bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The validity of an area-based method to estimate the size of hard-to-reach populations using satellite images: the example of fishing populations of Lake Victoria
Authors: Nash Stephen , Tittle Victoria , Abaasa Andrew , Sanya Richard E. , Asiki Gershim , Hansen Christian Holm , Grosskurth Heiner , Kapiga Saidi , Grundy Chris ,   Lake Victoria Consortium for Health Research, Kaleebu Pontiano , Abaasa Andrew , Seeley Janet , Kibengo Freddie , Gershim Asiki , Kuteesa Monica , Sanya Richard E. , Elliott Alison , Kiwanuka Noah , Ssetaala Ali , Bukusi Elizabeth , Kwena Zachary , Kapiga Saidi , Hansen Christian , Hashim Ramadhan , Kisanga Edmund , Sichalwe Simon , Grosskurth Heiner , Nielsen Leslie , de de Bont Jan , Kamali Anatoli , Fast Patricia
Published: August 2018

Background

Information on the size of populations is crucial for planning of service and resource allocation to communities in need of health interventions. In resource limited settings, reliable census data are often not available. Using publicly available Google Earth Pro and available local household survey data from fishing communities (FC) on Lake Victoria in Uganda, we compared two simple methods (using average population density) and one simple linear regression model to estimate populations of small rural FC in Uganda. We split the dataset into two sections; one to obtain parameters and one to test the validity of the models.

Results

Out of 66 FC, we were able to estimate populations for 47. There were 16 FC in the test set. The estimates for total population from all three methods were similar, with errors less than 2.2%. Estimates of individual FC populations were more widely discrepant.

Conclusions

In our rural Ugandan setting, it was possible to use a simple area based model to get reasonable estimates of total population. However, there were often large errors in estimates for individual villages.
Effects of temperature on the timing of breeding and molt transitions in house finches
Authors: Watts Heather E. , Jimenez Daniela , Pacheco Veronica , Vilgalys Tauras P.
Published: August 2018

Temperature-correlated shifts in reproductive timing are now well documented in numerous bird species. However, whether temperature directly influences reproductive timing or if its effects are mediated by an intermediate environmental cue, such as plant phenology, remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the direct effects of temperature on reproductive timing in house finches (Haemorhous mexicanus), which have a range and breeding diet not well represented in previous studies of temperature and reproductive timing. We conducted experiments with captive male house finches in which temperature was elevated within realistic ranges and the effects on the timing of preparations for reproduction, as well as on the termination of reproduction and the onset of prebasic feather molt were examined. We found no adjustments in the timing of reproductive preparations of males in direct response to temperature. However, elevated temperature did advance the breeding-molt transition. Our results suggest elevated temperatures in the range tested here do not directly impact physiological preparations for reproduction in male house finches, but may constrain the timing of the breeding-molt transition in this species.
Multiple optic gland signaling pathways implicated in octopus maternal behaviors and death
Authors: Wang Z. Yan , Ragsdale Clifton W.
Published: August 2018

Post-reproductive life in the female octopus is characterized by an extreme pattern of maternal care: the mother cares for her clutch of eggs without feeding until her death. These maternal behaviors are eradicated if the optic glands, the octopus analog of the vertebrate pituitary gland, are removed from brooding females. Despite the optic gland's importance in regulating maternal behavior, the molecular features underlying optic gland function are unknown. Here, we identify major signaling systems of the Octopus bimaculoides optic gland. Through behavioral analyses and transcriptome sequencing, we report that the optic gland undergoes remarkable molecular changes that coincide with transitions between behavioral stages. These include the dramatic up- and down-regulation of catecholamine, steroid, insulin, and feeding peptide pathways. Transcriptome analyses in other tissues demonstrate that these molecular changes are not generalized markers of senescence, but instead, specific features of the optic glands. Our study expands the classic optic gland-pituitary gland analogy and more specifically, it indicates that, rather than a single “self-destruct” hormone, the maternal optic glands employ multiple pathways as systemic hormonal signals of behavioral regulation.
Intraoperative Imaging with a Portable Gamma Camera May Reduce the False-Negative Rate for Melanoma Sentinel Lymph Node Surgery
Authors: Leong Stanley P. , Wu Max , Lu Ying , Torre Donald M. , von Bakonyi Anna , Ospina Arianna M. , Newsom James D. , Luckett William S. , Soon Christopher W. , Kim Kevin B. , Kashani-Sabet Mohammed
Published: August 2018

Background

Preoperative imaging and intraoperative gamma probe (GP) localization is standard for identifying sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) in melanoma patients. The aim of this prospective Institutional Review Board-approved study was to investigate whether an intraoperative portable gamma camera (PGC) improves SLN detection over the GP.

