bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Нейровизуализационная характеристика гигантских аденом гипофиза в зависимости от механического фактора
Authors: Urmanova Yu.M. , Alimova K.B.
Published: September 2016

Цель исследования — анализ данных магнитно-резонансной томографии в зависимости от механического фактора гигантских аденом гипофиза. Материалы и методы. За период с 2015 по 2016 г. обследовано 22 взрослых больных с гигантскими аденомами гипофиза (мужчин — 50,0 %, средний возраст — 48,5 года). Давность заболевания колебалась в пределах от 2 месяцев до 25 лет. Результаты. У 31,8 % пациентов с эндосупраселлярным ростом опухоли гипофиза наблюдается хиазмальный синдром с выпадением полей зрения (битемпоральная гемианопсия, начальная гомонимная гемианопсия, полная гомонимная гемианопсия, скотомы и др.). Для больных с ретроселлярным ростом опухоли гипофиза (4,5 %) характерны нарушения, вызванные ростом опухоли в ствол мозга, что обу­словливает как поражение черепно-мозговых нервов, так и вегетативные кризы, а также пирамидную симптоматику (патологические рефлексы, симптомы перорального автоматизма). Для больных с эндолатероселлярным ростом опухоли наиболее характерными считаются снижение остроты зрения на один глаз, односторонние головные боли, поражение глазодвигательных нервов. Для больных с эндоинфраселлярным ростом опухоли характерны нарушения носового дыхания и глотания (дисфагия) (у 4,5 % больных). Для больных с эндоантеселлярным ростом опухоли характерны нарушения, вызванные ростом в решетчатый лабиринт, орбиту. Выводы. Наиболее выраженные нейроэндокринные, офтальмологические и стволовые нарушения наблюдались у пациентов с тотальным вариантом роста. Гигантские аденомы гипофиза часто сопровождаются инвазивным ростом в окружающие анатомические структуры (69,2 %), что является основным фактором, ограничивающим радикальность оперативного вмешательства и увеличивающим число рецидивов.
Вплив на ендотеліальну дисфункцію - нова стратегія превентивної кардіоневрології
Authors: Tlustova T.V.
Published: September 2016

У статті представлені матеріали наукової конференцій «Карпатські читання 2016». Доповідь С.М. Кузнєцової була присвячена можливостям корекції енергетичного обміну та ендотеліальної дисфункції у хворих на церебральний атеросклероз. Представлені функції і значення ендотелію в організмі. А також обгрунтовано показання та переваги застосування препарату Капікор у хворих із дисциркуляторною енцефалопатією. У доповіді Воронкова Л.Г. відображена важливість своєчасної корекції функції ендотелію як ключової ланки превентивної судинної медицини. Соломенчук Т.М. розповіла про можливості метаболічної терапії при різних формах ішемічної хвороби серця.
Development of institutional bases of leasing
Authors: Yas’kova Natal’ya Yur’evna , Alekseeva Tat’yana Romanovna
Published: September 2016

Institutional approach to the research of leasing in modern conditions is considered in the article. Formal and informal institutions of the leasing relations are investigated. Ratios of public and subjective expenses and benefits in institutional system of leasing are shown. Features of interaction of agents of the leasing relations, their interests and tendency to manifestation of opportunistic behavior are investigated. The typology of mechanisms of implementation of institutional changes is considered. The need of structural changes of the institutes of leasing relations is proved. It is offered to introduce “institution of engineering” in the structure of institutions of leasing relations. It will allow providing harmonization of the interests of the agents of leasing relations, decreasing their opportunistic behavior, and reducing the transactional expenses of the participants of leasing. It will promote prevention of their opportunistic behavior and reduction of transaction expenses of the participants of leasing. In our opinion, “the institution of leasing” is a set of formal and informal rules, norms and mechanisms of enforcement of their performance (institutes of property, financial rent (leasing), crediting, insurance and other institutes of leasing relations), which govern the property and economic relations, the arising relations with acquisition of ownership and its subsequent assignment for use for a certain time with payment. These norms and rules are necessary for ensuring stability and definiteness in the relations between the participants of leasing, and also for protection of their rights and economic interests.
Asymptotic solution of the filtration equation
Authors: Kuzmina Ludmila Ivanovna , Osipov Yuri Viktorovich
Published: September 2016

The problem of filtering a suspension of tiny solid particles in a porous medium is considered. The suspension with constant concentration of suspended particles at the filter inlet moves through the empty filter at a constant speed. There are no particles ahead of the front; behind the front of the fluid flow solid particles interact with the porous medium. The geometric model of filtration without effects caused by viscosity and electrostatic forces is considered. Solid particles in the suspension pass freely through large pores together with the fluid flow and are stuck in the pores that are smaller than the size of the particles. It is considered that one particle can clog only one small pore and vice versa. The precipitated particles form a fixed deposit increasing over time. The filtration problem is formed by the system of two quasi-linear differential equations in partial derivatives with respect to the concentrations of suspended and retained particles. The boundary conditions are set at the filter inlet and at the initial moment. At the concentration front the solution of the problem is discontinuous. By the method of potential the system of equations of the filtration problem is reduced to one equation with respect to the concentration of deposit with a boundary condition in integral form. An asymptotic solution of the filtration equation is constructed near the concentration front. The terms of the asymptotic expansions satisfy linear ordinary differential equations of the first order and are determined successively in an explicit form. For verification of the asymptotics the comparison with the known exact solutions is performed.
Concrete with organic mineral admixture based on fine grinding cooper slag
Authors: Kravtsov Aleksey Vladimirovich , Tsybakin Sergey Valer’evich , Vinogradova Ekaterina Alekseevna , Borodina Lidiya Mikhaylovna
Published: September 2016

