmagories du cinéma de Jacques Demy
Authors: Naze Alain
Published: May 2014

À l’origine de ce texte, il y a le constat que les lieux propres au cinéma de Jacques Demy entretiennent une indéniable proximité avec ceux que privilégie le livre inachevé de Walter Benjamin, Paris, capitale du xixe siècle1 – en l’occurrence, c’est le passage Pommeraye, situé dans la ville de naissance du cinéaste, qui retiendra toute notre attention. À partir de l’idée selon laquelle les passages urbains et le cinéma constituent deux formes spécifiques d’appareillage de notre perception, il s’agit alors d’interroger les rapports, évoluant à travers l’œuvre, qui se développent entre ces deux formes d’appareil, sur le fond de cette communauté perceptive des spectateurs d’architecture et de cinéma, que signalait Benjamin. On verra que les interventions du passage Pommeraye, dans les films de Jacques Demy, se révèlent probablement les plus intéressantes lorsque la caméra, n’en faisant pas un élément de décor, parvient à en révéler toute la matérialité – et ce, d’autant mieux que le cinéaste parviendra, paradoxalement, à mortifier ce lieu. En cela, Demy renouvellerait, sur le plan cinématographique cette fois, la pratique de l’allégoriste, telle que Benjamin l’envisageait, tout en prolongeant les analyses de Kracauer quant aux rapports entre cinéma et matérialité.
De la compénétration des espaces chez W. Benjamin aux Unités d’habitation de Le Corbusier
Authors: Déotte Jean-Louis
Published: May 2014

Qu’est-ce que la politique pour Benjamin ? Une politique de la ville. Quels sont ses idéaux-types (status) ? Entre le Paris des passages et Moscou la révolutionnaire ? En quelle manière Benjamin pouvait-il annoncer les Unités d’habitation de Le Corbusier ? Quels sont ses concepts pour comprendre l’articulation : habiter/espace public ? Qu’est-ce qu’habiter pour lui ?
L’innervation gestuelle-et-politique de la perception et du cinéma
Authors: Roy Philippe
Published: May 2014

Walter Benjamin fait usage du concept d’innervation qu’il a trouvé chez Fiedler. On pourrait dire que, par innervation, on entend le fait d’actionner les nerfs moteurs ou sensitifs. Benjamin semble ne le réserver qu’aux nerfs moteurs innervés par les appareils. Je voudrais pour mon compte montrer que le geste innerve autant nos perceptions que nos actions et que cela peut même être pensé en prenant appui sur Benjamin (mais aussi sur la neurophysiologie). Je viserai plus particulièrement les champs politique et cinématographique, qui ne sont pas sans intersections.
Filmer la figure humaine « au milieu » des choses : le cinéma selon Béla Tarr
Authors: Rollet Sylvie
Published: May 2014

Si la position radicalement empiriste de Béla Tarr rejoint la pensée benjaminienne, c’est qu’il use du cinéma non comme un moyen d’expression, mais comme une technique d’exposition des « choses » elles-mêmes. Aussi la « figure humaine » n’est-elle plus caractérisée par le langage ou l’action, mais déterminée par sa matière et son rythme corporels. L’expérience « tactile » que nous fait faire la mise en scène, en nous exposant à l’indécidabilité du sens, nous conduit à une réflexion sur la puissance propre à l’appareil cinématographique : faire surgir ce qui ne peut être converti en fiction ou en document, l’étonnante énigme de corps et de visages d’hommes qui résistent tant à l’emprise du cadre qu’à celle du récit.
Les corps fondamentaux
Authors: Costanzo Alexandre
Published: May 2014

Comme un compagnonnage de l’œuvre de Benjamin et de ce qu'il en est du statut des gestes dans son œuvre, je prendrai comme fil conducteur Gilles Deleuze pour confronter les pensées de Friedrich Nietzsche, Antonin Artaud et les premiers films de Philippe Garrel, en tentant de reformuler à travers elles ce qu'il définit comme puissance ou impuissance des « corps ». Mais, ce faisant, mon idée est de circonscrire à travers ces œuvres autant de paysages affirmant des pensées de l’émancipation.
Éléments pour une anthropologie de l’homme en mouvement
Authors: van Vliet Muriel
Published: May 2014