Methods

Lymphoscintigraphy and single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography were performed after injection of 99mTc-Tilmanocept in melanoma patients (≥ 18 years, Breslow thickness ≥ 1.0 mm). A GP was used to localize the SLNs in each basin, which was explored by the GP to ensure that the operative field was < 10% counts of the hottest SLN. The PGC was then used after a negative GP screening. Any residual hotspots identified by the PGC were considered as additional SLNs and were removed following the 10% rule.

Results

Preoperative imaging of 100 patients identified 138 SLN basins, with 306 SLNs being identified by conventional surgery. The PGC localized 89 additional SLNs in 54 patients. Thus, the PGC identified an additional 23% of SLNs [95% confidence interval (CI) 18–27%]. Four of these 89 SLNs showed micrometastasis in four patients, in two of whom the only tumor-positive SLN was identified by the PGC, preventing two false-negative cases. Thus, the null hypothesis that the PGC did not detect additional positive SLNs was rejected (p = 0.000). The overall SLN positive rate was 9.9% (39/395, 95% CI 6–12), and the overall patient positive rate was increased using the PGC, from 25 to 27% (27/100).

Conclusions

Intraoperative PGC imaging yielded additional SLNs in a significant number of patients over GP alone. Identification of these additional SLNs resulted in upstaging of four patients with two patients being converted from a negative to a positive status, thus, preventing two false-negative cases.
Institutional Problems of the Economy of Modern Russia
Authors: Басовский Леонид , Basovskiy Leonid , Басовская Елена , Basovskaya Elena
Published: August 2018

The transition of the Russian economy to growth in 1998 was studied and the transition to slow growth in 2008–2009 was researched. On the basis of the theory of catastrophes it is shown: in 1998 and in 2008–2009 the Russian economy has passed the turning points of its development. After passing through the turning point of 2008–2009 the economy entered a period of slow growth. The rate of slow growth will not exceed the growth rates of the world economy. The transition to slow growth is connected with the policy reflected in the Federal laws adopted in 2005–2017. The obstacle for the development of modern economy in the country are numerous by-laws, regulations, standards that determine the formation and use of human capital and new technologies in the country. For the transition to dynamic growth, it is necessary to form postindustrial development institutions in the economy, the basis of which is favorable conditions for the use of human capital and new technologies.
Quality Management in Higher Education: the Experience of Canada
Authors: Ратнер Ф. , Ratner F. , Тихонова Н. , Tihonova N.
Published: August 2018

The article examines the Canadian experience in the fi eld of education quality management, where the eff ectiveness of the whole system is provided by active cooperation of multiple actors of educational policy at all levels: international, national, regional and institutional. Of particular interest is the analysis of specifi c initiatives implemented at each level and ways to ensuring their coherence. A brief overview of quality assurance agencies monitoring and controlling the higher education sector in whole, the universities and the educational programs, is off ered. Despite the signifi cant heterogeneity of the university sector of Canada due to the administrative, territorial and cultural diff erences, the coordinated actions of all participants of the educational process contribute to cooperation between universities, ensure mutual recognition of diplomas both in Canada and internationally, and create conditions for students’ and graduates’ mobility.
Leadership for Whom? Socioeconomic Factors Predicting Undergraduate Students’ Positional Leadership Participation
Authors: Soria Krista M. , Hussein Deeqa , Vue Carolyn
Published: August 2018

This study examined the associations between undergraduate students’ socioeconomic background (i.e., first-generation status and household income) and their participation as positional leaders at six large, public research universities. Results from logistic regressions predicting positional leadership in student organizations suggested that first-generation students and students from low-income backgrounds were significantly less likely to participate in positional leadership positions controlling for demographic, environmental, and leadership interest variables.
The Undergraduate Leadership Teaching Assistant (ULTA): A High-Impact Practice for Undergraduates Studying Leadership
Authors: Odom Summer F. , Ho Sarah P. , Moore Lori L.
Published: August 2018