The problem of applying copper manufacturing wastes locating in Chelyabinsk region as a component of organic mineral admixture for concrete with industrial wastes production is considered in this article. Also, organic mineral admixture consisting of superplasticizers, based on esters with carboxyl groups, has not yet been sufficiently studied due to the diversity of species and the complexity of chemical structure. This trend is current for today’s science because of the growing rates and scales of building production, in particular, concrete works. Using new complex admixtures processed of industrial by-products showed their effectiveness. Copper slag dumps located in Urals federal district haven’t been widely used in building production or in other industrial production up to the present time. Efficient utilization of copper production waste materials will help to solve the ecological problems in most regions of Russia. The structure formation period of cement stone with organic mineral admixture, based on fine grinding cooper slag and superplasticizer, is also studied in the article. The thermal variation diagram of concrete mixture with organic mineral admixture during 22 hours of hardening under normal condition are shown and the results of ultrasound of concrete forming structure period during 6 hours of hardening are presented in this article. The strength development process diagram of concrete with organic mineral admixture during 28 days of hardening under normal condition and the research results of the compressive strength of concrete samples are also presented. The obtained characteristics confirm the prospects of applying this kind of non-ferrous metallurgy wastes in the concrete. Also, the obtained results allow us to conclude the significant advantages of using this kind of complex admixture for concrete production with different purpose and in different fields of application.
Some consequences of repeated casting of Co-Cr dental alloy
Authors: Maksimovic Vesna , Stoiljkovic Milovan , Cairovic Aleksandra
Published: September 2016

The effect of multiple recasting of commercial Co-Cr base dental alloy
(Dentalit-C) on its structural characteristics and ion release rates in
artificial saliva has been investigated. The number of recasting was once,
four and eight times. The as-cast microstructure became more uniform as the
number of recasting was increased whereby macro and microhardness and
electrical conductivity of the castings decreased. Metallic ion release in
artificial saliva was monitored in vitro over the period of 22 weeks at the
temperature of 37 0C and pH 2.3. Only Co and Fe were evidenced in artificial
saliva and their release rates are measured. The ion release rates increases
with time. The ion release rate of Fe was larger than Co. The ion release
rates increases substantially by increasing the number of recasting.
Schwarz waveform relaxation algorithm for heat equations with distributed delay
Authors: Wu Shu-Lin
Published: September 2016

Heat equations with distributed delay are a class of mathematic models that
has wide applications in many fields. Numerical computation plays an
important role in the investigation of these equations, because the analytic
solutions of partial differential equations with time delay are usually
unavailable. On the other hand, duo to the delay property, numerical
computation of these equations is time-consuming. To reduce the computation
time, we analyze in this paper the Schwarz waveform relaxation algorithm with
Robin transmission conditions. The Robin transmission conditions contain a
free parameter, which has a significant effect on the convergence rate of the
Schwarz waveform relaxation algorithm. Determining the Robin parameter is
therefore one of the top-priority matters for the study of the Schwarz
waveform relaxation algorithm. We provide new formula to fix the Robin
parameter and we show numerically that the new Robin parameter is more
efficient than the one proposed previously in the literature.
A novel series method for fractional diffusion equation within Caputo fractional derivative
Authors: Yan Sheng-Ping , Zhong Wei-Ping , Yang Xiao-Jun
Published: September 2016

In this paper, we suggest the series expansion method for finding the series
solution for the time-fractional diffusion equation involving Caputo
fractional derivative.
A variational-perturbation method for solving the time-dependent singularly perturbed reaction-diffusion problems
Authors: Zhou Guanglu , Wu Boying
Published: September 2016

In this paper, we combine the variational iteration method and perturbation
theory to solve a time-dependent singularly perturbed reaction-diffusion
problem. The problem is considered in the boundary layers and outer region.
In the boundary layers, the problem is transformed by the variable
substitution, and then the variational iteration method is employed to solve
the transformed equation. In the outer region, we use the perturbation theory
to obtain the approximation equation and the approximation solution. The
final numerical experiments show that this method is accurate.
Study on finite deformation finite element analysis algorithm of turbine blade based on CPU+GPU heterogeneous parallel computation
Authors: Liu Tian-Yuan , Dang Hao , Xie Yong-Hui
Published: September 2016