En deçà du linguistic turn, qui réduit abusivement le langage à ses seules dimensions représentative et discursive et court ainsi le risque de tomber dans l’écueil de l’« intellectualisme », et au-delà de l’iconic turn, qui, par réaction, déconstruit tellement le sujet créateur et acteur que le domaine de l’éthique s’en trouve dangereusement ébranlé, avec la menace de sombrer cette fois-ci dans l’écueil de « l’esthétisme », l’anthropologie de l’homme en mouvement proposée conjointement par Cassirer et Warburg ouvre la possibilité d’une troisième voie pour le discours sur l’art, replacé dans le cadre d’une théorie de la culture plus globale d’où une nouvelle conception du sujet peut émerger. Sur le modèle des enquêtes ethnologiques centrées davantage sur le rituel que sur le mythe écrit, tous deux perçoivent originairement l’image comme l’expression (Ausdruck) polarisée d’affects opposés, et cela avant même de l’envisager aussi comme la présentation (Darstellung) de valeurs, motifs ou idées que l’artiste comme le spectateur peuvent davantage mettre à distance d’eux que ne l’autorise le niveau expressif pur du rituel magique. Selon cette anthropologie, art et pensée mythique participent à un processus culturel complexe qui les déborde ; la technique, les sciences, l’histoire, le droit, etc. interférant constamment pour former des aires relationnelles de projection où s’entre-écrivent différents langages, la mise en évidence des points de basculement d’une aire à une autre permettant de fournir les éléments d’un diagnostic critique.Cette « science générale de la culture comme théorie de l’homme en mouvement » se développe selon trois axes intrinsèquement liés qui organiseront notre propos. Elle est à un premier niveau une sémiotique des images, le schéma corporel fonctionnant comme médium symbolique originaire pour créer et recréer les images perçues. À un deuxième niveau, elle enracine continuellement le processus de création du sens des images dans une symbolisation rituelle. Enfin, elle implique à un dernier niveau une Kulturkritik ou, pour le dire autrement, comme c’est aussi le cas de manière emblématique chez Foucault, elle ouvre sur un « diagnostic critique » implicite qui met au jour le pouvoir de l’image en exhibant les points critiques où le principe d’un groupe de transformation d’images se modifie.
Task-based language teaching
Authors: Kazeroni Abdel
Published: May 2014

L’enseignement par tâches (ET) s’inscrit dans la mouvance des études sur l’approche communicative et l’acquisition d’une langue seconde. Dans le débat en cours sur l’apprentissage/acquisition des langues, ET se veut la démonstration que certains types d’activités communicatives d’apprentissage peuvent mener à l’acquisition, si on les organise selon des critères bien définis. Cependant, il existe des tâches conçues pour la mise en œuvre d’une démarche communicative (Prahbu 1987) ; des tâches fondées sur ce que nous savons de l’apprentissage des langues (Long 1985 ; Long & Crookes 1992, 1993) ; et des tâches fondées sur ce que nous connaissons grâce aux théories générales sur l’éducation (Breen 1984, 1987 ; Candlin 1987). Dans le présent article, nous examinons pour commencer deux types de programme d’étude qui semblent fournir une justification de ET. Nous présentons ensuite différents types de méthodes fondées sur la tâche à accomplir, notamment les catégories de tâches définies par Long & Crookes (1992, 1993). Nous étudions de quelle manière ces méthodes s’insèrent dans les trois conceptions de l’enseignement des langues que proposent Freeman & Richards (1993) et Richards (1994). Pour conclure, nous évoquons certains des problèmes que pose l’enseignement par tâches.
Has the food and agriculture sector played its intended role in socio-economic development of Sri Lanka? An empirical investigation
Authors: Bandara EGCD , Jayasinghe-Mudalige UK , Udugama JMM , Attanayake AMCM , Edirisinghe JC
Published: May 2014