To meet the demands for effective leadership, leadership educators should integrate high-impact practices for students to develop, practice, and evaluate their leadership knowledge, skills, and abilities. The purpose of this application brief is to describe how undergraduate leadership teaching assistant (ULTA) experiences can be a high- impact practice for undergraduates studying leadership. The ULTA experience at Texas A&M University in the Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications (ALEC) department was examined using the six characteristics purported by Kuh (2008) to describe effective high- impact practices: considerable time and effort to purposeful tasks, interaction with faculty and peers on substantive matters, increased likelihood of experiencing diversity, frequent feedback on performance, application of learning to different settings, and better understanding of self in relation to others. The ULTA experience can be a high-impact practice that provides leadership students with the opportunities to apply their leadership learning to their teaching roles and reflect on their experience to gain new leadership perspectives. Recommendations for implementing this practice include: purposeful interactions with ULTAs, feedback and assessment of experience, training, and a rigorous recruitment process.
Self-vs.-Teammate Assessment of Leadership Competence: The Effects of Gender, Leadership Self-Efficacy, and Motivation to Lead
Authors: Rosch David M. , Collier Daniel A. , Zehr Sarah M.
Published: August 2018

A sample (N=81) of undergraduates participating in a semester-long team-project engineering course completed assessments of their leadership competence, motivation to lead, and leadership self-efficacy, as well as the leadership competence of their peers who served within their durable teams. Results indicated that peers scored students lower than students scored themselves; that males deflated the transactional leadership scores of the female peers they assessed; and that the strongest individual predictor of teammate- assigned scores was a student’s affective-identity motivation to lead (i.e. the degree to which they considered themselves a natural leader). Leadership self-efficacy failed to significantly predict teammate scores.
The “Reverse Case Study:” Enhancing Creativity in Case-Based Instruction in Leadership Studies
Authors: Atkinson Timothy N.
Published: August 2018

In this application brief I share a case study assignment I used in my Leadership in Complex Organizations classes to promote creativity in problem solving. I sorted Ph.D. students into two teams and trained them to use creative writing techniques to encode theory into their own cases. A sense of competition emerged. Later, teams swapped cases for analysis and decoding. The approach became known as “reverse case study.” Summative course evaluations revealed four important instructional themes: (1) students were able to apply and learn leadership and organizational theories, (2) students were able to build rapport and create bonds with fellow students, (3) students explored creativity, and (4) students explored the perspective of “the other.”
Learning and Developing Followership
Authors: Hoption Colette
Published: August 2018

Followership has been recognized as an essential component of leadership studies as evidenced by growth of research within this area. To keep pace with the growth of this research, it is time to bring followership into the leadership classroom. This paper proposes a case-based exercise with two main learning objectives: (1) to help students broaden their perceptions about followership, and (2) to promote followership behaviors that actively contribute to organizations. This exercise includes large group discussion, peer coaching, and individual work to facilitate these endeavors. The paper concludes with suggested methods for assessment that include both self- and peer- ratings, as well as open-ended reflection.
Developmental Readiness for Leadership: The Differential Effects of Leadership Courses on Creating “Ready, Willing, and Able” Leaders
Authors: Keating Kari , Rosch David , Burgoon Lisa
Published: August 2018

The development of effective leadership capacity involves multiple factors including increasing students’ leadership self-efficacy, motivation to lead, and leadership skills. This study of 165 undergraduate students enrolled in an introductory leadership theory course explores the degree to which students report changes in these three areas of leadership from the beginning to the end of the course. Our analysis showed two important findings. First, students report significant gains in leadership self-efficacy, transformational and transactional leadership skill, and each measured form of motivation to lead at the conclusion of the course. Second, a closer examination shows that student learning is not across-the-board but, rather, differentiated. Students experience significantly different outcomes depending on their levels of self-efficacy and motivation to lead when they enter the course. These findings not only have broad implications for the way colleges and universities structure curricula around leadership development, but they also inform theoretical model-building regarding the process of student leadership development.
Teaching Moral Theories Using Lone Survivor
Authors: Boyd Barry L.
Published: August 2018

Four members of SEAL Team 10 faced a moral dilemma during Operation Redwings in 2005. Their mission was compromised when three goat herders discovered their position. They had to decide if they should kill the herders and continue their mission or release them, thus terminating their mission unsuccessfully. Students in an applied ethics class were asked which moral theories applied to their eventual decision.
Preparing Students for Leadership through Experiential Learning
Authors: Bauermeister Maria C. , Greer Jon , Kalinovich Angelina V. , Marrone Jennifer A. , Pahl Megan M. , Rochholz Lauren B. , Wilson Barry R.
Published: August 2018