Blade is one of the core components of turbine machinery. The reliability of
blade is directly related to the normal operation of plant unit. However,
with the increase of blade length and flow rate, non-linear effects such as
finite deformation must be considered in strength computation to guarantee
enough accuracy. Parallel computation is adopted to improve the efficiency of
classical nonlinear finite element method and shorten the blade design
period. So it is of extraordinary importance for engineering practice. In
this paper, the dynamic partial differential equations and the finite element
method forms for turbine blades under centrifugal load and flow load are
given firstly. Then, according to the characteristics of turbine blade model,
the classical method is optimized based on central processing unit + graphics
processing unit heterogeneous parallel computation. Finally, the numerical
experiment validations are performed. The computation speed of the algorithm
proposed in this paper is compared with the speed of ANSYS. For the rectangle
plate model with mesh number of 10 k to 4000 k, a maximum speed-up of 4.31
can be obtained. For the real blade-rim model with mesh number of 500 k, the
speed-up of 4.54 times can be obtained.
On three-dimensional incompressible Navier-Stokes fluid on cantor sets in spherical Cantor type co-ordinate system
Authors: Meng Zhi-Jun , Zhou Yao-Ming , Mei Dong-Mu
Published: September 2016

This paper addresses the systems of the incompressible Navier-Stokes
equations on Cantor sets without the external force involving the fractal
heat-conduction problem vial local fractional derivative. The spherical
Cantor type co-ordinate method is used to transfer the incompressible
Navier-Stokes equation from the Cantorian co-ordinate system into the
spherical Cantor type co-ordinate system.
An efficient optimization method for structures with local non-linearity
Authors: Zheng Zhao-Li , Wang Yu-Qi , Zhang Di
Published: September 2016

During the operation of turbines, one of the common accidents is due to the
structure failure of blades. The contact model with strong non-linearity and
time variation makes it difficult to be analyzed. In this paper, firstly, the
contact model is described by using fractal theory. Secondly, the new method
for the optimization of turbine blade is proposed, which is a kind of
structure with local nonlinearity and multi degree of freedom. The method
reduces the number of degrees of freedom by forming a new super element,
which makes the linear part of turbine blade without repeated calculation in
the non-linear iteration process. Therefore, it can shorten the calculation
time and reduce the demand for computing resources. Finally, an optimization
of the turbine blade is carried out, and the maximum equivalent stress
reduces by 13.19%, which proves the effectiveness of the new optimization
method.
First patient in Serbia with biochemically and genetically diagnosed pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy
Authors: Jesic Milos , Jesic Maja , Buljugic Svetlana , Zivanovic Aleksandra
Published: September 2016

Introduction. Pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy (PDE) is a rare autosomal recessive inborn error of metabolism present with early-onset seizures resistant to common anticonvulsants. PDE has been shown to be caused by a defect of a ?-aminoadipic semialdehyde dehydrogenase (also known as ALDH7A1 or antiquitin) in the cerebral lysine degradation pathway. Its deficiency results in accumulation of ?-aminoadipic semialdehyde (?-AASA), piperideine -6-carboxylate and pipecolic acid, which serve as diagnostic markers in urine, plasma and cerebrospinal fluid of the disease. ?-Aminoadipic semialdehyde dehydrogenase is encoded by the ALDH7A1 or antiquitin gene and definite confirmation of diagnosis of PDE is made by genetic analysis. Case report. We present a first patient in Serbia who was diagnosed clinically, biochemically and genetically. We suspected PDE due to drug-resistant seizures in the seventh day of life when we attempted with pyridoxine. Since that time the patient has taken pyridoxine and the seizures have not recured. Our patient had markedly elevated ?- AASA in urine while on treatment with individual dosages of pyridoxine. Molecular-genetical analysis identified mutations of the ALDH7A1 (antiquitin) gene. Conclusion. ?-AASA is reliable marker to select PDF patient for molecular analysis of the ALDH7A1(antiquitin) gene. Diagnosis is confirmed by molecular- genetical analysis and pyridoxine withdrawal is no longer needed to establish the diagnosis of ?definite? PDE.
Risk factors associated with early childhood caries in autonomous province of Vojvodina, Republic of Serbia
Authors: Tusek Ivan , Tusek Jasmina , Ukropina Snezana
Published: September 2016