This study examines the economic research problem of whether the food and agriculture sector of Sri Lanka has played its intended role in the process of socio-economic development. The Myint Hypothesis was used to develop the analytical framework, which states that, as a country passes through the process of structural transformation (i.e. the agricultural share decreases overtime, while the Gross Domestic Production increases), its food and agriculture sector should “give a hand” for socio-economic development. by: (1) increasing the supply of food available for domestic consumption (food security); (2) releasing the agricultural labor force for specialized work in other sectors, including the manufacturing and services (inter-sectoral labor mobility); (3) increasing the supply of domestic savings from agriculture sector (capital formation), and (4) increasing the foreign exchange earnings through agricultural exports (agricultural trade). The outcome of analysis, which employed Distributed Lag Models in various functional forms for the data covering the period of 1970 to 2010, shows that the performance of the agriculture sector was fairly satisfactory to upkeep the levels of household food security, capital formation and foreign exchange earnings. It justifies, overall, respective government’s efforts to safeguard agriculture sector by direct interventions, as it acts as the mainstay of livelihood for vast majority of people and has now come up to a situation where it can stand right with a “little help” extended by means of an incentive-based regulatory and facilitative policy framework. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/jas.v9i2.6910 The Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 2014, vol.9, no2: p.70-77
Factors affecting the discontinuation of protected agriculture enterprises in Sri Lanka
Authors: Wijerathna Madhavi , Weerakkody WAP , Kirindigoda S
Published: May 2014

This study was conducted to find out the factors causing the growers to discontinue protected vegetable production after few seasons of operation and to propose appropriate remedial measures. The investigation was done through key informant discussions, observations and interviews of randomly selected 60 members of Protected Agriculture Entrepreneurs Association (PAEA) using a semi structured interview schedule. The main reasons for discontinuing protected agriculture enterprises were socio-economic factors, namely; lack of transport facilities, problems in the marketing, marginal monitory returns, dependency on external support schemes on investments, part time engagement, lack of family support and scale of production (less than 2000 sq ft.).The technological features of the production enterprises did not indicate a significant association with the discontinuation. In order to facilitate the sustainability and mobility of the protected agriculture enterprises in Sri Lanka, the supply chain should be reorganized to collect, transport, store and ultimately market the produce. Monitoring and advisory programs should be linked with the small growers to minimize the production risks while reducing the production costs and thus increasing the profit margins. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/jas.v9i2.6912 The Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 2014, vol.9, no2: p.78-87
Evaluate the sorption behavior and identification of optimum drying conditions of Phylanthus ambelica (Nelli) and Zingiber officinale (Ginger)
Authors: Wijewardane RMNA , Gunawardane CR , Palipane KB , Gunawardena KVT , Samarakoon HC , Fernando MD
Published: May 2014

Drying behavior and the optimum drying conditions of Phylanthus ambelica (Nelli) and Zingiber officinale (Ginger) were evaluated. Moisture sorption isotherms were determined using the static gravimetric method using saturated salt solutions of water activities range from 0.05% - 0. 92% at two temperatures of 30°C and 50°C. Modified Henderson, Modified Chung-Pfost and GAB models were used to fit the experimental data and it was best fitted by the Chung-Pfost model. Thus Chung-Pfost model was used for the estimation of the equilibrium moisture content of tested medicinal crops. The process conditions for drying were optimized and 50°C was found to be the best suitable drying temperature for Phylanthus ambelica (Nelli) as well 40°C was preferred for Zingiber officinale (Ginger) with respect to preservation of its volatile substance significantly (p< 0.05). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/jas.v9i2.6913 The Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 2014, vol.9, no2: p.88-95
Microsatellite marker based hybridity assessment for salinity tolerance in rice
Authors: Gimhani DR , Kottearachchi NS , Samarasinghe WLG
Published: May 2014

Development salinity tolerant rice varieties have been a prioritized research area in rice breeding programs in Sri Lanka. Present study was initiated with the cross of At354, a salt tolerant parent and Bg352, a salt susceptible parent aiming at identifying salinity tolerant quantitative trait loci (QTL) in elite rice background. In rice, as getting true hybrids is a technical problem, F1 progeny was assessed using microsatellite markers that are close proximity to Saltol QTL in chromosome 1. SSR Markers such as RM1287, RM493, RM10772, RM10852 and RM140 were polymorphic between parents. Six true hybrids were selected by polymorphic markers and subsequent generations were developed successfully by single seed descent method. This study explains the feasibility of utilizing microsatellite markers for verification of hybridity, surveying of polymorphic markers in chromosome 1 of At354 and Bg352 and progress towards Recombinant Inbred Line population development. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/jas.v9i2.6914 The Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 2014, vol.9, no2: p.96-100
Editorial Foreword
Authors: Mahaliyanaarachchi Rohana P
Published: May 2014