This Application Brief highlights Seattle University’s Red Winged Leadership (RWL) exercise, an innovative curriculum for graduate business leadership education. RWL requires students to apply course materials to a visible and challenging class project, and to critically examine and recognize leadership in the broader community. Both allow for development and execution of problem solving, critical thinking, and interpersonal skills necessary to lead successfully. Students are given an opportunity to develop self-awareness of their leadership style, practice how to be an effective leader, use interpersonal skills to manage relationships, design a team structure, and execute a project. We recommend that instructors use the RWL asa template for graduate students to bridge the transition from learning leadership theories to applying them.
Determination of Maize Seed Purity Based on Multi-Step Clustering
Authors: Liu Shuangxi , Zhang Hongjian , Wang Zhen , Zhang Chunqing , Li Yan , Wang Jinxing
Published: August 2018

Abstract.

Electrophoresis has been widely used to determine maize seed purity; however, the associated time and complexity hinder its application for maize seeds. Equipment to estimate seed purity was designed to improve the efficiency of identification of circulating maize seeds, and a multi-step clustering method was created for the determination of seed purity. The main components included a host computer, a black box, a seed transmission belt with grooves, a binocular vision system, and an under-controller. First, image information of the crown and the non-embryo side of every maize seed was collected using the binocular vision system while seeds underwent intermittent movement on the transmission belt. Second, multi-area color characteristics, which included red, green, and blue (RGB), hue, saturation, intensity (HSI), and lightness-a-b (Lab) color model parameters of maize seeds were extracted and optimized to generate 25-dimensional purity identification vectors. Finally, a multi-step clustering model was used to determine seed purity. The original center of K-mean clustering was established based on the results of self-organizing map (SOM) clustering; subsequently, maize seed purity parameters were obtained by combining the results of the second and the first clustering analyses. A result was achieved by testing three groups of samples, including 'ZHENGDAN 958' mixed with 'XIANYU 335', 'XIANYU 335' mixed with its male parent, and 'XIANYU 335' mixed with its female parent. The result showed that the correct recognition rate of 'XIANYU 335' mixed with 'ZHENGDAN 958' that had no genetic relationship could reach 100% under the condition of the experimental sample, and the accuracy of identification between 'XIANYU 335' and their respective male and female parents was 96.7% and 88.7%. This recognition rate met with the technical requirements of field inspection and provided a reliable scientific basis for the rapid determination of maize seed purity. Keywords: Identification, Maize seed, Multi-step clustering, Purity, Rapid.
Calibration and Tests of Commercial Wireless Infrared Thermometers
Authors: Colaizzi Paul D. , O’Shaughnessy Susan A. , Evett Steven R.
Published: August 2018

Applications of infrared thermometers (IRTs) in large agricultural fields require wireless data transmission, and IRT target temperature should have minimal sensitivity to internal detector temperature. To meet these objectives, a prototype wireless IRT system was developed at USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bushland, Texas, and commercialized by Dynamax, Inc., Houston, Texas. The objective of this article was to calibrate and test the Dynamax, Inc. system. Following deployment in an irrigated field during the 2015 crop season, 26 IRTs were calibrated and tested in a temperature-controlled room. The IRTs measured a black body target temperature controlled at 15°C to 55°C in 5°C increments, and for each range of black body temperatures, ambient room temperatures were controlled at 15°C, 20°C, 25°C, 35°C, and 45°C under isothermal and steady-state conditions. Discrepancies between uncalibrated IRT and black body temperatures varied by IRT and had root mean squared errors (RMSE) between 0.25°C and 1.51°C, mean absolute errors (MAE) between 0.19°C and 1.17°C, and mean bias errors (MBE) between -0.66°C and 0.16°C. A calibration equation was derived from the longwave radiation energy balance of the IRT internal detector, and sensor-specific calibrations reduced discrepancies for all IRTs, with RMSE between 0.16°C and 0.28°C, MAE between 0.12°C and 0.21°C, and absolute MBE less than 0.05°C. A generic calibration was derived by pooling all sensor-specific calibrations, and reduced discrepancies for all but five IRTs, but these were very marginal compared with no calibration. Therefore, the generic calibration did not appear justified, but sensor-specific calibrations were justified for most IRTs. The IRTs were again deployed in the irrigated field and measured corn canopy temperature in 2016. Crop evapotranspiration (ETc) was calculated using measurements from one IRT and compared to ETc measured by a large weighing lysimeter. The choice of calibration (none, generic, or sensor-specific) had little impact on calculated ETc, which was likely related to a limited range of target and sensor body temperature differences in the field (mostly +10°C), in contrast to those in the temperature-controlled room (up to +40°C) Keywords: Canopy temperature, Crop management, Evapotranspiration, Irrigation, Remote sensing, Sensors.
Evaluation of Dry Steam Preconditioning on Switchgrass Pellet Quality Metrics
Authors: Covelli Curtis R , Yi Hojae , Karamchandani Apoorva , Ciolkosz Daniel , Puri Virendra M
Published: August 2018