Background/Aim. Early childhood caries (ECC) is still unexplored in Vojvodina an autonomous province of the Republic of Serbia. The aim of this study was to determine its prevalence in preschoolers and to define the risk factors that affect the prevalence of this disease. Methods. The survey was designed as a cross-sectional analytical study of preschool children in the region of Vojvodina, the Republic of Serbia. Sample type has been projected as a systematic sample and contained both parents and their children from 13 to 71 months of age. The study was designed with a dental examination of children and self-administered questionnaire which included: gender of children, self-referred socioeconomic status, parental education, oral status and health information level about parents and their child, child oral hygiene habits, type of feeding during infancy, consumption of sweets, and use of medical syrups. The data was further analyzed using the SPSS for Windows Microsoft Excel, version 21. The percentage of caries-free children was compared using ?2 test; one way ANOVA was used to compare the mean disease indices at the 5% level of significance. Categorical variables were compared for statistical difference across groups using contingency ?2 tests together with multinomial logistic regression modeling regarding the predictive model for ECC prevention. Results. The case group involved 452 (52.44%) males and 410 (47.56%) females. The prevalence of ECC in children 13-71 months old was 46.64%. Logistic regression model showed that those children who used sweets between meals, were more likely to have ECC (OR = 181.16; 95%, CI = 84.29?389.34), as well as those who used medical syrups more than five times a year in comparison to those who never used medicines (OR = 8.08; 95% CI = 3.78?17.27), among parents with poor oral status (OR = 3.09; 95% CI = 1.65?5.79) and low health informed parents (OR = 217.57; 95% CI = 84.46?560.50). Conclusion. This study suggests an association be-tween the examined risk factors and high ECC prevalence in preschool children in Vojvodina
Asymmetry in Identification of Multiplicity Errors in Conceptual Models of Business Processes
Authors: Dunn Cheryl L. , Gerard Gregory J. , Grabski Severin V. , Boss Scott R.
Published: September 2016

Business rules can be represented by multiplicities in a Unified Modeling Language (UML) class diagram. Diagrams containing erroneous multiplicities may be implemented as an inefficient/ineffective database. System validators must be able to validate such diagrams, including multiplicities, to prevent the implementation of design errors. Prior research reveals conflicting evidence regarding the expected accuracy in validating minimum multiplicities, indicating a need for additional research to further our understanding. Ontology research claims that multiplicities that depict optional participation are ambiguous and lead to poorer understanding and accuracy compared to multiplicities that depict mandatory participation. However, other research has reported better accuracy validating multiplicities that depict optional participation compared to mandatory participation. We conducted an experiment to help resolve this apparent contradiction, and to explore whether any asymmetry exists in accuracy for maximum multiplicity validation. Results indicate an asymmetry for validation of minimum multiplicities such that accuracy is greatest when the underlying semantics represent mandatory participation. Results also indicate an asymmetry for validation of maximum multiplicities such that accuracy is greatest when the underlying semantics represent flexible participation. Given that many business relationships call for optional minimum participation and that many business relationships call for restrictive maximum participation, these error identification asymmetries are cause for concern.
Institutional Ownership and CEO Equity Incentives
Authors: Bratten Brian , Xue Yanfeng
Published: September 2016

This study provides new evidence on the relation between institutional ownership and the equity incentives provided to CEOs by their portfolio holdings of stock and stock options. We show that when firms' CEOs have abnormally high equity incentives, higher institutional ownership is associated with a larger reduction in the incentives. Conversely, when firms' CEOs have abnormally low equity incentives, higher institutional ownership is associated with a larger increase in these incentives. To achieve this, we find that firms with higher institutional ownership that have abnormally high (low) incentives experience a greater reduction (increase) in CEO annual option grants and a substitution between CEO equity-based compensation and cash-based compensation. Our findings highlight the important role of institutional investors in enhancing efficiency in the top executives' compensation contracting process.

JEL Classifications: G30; G34; J33; L25; M41.
Patterns of Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate Decline Leading to End-Stage Renal Disease in Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Skupien Jan , Warram James H. , Smiles Adam M. , Stanton Robert C. , Krolewski Andrzej S.
Published: September 2016

OBJECTIVE

The patterns of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decline to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in patients with type 1 diabetes has not been conclusively described. Decline could be linearly progressive to ESRD but with a variable rate. Conversely, decline may be linear but interrupted by periods of plateaus or improvements.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

This observational study included 364 patients with type 1 diabetes attending the Joslin Clinic who developed ESRD between 1991 and 2013. We retrieved serum creatinine measurements from clinic visits or research examinations up to 24 years (median 6.7 years) preceding the onset of ESRD. Using serial measurements of serum creatinine to estimate renal function (eGFR), we used regression-based spline methods and a data smoothing approach to characterize individual trajectories of eGFR over time for the 257 patients with five or more data points.

RESULTS

The rate of eGFR decline per year ranged widely, from −72 to −2 mL/min/1.73 m2 (median −8.5). The trajectories, as characterized with linear regression-based spline models, were linear or nearly so for 87% of patients, accelerating for 6%, and decelerating for 7%. Smoothed trajectories evaluated by a Bayesian approach did not significantly depart from a linear fit in 76%.

CONCLUSIONS

The decline of eGFR in type 1 diabetes is predominantly linear. Deviations from linearity are small, with little effect on the expected time of ESRD. A single disease process most likely underlies renal decline from its initiation and continues with the same intensity to ESRD. Linearity of renal decline suggests using slope reduction as the measure of effectiveness of interventions to postpone ESRD.
Efficacy and Safety of LixiLan, a Titratable Fixed-Ratio Combination of Insulin Glargine Plus Lixisenatide in Type 2 Diabetes Inadequately Controlled on Basal Insulin and Metformin: The LixiLan-L Randomized Trial
Authors: Aroda Vanita R. , Rosenstock Julio , Wysham Carol , Unger Jeffrey , Bellido Diego , González-Gálvez Guillermo , Takami Akane , Guo Hailing , Niemoeller Elisabeth , Souhami Elisabeth , Bergenstal Richard M. ,   on behalf of the LixiLan-L Trial Investigators
Published: September 2016