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/jas.v9i2.6915 The Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 2014, vol.9, no2
The Lupus Susceptibility Locus Sle1 Facilitates the Peripheral Development and Selection of Anti-DNA B Cells through Impaired Receptor Editing
Authors: Chang Soog-Hee , Kim Tae-Joo , Kim Young-Joo , Liu Yang , Min So-Youn , Park Min-Jung , Park Hyun-Sil , Lee Sun-Kyung , Nam Ki-Hoan , Kim Ho-Youn , Mohan Chandra , Kim Hang-Rae
Published: May 2014

Systemic lupus erythematosus is characterized by the spontaneous production of IgG autoantibodies in patients and lupus-prone mice. In this study, we investigated the effect of the Sle1 lupus susceptibility locus on the peripheral development of 56R+ anti-DNA transgenic B cells by tracking 56R+ B cells in mice without (B6.56R) or with (B6.Sle1.56R) the Sle1 locus. Compared with B6.56R mice, B6.Sle1.56R mice exhibited increased class-switched IgG2a anti-DNA Abs in their serum, encoded by the transgene. Interestingly, within the spleen, Sle1 facilitated the development of these cells into clusters of IgG2a class-switched B cells juxtaposed to CD4+ T cells within extrafollicular sites. Through sequence analysis of B cell hybridomas, we also found that B cells from B6.Sle1.56R mice are inefficient at Ig H and L chain editing. Thus, the Ig H chains in Sle1.56R+ B cells are partnered more often with cationic L chains that facilitate DNA binding. Taken together, these findings indicate that the Sle1 lupus-susceptibility locus may facilitate the emergence of anti-DNA B cells by subduing BCR revision and possibly by shaping the extrafollicular development of effector B cells, although the precise molecular mechanisms await further study.
IL-4 Regulates Bim Expression and Promotes B Cell Maturation in Synergy with BAFF Conferring Resistance to Cell Death at Negative Selection Checkpoints
Authors: Granato Alessandra , Hayashi Elize A. , Baptista Barbara J. A. , Bellio Maria , Nobrega Alberto
Published: May 2014

IL-4 plays an essential role in the activation of mature B cells, but less is known about the role of IL-4 in B cell maturation and tolerance checkpoints. In this study, we analyzed the effect of IL-4 on in vitro B cell maturation, from immature to transitional stages, and its influence on BCR-mediated negative selection. Starting either from purified CD19+IgM− B cell precursors, or sorted bone marrow immature (B220lowIgMlowCD23−) and transitional (B220intIgMhighCD23−) B cells from C57BL/6 mice, we compared the maturation effects of IL-4 and BAFF. We found that IL-4 stimulated the generation of CD23+ transitional B cells from CD23− B cells, and this effect was comparable to BAFF. IL-4 showed a unique protective effect against anti-IgM apoptotic signals on transitional B cell checkpoint, not observed with BAFF. IL-4 and BAFF strongly synergized to promote B cell maturation, and IL-4 also rendered it refractory to BCR-mediated cell death. IL-4 blocked upregulation of proapoptotic Bim protein levels induced by BCR crosslinking, suggesting that diminished levels of intracellular Bim promote protection to BCR-induced cell death. Evidence was obtained indicating that downmodulation of Bim by IL-4 occurred in a posttranscriptional manner. Consistent with data obtained in vitro, IL-4 in vivo was able to inhibit Bim upregulation and prevent cell death. These results contribute to the understanding of the role of IL-4 in B lymphocyte physiology, unveiling a previously undescribed activity of this cytokine on the maturation of B cells, which could have important implications on the breaking of B cell central tolerance in autoimmunity.
Regulation of Embryonic Hematopoiesis by a Cytokine-Inducible SH2 Domain Homolog in Zebrafish
Authors: Lewis Rowena S. , Noor Suzita M. , Fraser Fiona W. , Sertori Robert , Liongue Clifford , Ward Alister C.
Published: May 2014