Abstract.

The utilization of dry steam as a low energy preprocessing step in the pelletization of switchgrass was evaluated in this work. Ground switchgrass was moisture-conditioned at 16% and 18% wet basis (w.b.) and then subjected to 100°C and 120°C steam treatment cycles in an autoclave before being formed into pellets. Similarly, pellets were formed from switchgrass moisture-conditioned at 16% and 18% without steam treatment (control). Determined metrics included particle density, particle size distribution, pellet density, diametral and axial strengths, and durability using both tumbling box and friabilator. Pellet density values were similar to particle density for all treatments suggesting pelleting produced highly compressed biomass with little voids remaining. Neither particle density nor pellet density significantly changed (p>0.05) due to steam conditioning. Although not significant (p>0.05), an increase in pellet diametral strength was observed for the 120°C dry steam conditioning compared to the non-steam conditioned and 100°C dry steam conditioning pellets. Axial strength of single pellets for control and dry steam conditioned materials were not significantly different (p>0.05). Pellet durability analysis resulted in an average friability of 93.8% for control and all treatments. The more aggressive box durability test indicates that dry steam conditioned pellets had a 7% to 10% lower durability compared to pellets formed using unconditioned switchgrass. Overall, the dry steam conditioning did not result in improved pellet quality for the tested moisture contents compared to the control. Future work is required to test the dry steam conditioning at other moisture and/or particle size levels. Keywords: Biomass, Densification, Durability, Pelletization, Pellet density, Pellet strength, Preprocessing.
Seepage Rate from Ceramic Pitchers under Positive and Negative Hydraulic Head
Authors: Abu-Zreig Majed M , Zraiqat Amjed M , Abd Elbaset Mohammed
Published: August 2018

Picher irrigation is a traditional technique used to supply water to plants under drought conditions in arid regions. Laboratory experiments were conducted to evaluate water seepage rates from ceramic pots/pitchers, made from baked clay-sand local materials, under various environmental and hydraulic conditions. Seven ceramic pots (simulating ceramic emitters) with various dimensions were used in the experiments. Handmade ceramic pots of about 1 L in volume and 26 cm tall were used in the experiment. The hydraulic conductivities of the pots were measured using falling head method and the values ranged from 0.275 to 0.704 mm/d. Seepage rate from ceramic pots were measured in the air and when buried in the soil under constant and falling head method inside a temperature and humidity-controlled chamber. Results indicated that seepage rate is affected by various conditions including potential evaporation, soil suction pressure and moisture condition, and hydraulic head. Seepage rate from ceramic pots were higher under constant head condition and when buried inside soil than that under falling head or in the air. Seepage rates were found to increase steadily with potential evaporation but decrease gradually with increased soil moisture around ceramic pots. The value of hydraulic head seemed to have the largest effect on pitchers’ seepage rate. The seepage rate under a constant head of 30 cm above the mouth of the ceramic pot tested in the experiment was 2500 mL/d but decreased to only 114 mL/d under a constant head of -25 cm below the mouth of the pot. The experiments revealed that ceramic pitchers can be used to supply water even under negative head thus eliminating the need for pressurized flow inside irrigation pipes. Keywords: Arid regions, Drylands, Evaporation, Hydraulic head, Pitcher irrigation, Subsurface irrigation.
Framing presidential illness: The political significance of how the Nigerian press covered former President Yar’Adua’s final months
Authors: Pindiga Habeeb Idris , Taylor Ian
Published: August 2018