OBJECTIVE

This study was conducted to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of LixiLan (iGlarLixi), a novel, titratable, fixed-ratio combination of insulin glargine (iGlar) (100 units) and lixisenatide, compared with iGlar in patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled on basal insulin with or without up to two oral glucose-lowering agents.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

After a 6-week run-in when iGlar was introduced and/or further titrated, and oral antidiabetic drugs other than metformin were stopped, 736 basal insulin-treated patients (mean diabetes duration 12 years, BMI 31 kg/m2) were randomized 1:1 to open-label, once-daily iGlarLixi or iGlar, both titrated to fasting plasma glucose <100 mg/dL (<5.6 mmol/L) up to a maximum dose of 60 units/day. The primary outcome was change in HbA1c levels at 30 weeks.

RESULTS

HbA1c decreased from 8.5% (69 mmol/mol) to 8.1% (65 mmol/mol) during the run-in period. After randomization, iGlarLixi showed greater reductions in HbA1c from baseline compared with iGlar (–1.1% vs. –0.6%, P < 0.0001), reaching a mean final HbA1c of 6.9% (52 mmol/mol) compared with 7.5% (58 mmol/mol) for iGlar. HbA1c <7.0% (53 mmol/mol) was achieved in 55% of iGlarLixi patients compared with 30% on iGlar. Mean body weight decreased by 0.7 kg with iGlarLixi and increased by 0.7 kg with iGlar (1.4 kg difference, P < 0.0001). Documented symptomatic hypoglycemia (≤70 mg/dL) was comparable between groups. Mild gastrointestinal adverse effects were very low but more frequent with iGlarLixi.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with iGlar, a substantially higher proportion of iGlarLixi-treated patients achieved glycemic targets with a beneficial effect on body weight, no additional risk of hypoglycemia, and low levels of gastrointestinal adverse effects in inadequately controlled, basal insulin-treated, long-standing type 2 diabetes.
An In Situ Study of the Influence of Staining Beverages on Color Alteration of Bleached Teeth
Authors: Briso AL , Fagundes TC , Gallinari MO , Moreira J , de Almeida LCAG , Rahal V , Gonçalves RS , Santos PH dos
Published: September 2016

The aim of this study was to evaluate overall color change in bovine tooth fragments submitted to dental bleaching treatment performed simultaneously with the ingestion of beverages containing dyes. For this purpose, tooth fragments assembled into intraoral devices were submitted to at-home dental bleaching using 10% carbamide peroxide (CP) for 14 days and to immersion in staining beverages for 10 minutes daily. The specimens were divided into the following study groups according to bleaching treatment and staining substance (n=12): G I (negative control): no bleaching + distilled water; G II (positive control): bleaching + distilled water; G III: bleaching + coffee; and G IV: bleaching + grape juice. Twelve volunteers used the device continually, except during meals, oral hygiene, dental bleaching, and pigment challenge. Color readings were performed using a spectrophotometer both before the bleaching treatment and after each treatment week. The results were submitted to the normality test. The data obtained were submitted to analysis of variance and the Tukey or Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn tests (α=0.05). All bleached groups showed similar ΔE results at the end of treatment. Staining beverages generated negative ΔL mean values, and the lowest result was obtained in the treatment with coffee after 14 days. The Δa values in the groups that received treatment with staining beverages were higher when compared to the control groups. Dental bleaching associated with the consumption of staining substances may not affect overall tooth color change by the end of the treatment, although the consumption of staining substances did influence the different color dimensions.
Sensitivity and specificity of manual and automated measurements of reticulocyte parameters for classification of anemia in dogs: 174 cases (1993–2013)
Authors: Paltrinieri Saverio , Rossi Gabriele , Manca Michela , Scarpa Paola , Vitiello Tiziana , Giordano Alessia
Published: September 2016

OBJECTIVE To assess sensitivity and specificity of manual and automated measurements of reticulocyte percentage, number, and production index for classification of anemia in dogs.

DESIGN Retrospective case series

SAMPLE 174 blood smears from client-owned dogs with anemia collected between 1993 and 2013 for which reticulocyte parameters were determined manually (nonregenerative anemia, 22; preregenerative anemia, 23; regenerative anemia, 28) or with an automated laser-based counter (nonregenerative anemia, 66; preregenerative anemia, 17; regenerative anemia, 18).

PROCEDURES Diagnostic performance was evaluated with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves by considering preregenerative anemia as nonregenerative or regenerative. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive likelihood ratio were calculated by use of cutoffs determined from ROC curves or published reference limits.