Cytokine-inducible SH2 domain–containing protein (CISH), a member of the suppressor of cytokine signaling family of negative feedback regulators, is induced by cytokines that activate STAT5 and can inhibit STAT5 signaling in vitro. However, demonstration of a definitive in vivo role for CISH during development has remained elusive. This study employed expression analysis and morpholino-mediated knockdown in zebrafish in concert with bioinformatics and biochemical approaches to investigate CISH function. Two zebrafish CISH paralogs were identified, cish.a and cish.b, with high overall conservation (43–46% identity) with their mammalian counterparts. The cish.a gene was maternally derived, with transcripts present throughout embryogenesis, and increasing at 4–5 d after fertilization, whereas cish.b expression commenced at 8 h after fertilization. Expression of cish.a was regulated by the JAK2/STAT5 pathway via conserved tetrameric STAT5 binding sites (TTCN3GAA) in its promoter. Injection of morpholinos targeting cish.a, but not cish.b or control morpholinos, resulted in enhanced embryonic erythropoiesis, myelopoiesis, and lymphopoiesis, including a 2- 3-fold increase in erythrocytic markers. This occurred concomitantly with increased activation of STAT5. This study indicates that CISH functions as a conserved in vivo target and regulator of STAT5 in the control of embryonic hematopoiesis.
Induction and Activation of Human Th17 by Targeting Antigens to Dendritic Cells via Dectin-1
Authors: Duluc Dorothée , Joo HyeMee , Ni Ling , Yin Wenjie , Upchurch Katherine , Li Dapeng , Xue Yaming , Klucar Peter , Zurawski Sandra , Zurawski Gerard , Oh SangKon
Published: May 2014

Recent compelling evidence indicates that Th17 confer host immunity against a variety of microbes, including extracellular and intracellular pathogens. Therefore, understanding mechanisms for the induction and activation of Ag-specific Th17 is important for the rational design of vaccines against pathogens. To study this, we employed an in vitro system in which influenza hemagglutinin (HA) 1 was delivered to dendritic cells (DCs) via Dectin-1 using anti–human Dectin-1 (hDectin-1)–HA1 recombinant fusion proteins. We found that healthy individuals maintained broad ranges of HA1-specific memory Th17 that were efficiently activated by DCs targeted with anti–hDectin-1–HA1. Nonetheless, these DCs were not able to induce a significant level of HA1-specific Th17 responses even in the presence of the Th17-promoting cytokines IL-1β and IL-6. We further found that the induction of surface IL-1R1 expression by signals via TCRs and common γ-chain receptors was essential for naive CD4+ T cell differentiation into HA1-specific Th17. This process was dependent on MyD88, but not IL-1R–associated kinase 1/4. Thus, interruptions in STAT3 or MyD88 signaling led to substantially diminished HA1-specific Th17 induction. Taken together, the de novo generation of pathogen-specific human Th17 requires complex, but complementary, actions of multiple signals. Data from this study will help us design a new and effective vaccine strategy that can promote Th17-mediated immunity against microbial pathogens.
miR-27a Regulates Inflammatory Response of Macrophages by Targeting IL-10
Authors: Xie Na , Cui Huachun , Banerjee Sami , Tan Zheng , Salomao Reinaldo , Fu Mingui , Abraham Edward , Thannickal Victor J. , Liu Gang
Published: May 2014

Although microRNAs were shown to participate in innate immune responses, it is not completely understood how they regulate negative immunomodulatory events. IL-10 is an important anti-inflammatory mediator that prevents excessive inflammation and associated immunological pathologies. Although the regulation of IL-10 expression has been well studied at both the transcriptional and translational levels, it is less clear how microRNAs control IL-10 expression during inflammation. In this study, we found that miR-27a is downregulated in macrophages following stimulation through TLR2 and TLR4, but not TLR3. Upregulation of miR-27a enhanced the expression of proinflammatory cytokines in TLR2/4-activated macrophages. Conversely, knockdown of miR-27a diminished cytokine expression. Mechanistically, we found that miR-27a negatively regulates IL-10 expression; upregulation of miR-27a decreases, whereas downregulation of miR-27a increases, IL-10 expression in activated macrophages. Likely due to the decreased expression of IL-10, upregulation of miR-27a diminished IL-10–dependent STAT3 phosphorylation in TLR4-activated macrophages. Consistent with IL-10 being a potential mediator for the role of miR-27a in the immune response, blocking IL-10 abolished the enhancing effect of miR-27a on TLR4-activated inflammation. In conclusion, our study identified miR-27a downregulation as a negative-regulatory mechanism that prevents overly exuberant TLR2- and TLR4-driven inflammatory responses.
HLA-B27, but Not HLA-B7, Immunodominance to Influenza Is ERAP Dependent
Authors: Akram Ali , Lin Aifeng , Gracey Eric , Streutker Catherine J. , Inman Robert D.
Published: May 2014