Whenever a senior politician falls seriously ill and the media learn of this, the politician’s health problems are likely to become the subject of news reporting. Impressionistic but still plausible evidence would suggest that this kind of story ‘makes the news’ significantly more often than it did in decades gone by. Yet media studies academics have devoted precious little attention to this topic with the result that important questions about the nature of news coverage whenever politicians fall ill and what the consequences of that coverage might be remain unexplored. This article makes a start in filling that lacuna by exploring the Nigerian press’s coverage of the illness and eventual death of former Nigerian President Umaru Yar’Adua. The key issues that defined the crisis are identified. Furthermore, we argue that (intentionally or otherwise) the news media’s coverage mattered because it legitimized the transfer of power away from President Yar’Adua months before power was officially handed over to his successor.
The Occupied Festival: A Palestinian Dance Story
Authors: Bravhar Mitja
Published: August 2018

Contemporary dance was introduced to Palestine eleven years ago, due to the hard work and persistence of the Sareyyet Ramallah organization in the West Bank. Every year, Sareyyet organizes a festival of contemporary dance that features both local and international productions, studio productions, auditions, workshops and international conferences. The much-beloved festival presents a range of types of contemporary dance to a wide audience. It creates the Palestinian dance story, full of cruel reality, on the one hand, full of pain and hope on the other, of the demand for interaction with the outside world and the desire to act and create solidarity.
The History of Dance as Hypertext
Authors: Irmer Thomas
Published: August 2018

This review presents Transforming Acts, a theatrical installation conceived by Penelope Wehrli and Detlev Schneider in 2014, which brings more than a hundred hours of documentary footage of performances and interviews with their authors, Pina Bausch, Laurent Chétouan, Joe Fabian, Jan Fabre, Johann Kresnik, Thomas Lehmen, Heiner Müller, Einar Schleef, Meg Stuart, Robert Wilson and others. The arrangement enabling their simultaneous screenings on five screens establishes numerous new connections between their works and thoughts.
The Courage of Beauty
Authors: Štaudohar Irena
Published: August 2018

Dramaturge Irena Štaudohar writes of her experiences collaborating with director and architect Matej Filipčič, describing how the productions they worked on together – Interiors (2000), Suspicion (2002), Sanset (2004), When It Passes (2006) – came into being. Filipčič’s performances result from the effective, mutual collaboration of the entire creative team, after which they transform – through minimalist scenography and aesthetic impeccability – into memories suspended between reality and imagination. The author also emphasizes the importance of beauty and of sentimentality.
The Persistent Imagining of a Future Alternative: Feminist Alternative Performance at Present in Singapore
Authors: Klein Jennie
Published: August 2018

The article covers the Singaporean performance festival Future of the Imagination (FOI) 10, which has persistently since 2003 been taking full advantage of the Southeast Asian country’s efforts to present a more open, globally and culturally relevant face to the world by, among others, lifting its ban that year on performance art. The author Jennie Klein takes an in-depth look at FOI 2015 and its decision to focus on women and feminist performance for this iteration, its success in gathering together an international selection of women artists, linking the festival not only to other likewise alternative performance events in the region but to its own local alternative performance history, and shows the significance of these moves in the greater context of Southeast Asian alternative feminist performance as well as its connection to the movement globally.
The Sleeping Spectator in Her/His Body-Home: Some Reflections on the Public Performance of Private Dreams
Authors: Krpič Tomaž
Published: August 2018

The performer who sleeps on stage is in a state of inverting theatre from the outside of the body towards the inside. While dreaming during the sleeping performance, the performer periodically transforms his or her own phenomenal body into the inner stage for him/her self, reducing the outer semiotic body and communication with the spectators to a minimum. The sleeping art performance thus contests several theatre and art performance elements: (1) it places under question the range of communication between the performer and the spectator, (2) by accepting sleep as a unique form of performance, it contests the traditional understanding of the theatre role and the performing body, and finally, (3) by placing the stage within the performer’s body-home, it contests the conventional concept of the stage and the existence of the theatre community.
An Evaluation of the Contemporary Uses and Cultural Significance of Mammals in Mexico
Authors: Ávila Nájera Dulce María , Naranjo Eduardo J , Tigar Barbara Jane , Villarreal Oscar Agustin , Mendoza Germán David
Published: August 2018