RESULTS Considering preregenerative anemia as non regenerative, areas under the curve (AUCs) for reticulocyte percentage, number, and production index were 97%, 93%, and 91% for manual counting and 93%, 90%, and 93% for automated counting. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive likelihood ratio were 82% to 86%, 82% to 87%, and 4.6 to 6.4, respectively. Considering preregenerative anemia as regenerative, AUCs were 77%, 82%, and 80% for manual counting and 81%, 82%, and 92% for automated counting. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive likelihood ratio were 72% to 74%, 76 to 87%, and 2.7 to 6.2, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Whereas all reticulocyte parameters identified regeneration in anemic dogs, the performance of specific parameters was dependent on the method used. Findings suggested that lower cutoffs than published reference limits are preferred for reticulocyte number and production index and higher cutoffs are preferred for reticulocyte percentage. Reticulocyte production index may be useful when the pretest probability of regeneration is moderate.
Women in Movement
Authors: Carneiro Sueli , Camargo Regina
Published: September 2016

This essay seeks to define the course of Brazilian black women's struggle within the national feminist movement. It questions the classic feminist perspective founded on a supposedly universal notion of woman that takes Western white women as its paradigm, obscuring the perception of the multiple intra- and inter-gender contradictions brought about by racial issues. Given these contradictions, black women are called upon to establish themselves as a new political entity, bearing a new agenda that derives from a specific identity wherein the variables of gender, race, and class interact, posing new and more complex challenges to our society efforts in attaining equitability of gender and race.
Beyond the Flesh: Contemporary Representations of the Black Female Body in Afro-Brazilian Literature
Authors: de Araújo Flávia Santos
Published: September 2016

This essay takes an intersectional and transnational approach to analyze how selected poetic texts by contemporary Afro-Brazilian writers Conceição Evaristo, Esmeralda Ribeiro Cristiane Sobral, Miriam Alves, and Elisa Lucinda (re)design portrayals of Afro-descendant/black female bodies. As cultural artifacts, I argue that these poetic/political constructs give evidence of Afro- Brazilian female bodies as historical: on one hand, they represent the embodiment of “otherness” as they historically differ from the standards of (white) “normalcy;” on the other hand, they carry both the silenced histories of racial and sexual exploitation and the appeal of hyper-sexualized and exoticized stereotypes. I am also interested in discussing how these writings/writers articulate notions and images connected to discourses of mestiçagem in order to rewrite black women's bodies into new historical perspectives; how they question long-established national narratives of racial harmony; and how they build dialogues with a more diasporic understanding of black women's cultural and political networking across the Americas. Finally, this essay explores the ways in which contemporary Afro-Brazilian literature opens to the reaffirmation of black female subjectivities from multiple cultural perspectives and identities.
Evaluating Sheath Blight Resistance in Rice Using Detached Tiller and Field Screening Method
Authors: Chaudhary Bedanand
Published: September 2016

In present study physical resistance test on 12 rice varieties against sheath blight (ShB) caused by Rhizoctonia solani was examined. A detached tiller test was used to measure components of ShB physiological resistance at Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS), Tarahara, Nepal. The varieties were evaluated in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 3 replications in year 2010-12. A sclerotium was inserted below the leaf collar of individual tillers maintained in tubes filled with water. Only the 56-day old susceptible plants were inoculated. After 7 days of inoculation, number of lesions, dead leaves, vertical sheath colonization and disease severity were measured. In 2011, field experiments were conducted with three replications to address morphological resistance in 28 rice genotypes. Disease incidence was recorded on 14, 21 and 28 days after inoculation. The number of dead leaves differed only numerically while disease variables significantly (P=0.004) varied among varieties. The other variables were highly correlated with each other. Cluster analysis of variables formed three varietal groups; Sabitri with lowest, and Jasmine-85 and Betichikon having highest values. Rice genotypes differed significantly (P=0.05) for disease incidence and area Under Disease Progress Curve (AUDPC). Tetep and IAC-165 had the lowest and highest terminal disease incidences and AUDPC, respectively. Sabitri, MTU-1010 and IR-26 recorded lower AUDPC values. Hence, Tetep and Sabitri could be used as donors in hybridization and their plant morphology could be considered as selection guide for improving ShB resistance in rice.Journal of Nepal Agricultural Research Council Vol.1 2015 pp.1-8
Effects of Neem (Azadirachta indic) and Custard Apple (Annona reticulata) Diets on Sterility of House Rat (Rattus rattus)
Authors: Sharma Prem Nidhi , Shrestha Poorna Dass Dhaubaji , Chauhan Shiv Raj , Sharma Vinita
Published: September 2016