Endoplasmic reticulum–associated aminopeptidase-1 (ERAP1) plays a critical role in the processing of peptides prior to binding to MHC class I molecules. In this article, we show for the first time, to our knowledge, that the HLA-B27 immunodominant influenza nucleoprotein (NP) 383–391 epitope is made as an N-terminally extended 14-mer before it is trimmed by ERAP. In the absence of ERAP, there is a significant reduction in the CTL response to the B27/NP383–391 epitope in influenza A (flu)–infected B27/ERAP−/− mice. With the use of tetramer staining, the number of naive CD8+ T cells expressing TCR Vβ8.1 in B27/ERAP−/− transgenic mice is significantly lower than that seen in B27/ERAP+/+ mice. HLA-B27 surface expression in naive and flu-infected B27/ERAP−/− mice is also lower than the expression seen for the same allele in naive and flu-infected B27/ERAP+/+ mice. In contrast, surface expression of HLA-B7 was unaffected by the absence of ERAP in B7/ERAP−/− transgenic mice. The B7-restricted NP418–426 CTL response in flu-infected B7/ERAP−/− and B7/ERAP+/+ mice was also similar. These results provide, to our knowledge, the first in vivo demonstration of ERAP functionally influencing host immune response in an HLA allele-specific manner. This principle has relevance to diseases such as ankylosing spondylitis, in which HLA-B27 and ERAP jointly contribute to disease predisposition.
Effects of Oral Amino Acid Supplements on Functional Capacity in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure
Authors: Lombardi Carlo , Carubelli Valentina , Lazzarini Valentina , Vizzardi Enrico , Quinzani Filippo , Guidetti Federica , Rovetta Riccardo , Nodari Savina , Gheorghiade Mihai , Metra Marco
Published: May 2014

Amino acids (AAs) availability is reduced in patients with heart failure (HF) leading to abnormalities in cardiac and skeletal muscle metabolism, and eventually to a reduction in functional capacity and quality of life. In this study, we investigate the effects of oral supplementation with essential and semi-essential AAs for three months in patients with stable chronic HF. The primary endpoints were the effects of AA's supplementation on exercise tolerance (evaluated by cardiopulmonary stress test and six minutes walking test (6MWT)), whether the secondary endpoints were change in quality of life (evaluated by Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire—MLHFQJ and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels. We enrolled 13 patients with chronic stable HF on optimal therapy, symptomatic in New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II/III, with an ejection fraction (EF) <45%. The mean age was 59 ± 14 years, and 11 (84.6%) patients were male. After three months, peak VO2 (baseline 14.8 ± 3.9 mL/minute/kg vs follow-up 16.8 ± 5.1 mL/minute/kg; P = 0.008) and VO2 at anaerobic threshold improved significantly (baseline 9.0 ± 3.8 mL/minute/kg vs follow-up 12.4 ± 3.9 mL/minute/kg; P = 0.002), as the 6MWT distance (baseline 439.1 ± 64.3 m vs follow-up 474.2 ± 89.0 m; P = 0.006). However, the quality of life did not change significantly (baseline 21 ± 14 vs follow-up 25 ± 13; P = 0.321). A non-significant trend in the reduction of NT-proBNP levels was observed (baseline 1502 ± 1900 ng/L vs follow-up 1040 ± 1345 ng/L; P = 0.052). AAs treatment resulted safe and was well tolerated by all patients. In our study, AAs supplementation in patients with chronic HF improved exercise tolerance but did not change quality of life.
Diagnosing CO2 fluxes in the upwelling system off the Oregon coast
Authors: Cao Z. , Dai M. , Evans W. , Gan J. , Feely R.
Published: May 2014