We evaluated current uses of wild mammals by indigenous and mestizo communities in Mexico by extracting data from 59 sources published or produced between 1987–2017, covering data from 240 localities and 3,905 questionnaires. We then calculated a Cultural Value Index (CVI) previously applied to plants to quantify resource use and assess the cultural significance of each mammal. A total of 82 species were reported, and the animals with the highest cultural importance according to their CVI (in brackets) were two species of deer (Odocoileus virginianus [18.32] and Mazama temama [10.04]), as well as the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus [14.18]), white-nosed coati (Nasua narica [14.75]), collared peccary (Pecari tajaccu [11.90]), northern raccoon (Procyon lotor [11.28]) and spotted paca (Cuniculus paca [9.84]). The most common uses were for food, to reduce the damage or harm they cause, and for medicinal purposes, with O. virginianus, P. lotor, N. narica, and D. novemcinctus frequently hunted for all these reasons. Our analysis also highlighted the hunting of rarer species of national conservation concern, including commercial trading of body parts of the felids Panthera onca, Leopardus pardalis, and Leopardus wiedii. By quantifying the ethnozoological significance of wildlife to indigenous communities, indices such as CVI provide a robust measure of the extent of use and preference for particular species or taxa. This adds to the body of evidence used to develop effective regulations and laws related to harvesting and hunting, and helps promote a more sustainable and long-term approach to the use of natural resources.
Ethnobotanical Study in Martinique of the Species Behind the Local Plant Name Bwa Kaka
Authors: Drane Elodie , Feliot-Rippeault Marie , Smith-Ravin Juliette , François-Haugrin Odile
Published: August 2018

Several scientific studies have reported that the sustainability of Traditional Knowledge (TK) is threatened by modernization. Plants of local pharmacopeias at the forefront of this phenomenon are those that are more discreet. Based on these observations, we focused on the case of a vernacular name attributed to a medicinal plant in Martinique: bwa kaka. It is reported in the literature as being highly sought after by the local population but there is a lack of information about plant species behind the denomination. To identify species that correspond to bwa kaka and to record the uses associated with them, a literature review of authors in the creolophone regions from the seventeenth century to the present day was performed, followed by an ethnobotanical survey among 80 people. A use value (UV) index was calculated. It was also determined whether there was convergence of uses between these different species. Additionally, this article examines the sociocultural (age, sex, residence) factors that could influence the answers. We found that ten species were called bwa kaka. Solanum triste was the most cited species, followed by Petiveria alliacea. Among these two, P. alliacea had the most cultural significance based on the calculated UV. Designated uses for each species were not significantly distinct according to Fisher’s Exact Test but they were significantly different depending on the sex of the interviewee. The number of uses cited was not correlated with the age of the interviewee.
The Seal of Biliteracy: Considering equity and access for English learners
Authors: Heineke Amy J. , Davin Kristin J. , Bedford Amy
Published: August 2018

The Seal of Biliteracy is a grass-roots language policy initiative that is sweeping across the United States. An award affixed to high school graduates’ transcripts and diplomas, the overarching purpose of the policy is to promote and foster students’ bilingualism and biliteracy in K-12 schools. Initiated in California in 2011, the policy has been modified significantly as stakeholders in 32 different states have drafted, passed, and enacted similar legislation in recent years. On its surface, the policy appears to hold promise in disrupting the monolingual norm prevalent in U.S. schools; however, with many states focusing efforts on world language education for English-dominant students, a critical analysis of the policy from the lens of the large and growing population of English learners is warranted. This paper considers the 32 state policies from this lens, first exploring the policy purpose and logistics and then making policy recommendations to enhance equity and access for English learners. The recommendations target stakeholders across the United States who seek to either initiate or revise Seal of Biliteracy policies within their unique state contexts.
Importance of “cultural heritage and conservation” concept in the architectural education
Authors: Atalan Özlem
Published: August 2018