Three different plant products diets – i) neem (Azadirachta indic A. Juss) oil mixed diet (neem oil mixed @ 80 ml/kg of normal diet), ii) neem seed powder mixed diet (neem seed powder mixed @ 80 g/kg of normal diet) and iii) custard apple (Annona reticulata L.) seed powder mixed diet (custard apple seed powder mixed @ 80 g/kg of normal diet) were separately fed to mature rats (Rattus rattus) with single dose feeding of 80 g per pair in a day on 13th week-age during the experimenting years, 2012/013 and 2013/014. In control group only normal diet without neem and custard apple constituents were fed. Sterility test of rat was conducted up to 38 and 28 weeks-age in first and second year, respectively. The test rats were fed normal diet during whole experimenting periods except the one day when they were fed only the neem or custard apple mixed diet on the age of 13th week. Efficacy of the mixed diets on rat-sterility was determined based on pregnancy and parturition by the rats. The two years' results confirmed that all the tested three mixed diets – neem oil mixed diet, neem seed powder mixed diet, and custard apple seed powder mixed diet were effective to stop pregnancy and parturition in rats during whole experimenting periods up to 38 and 28 weeks-age with single dose feeding of 80 g per pair (40 gm/rat) in a day on 13th week-age of the rats; whereas the pregnancy and parturition were observed in the rats that were fed only the normal diet. It is expected, neem and custard apple mixed diets can be utilized in reducing the economically important rodent populations in rice-wheat cropping system in future.Journal of Nepal Agricultural Research Council Vol.1 2015, pp.37-40
Data Quality Evaluation for Program Evaluators
Authors: Henson Harold
Published: September 2016

Abstract: Problems with data quality are an ongoing challenge in the field of program evaluation. In this article the author argues that the same basic process and methodology used in program evaluation in general could be applied to the assessment of data quality. It is argued that standardized evaluation questions and lines of evidence can be modified to assess quality of data generated by programs for evaluation.
The Challenges Encountered During a Needs Assessment of International Student Partners: Considerations for Future Evaluations
Authors: Nutter Sarah , Lei Danni , Woodend Jon , Ryan Alyssa , Cairns Sharon
Published: September 2016

Abstract: This article describes the challenges encountered during a needs assessment of partners of international students as well as how the research team addressed these challenges. The needs assessment was conducted at the request of the university’s international student centre, which recognized that partners of international students would benefit from increased support. The needs assessment was also supported by an existing gap in international student literature, which identifies partners as experiencing significant barriers and lack of support in their transition as a newcomer (e.g., Martens & Grant, 2008). Implications for attaining and maintaining connections with this population are discussed.
Evaluate This! A Case for Developing Evaluation Competencies
Authors: Williamson Linzi E. A. , Robertson Daniel W. , Gibson Kirstian A. V. , Heimlick Micheal , Sangster Sarah L. , Lawson Karen L.
Published: September 2016

Abstract: The Canadian Evaluation Society (CES) annual Student Case Competition provides an opportunity for university students from all regions of Canada to acquire invaluable experience. This practice note by members of the winning team in the 2015 competition explains how participating contributed to the development of specific evaluation competencies. Participation in the competition is recommended to other students as an excellent way to learn, grow, and develop evaluation expertise that should prove useful in any chosen career.
From the Outside, Looking In with a Smile: A Summary and Discussion of CES's Credentialed Evaluator Designation
Authors: King Jean A.
Published: September 2016

Abstract: Drawing upon information presented in this issue, the article discusses the CES's Credentialed Evaluator designation using three frameworks: the Context, Inputs, Processes, and Products (CIPP) model to provide an overview of the program; developmental evaluation to examine key events and principles in the program's evolution; and adaptive action to raise issues both for the CES as it revises the program and for others around the world as they consider the possible benefits and risks of establishing evaluator credentialing programs. The Credentialed Evaluator designation has provided proof of concept for a viable evaluator credentialing system run by a voluntary organization of professional evaluators (VOPE). Specific considerations in moving forward in settings beyond Canada include the following: (a) the exercise of caution when using evaluator competencies to structure a credentialing program, (b) the importance of a perceived need for or value of a credential, (c) skillful attention to milieu, (d) finding qualified and committed people to develop and manage the program, and (e) ensuring that all stakeholders, including those outside the profession, are involved.
View from the Credentialing Board: Where We've Been and Where We're Going
Authors: Barrington Gail Vallance , Frank Christine , Gauthier Benoît , Hicks Karyn
Published: September 2016

Abstract: The Credentialing Board is a group of senior evaluators whose role is to consider the merits of each application for the Credentialed Evaluator designation and to provide input regarding the ongoing development of the program. This article recounts the four-year history of the Board, describes its processes, and analyzes its challenges. On the basis of a file review, a survey of Board members, in-depth interviews, and the authors’ own experiences, it is concluded that the Board has successfully tackled its responsibility but that there is still room for improvement.
Assessing the Value of Inductive and Deductive Outcome Measures in Community-Based Programs: Lessons from the City Kidz Evaluation
Authors: Janzen Rich , Nguyen Nghia , Stobbe Alethea , Araujo Liliana
Published: September 2016

Abstract: Evaluators of community-based programs frequently need to decide whether to adopt an inductive or deductive approach in developing quantitative outcome measures. This article explores this issue using a case example of a child anti-poverty program called City Kidz. Its recent evaluation combined an inductive and deductive approach to develop a survey. The article describes the City Kidz evaluation and its survey before assessing the value of the survey, considering internal consistency and various aspects of validity. The article concludes with a discussion about the factors that helped and hindered the appropriateness of the survey in light of the inductive and deductive approaches used.
La foule
Authors: Calmé Isabelle , Onnée Stéphane , Zoukoua Éric-Alain
Published: September 2016