Abstract. It is generally known that the interplay between the carbon and nutrients supplied from subsurface waters via biological metabolism would determine the CO2 fluxes in upwelling systems. However, quantificational assessment of such interplay is difficult because of the dynamic nature of both upwelling circulation and the associated biogeochemistry. In this study, the diagnosis approach based upon the carbon/nutrient mass balance in the Ocean-dominated Margin (OceMar) framework was applied to resolve the CO2 fluxes in the well-known upwelling system in the US west coast off Oregon, using the data collected along two cross-shelf transects from the inner shelf to the open basin in spring/early summer 2007. Through examining the biological consumption on top of the water mass mixing built upon the total alkalinity–salinity relationship, we successfully predicted and semi-analytically resolved the CO2 fluxes showing strong uptakes from the atmosphere beyond the nearshore regions, primarily resulting from the higher utilization of nutrients relative to dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) based on their concurrent inputs from the depth. On the other hand, we showed significant CO2 outgassing in the nearshore regions associated with intensified upwelling and minor biological consumption, where CO2 fluxes could be simplified without considering DIC/nutrient consumption. We reasoned that our approach in conceptualizing OceMar would be in a steady state with balanced DIC and nutrients via both physical transport and biological alterations in comparable timescales.
Does generation benefit learning for narrative and expository texts? A direct replication attempt
Authors: Schindler Julia , Richter Tobias , Mar Raymond A.
Published: July 2024

Generated information is better recognized and recalled than information that is read. This generation effect has been replicated several times for different types of material, including texts. Perhaps the most influential demonstration is by McDaniel, Einstein, Dunay, and Cobb (Journal of Memory and Language, 1986, 25(6), 645–656; henceforth MEDC). This group tested whether the generation effect occurs only if the generation task stimulates cognitive processes not already stimulated by the text. Numerous studies, however, report difficulties replicating this text by generation‐task interaction, which suggests that the effect might only be found under conditions closer to the original method of MEDC. To test this assumption, the present study closely replicated MEDC's Experiment 2 in two separate German and English‐speaking samples. The present study provided partial evidence in favor of the expected interaction, which ultimately depended on successful completion of the generation task (with near‐to‐perfect accuracy). Moreover, it indicates that sentence unscrambling might enhance learning across genres.
Fusion of Selenium‐Embedded Multi‐Resonance Units Toward Narrowband Emission and Fast Triplet‐Singlet Exciton Conversion
Authors: Jin Jibiao , Chen Mei , Jiang He , Zhang Baohua , Xie Zhiyuan , Wong Wai‐Yeung
Published: July 2024

Developing multi‐resonance thermally activated fluorescence (MR‐TADF) emitters with both fast reverse intersystem crossing (RISC) rate and narrow emission bandwidth still remains a formidable challenge. Herein, a design strategy of fused MR skeleton containing heavy chalcogen (sulfur or selenium) for high‐performance MR‐TADF molecules is developed. Impressively, Se‐embedded emitter (DSeBN) shows extremely narrow full width at half maximum (FWHM) value of 16 nm and ultrafast RISC rate constant up to 2.0 × 106 s−1. The organic light‐emitting diode (OLED) based on this emitter exhibits excellent performance parameters with extremely narrow FWHM of 17 nm and high external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 35.31%. Significantly, much suppressed efficiency roll‐off is achieved, in which the EQE still stayed at 32.47% and 25.05% at the luminance of 100 and 1000 cd m−2, respectively. These results represent the state‐of‐the‐art device performance in terms of efficiency and FWHM, shedding new light on the development of practical MR‐TADF emitters.
A High‐Throughput in Vitro Assay System for the Detection of the Enzymatic Dihydroxylation of Aliphatic Olefins
Authors: Rutkowski Bailey N. , Talley Ella R. , Combs Jasney , Froese Jordan T.
Published: July 2024

Rieske dioxygenase enzymes can perform the cis‐dihydroxylation of aliphatic olefins, representing a potential green alternative to established methods of performing this important transformation. However, the activity of the natural enzymes in this context is low relative to their more well‐known activity in the cis‐dihydroxylation of aromatics. To enable the engineering of dioxygenase enzymes for improved activity in the dihydroxylation of aliphatic olefins, we have developed an assay system to detect the relevant diol metabolites produced from whole‐cell fermentation cultures. Optimization studies were carried out to maximize the sensitivity of the assay system, and its utility in the in vitro screening of enzyme variant libraries was demonstrated. The assay system was utilized in screening studies that identified Rieske dioxygenase variants with significantly improved activity in the dihydroxylation of aliphatic olefins relative to the wild‐type enzyme.