Cet article a comme objet d’étude l’écosystème d’affaires construit par les acteurs de l’accompagnement à la création d’entreprises en Touraine, en examinant l’arrivée d’un nouvel entrant, les plateformes de financement participatif, et par leur intermédiaire celle de la foule des internautes. Les auteurs interrogent plus particulièrement la place et le rôle que les plateformes peuvent occuper dans cet écosystème et les formes de coopération qu’elles peuvent nouer avec les acteurs en place. Leurs résultats mettent en évidence que l’arrivée du crowdfunding modifie l’écosystème de l’accompagnement et influence le modèle économique tant des plateformes que des acteurs de l’accompagnement.
The Practicalities of Assessing Freezing of Gait
Authors: Barthel Claudia , Mallia Elizabeth , Debû Bettina , Bloem Bastiaan R. , Ferraye Murielle Ursulla
Published: September 2016

Background: Freezing of gait (FOG) is a mysterious, complex and debilitating phenomenon in Parkinson’s disease. Adequate assessment is a pre-requisite for managing FOG, as well as for assigning participants in FOG research. The episodic nature of FOG, as well as its multiple clinical expressions make its assessment challenging.

Objective: To highlight the available assessment tools and to provide practical, experience-based recommendations for reliable assessment of FOG.

Methods: We reviewed FOG assessment from history taking, questionnaires, lab and home-based measurements and examined how these methods account for presence and severity of FOG, their limits and advantages. The practicalities for their use in clinical and research practice are highlighted.

Results: According to the available assessment tools severity of FOG is marked by one or a combination of multiple clinical expressions including frequency, duration, triggering circumstances, response to levodopa, association with falls and fear of falling, or need for assistance to avoid falls.

Conclusions: To date, a unique methodological tool that encompasses the entire complexity of FOG is lacking. Combining methods should give a better picture of FOG severity, in accordance with the precise clinical or research context. Further development of any future assessment tool requires understanding and thorough analysis of the specific clinical expressions of FOG.
‘The Party with God’: Michel Foucault, the Gay Left and the Work of Theory
Authors: Maynard Steven
Published: September 2016

Revisiting Foucault's month-long stay in Toronto in June 1982, this article explores the reception and appropriation of the first volume of The History of Sexuality by activist-intellectuals associated with the Toronto-based publication, The Body Politic, and some of their fellow travelers. Reading Foucault's introductory volume through the intersecting frameworks of social constructionism, historical materialism, and socialist feminism, gay-left activists forged a distinctive relationship between sexual theory and political practice. If Foucault had a significant impact on activists in the city, Toronto also left its mark on Foucault. Based on the recently rediscovered and unedited transcript of a well-known interview with Foucault in Toronto, along with an interview with one of Foucault's interlocutors, the article concludes with Foucault's forays into Toronto's sexual and political scenes, particularly in relation to ‘bodies and pleasures’ and resistance to the sex police.
Acts or Identities? Rethinking Foucault on Homosexuality
Authors: Grassi Umberto
Published: September 2016

In the first part of this article I summarize the ongoing historiographical debate over Michel Foucault's theory of the nineteenth-century medical ‘invention’ of homosexuality, as it was formulated in the 1976 first volume of The History of Sexuality, The Will to Knowledge. Starting from the now-outdated conflict between ‘essentialists’ and ‘social constructionists’, I underline the ‘blind spots’ of the Foucauldian narrative as highlighted by postcolonial, feminist and queer criticisms. In the second part, I shift to the historiography of the early modern Iberian and Colonial world. Even though a lot of work in this field has already been done, I think that a full comprehension of the connections between this research and the international debate on the history of gender and sexual transgressions is still lacking. Through the analysis of this literature, I propose a revision of Foucault's account, questioning the idea of the nineteenth-century ‘great paradigm shift’. On the one hand, these studies address the long-term genealogy of issues that has fully ripened in the nineteenth century. On the other, they confirm the coexistence in past societies of a multiplicity of understandings of sexual behaviors that questions the hypothesis of a succession of coherent and homogeneous epistemological patterns.
How Can Multifunctional Agriculture Support a Transition to a Green Economy in Africa? Lessons from the COMACO Model in Zambia
Authors: Mfune Orleans , Chisola Moses , Ziba Ignitius
Published: September 2016

This paper examines the link between the green economy and multifunctional agriculture. In particular, the paper uses the case of the Community Markets for Conservation (COMACO) initiative, an agro-based enterprise promoting a multifunctional agriculture model in Eastern Zambia, to examine how the potential of smallholder farmers can be harnessed to support a transition towards the green economy. The empirical data on which the paper is based were collected through questionnaire surveys and in-depth interviews conducted with farmers and other actors in the agricultural sector. The results of the study show that a number of elements underpinning the COMACO model including sustainable land management practices, conservation outreach, community markets, value addition, and conservation dividends have great potential to deliver benefits related to the green economy. However, to truly foster a transition towards a green economy, a number of constraints need to be overcome. These include lack of a supportive policy and institutional framework, technological backwardness, and lack of consumer awareness of environmental information instruments such as eco-labelling.