The concept of culture also includes the concept of "conservation” within itself. Conservation culture and education are two basic tools for the transfer of cultural heritage.  Education is at the forefront of activities that will contribute to the formation of conservation consciousness. People who have a consciousness of conservation culture and cultural heritage can both protect today and the past.  In today's conditions where the impact of globalization is rapidly affecting our cities, it is necessary to approach consciously cultural heritage and conservation culture. From this point of view, it is important to understand the conservation culture for the newly educated "architectural students". In this context, architectural education and curriculum are important. Are architectural course programs sufficient for students to enjoy cultural heritage and to take responsibility for protecting it? In this article, the necessity of teaching conservation culture in architectural education will be discussed. At the same time, the adequacy of the courses about conservation and cultural heritage in the curriculum will be investigated.
The effects of STEAM (STEM+ Art) activities 7th grade students’ academic achievement, STEAM attitude and scientific creativities
STEAM (STEM+Sanat) etkinliklerinin 7. sınıf öğrencilerinin akademik başarı, STEAM tutum ve bilimsel yaratıcılıklarına etkisi
Authors: Gülhan Filiz , Şahin Fatma
Published: August 2018

In this research was examined the effects of STEAM education seventh grade students’ academic achievement, STEAM attitude and scientific creativity. In this research, it was used embedded experimental mixed method. The research was conducted in a middle school in Istanbul in the academic year of 2017-2018. The study group was consisted 33 students in the control group and 30 students in the experimental group. The STEAM activities developed using the 5E model for the “Reflection in the Mirror and Absorption of Light” unit by the researchers. The activities were applied in the experimental group for five weeks. In the result of the research, it was determined that the experimental group students’ academic achievement and overall STEAM attitudes were with intermediate effect size and significantly improved according to the control group students. It was also determined that the scientific creativity of the students in the experimental group developed throughout the process. Extended English summary is in the end of Full Text PDF (TURKISH) file.ÖzetBu araştırmada STEAM yaklaşımının yedinci sınıf öğrencilerinin akademik başarı, STEAM tutum ve bilimsel yaratıcılıklarına etkisi incelenmiştir. Araştırmada gömülü deneysel karma yöntem kullanılmıştır. İstanbul’daki bir ortaokulda 2017-2018 eğitim-öğretim yılında yapılan araştırmanın çalışma grubu; kontrol grubunda 33, deney grubunda 30 öğrenciden oluşmaktadır. Deney grubunda “Aynalarda Yansıma ve Işığın Soğrulması” ünitesine yönelik 5E modeli kullanılarak araştırmacılar tarafından geliştirilen STEAM etkinlikleri, beş hafta süresince uygulanmıştır. Ünite boyunca “STEAM dehası-Leonardo da Vinci” teması işlenmiştir. Veri toplama araçları olarak; üniteye yönelik “Akademik Başarı Testi”,“STEAM Tutum Testi” ve “Bilimsel Yaratıcılık Rubriği” kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın sonucunda deney grubu öğrencilerinin kontrol grubu öğrencilerine göre akademik başarılarının ve genel STEAM tutumlarının orta düzeyde bir etkiyle anlamlı olarak geliştiği belirlenmiştir. Ayrıca deney grubu öğrencilerinin bilimsel yaratıcılık düzeylerinin süreç boyunca geliştiği sonucuna varılmıştır.
Role of statin as inducer of Hmox-1 system in treatment of preeclampsia
Authors: Putra Ridwan A , Effendi Jusuf S , Permadi Wiryawan , Bandiara Ria , Fauziah Prima N
Published: August 2018

Preeclampsia is the major cause of both maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Its insidence remains high and the management has not been established yet because its etiology and pathophysiological are still poorly understood. Theories regarding etiopathogenesis and management of preeclampsia have been postulated yet it remains controversial. Placental ischemic and angiogenic imbalance are suggested to be predisposing factors of preeclampsia. It is thereby targeted in prevention of preeclampsia. Unfortunately, both primary and secondary prevention using various supplements and drugs fails to exhibit good outcome. Overall, these efforts are considered useless. In recent years, researchers have been using statin derivative in management of preclampsia. It has been reported that statin provides protective effect in endothelial cells by inducing expression of Hmox-1 and inihibiting release of sFlt-1 as well as potent antioxidant properties. Thus, statin has been proposed as promising agent to significantly reduce anti-angiogenic in preeclamptic patients which is overviewed in this review based on recent studies.
Analysis of genetic polymorphisms associated with intervertebral disc degeneration
Authors: Kitis Serkan , Coskun Zeynep Mine , Tasdemir Pelin , Tuncez Ebru , Zamani Ayse Gul , Acar Aynur
Published: August 2018

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is a common degenerative spinal condition. Recent studies have shown that the incidence of disc herniation and disc degeneration may be explained by genetic factors.  In this study, we investigated the link between various polymorphic variants of the vitamin D receptor (VDR), matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2), and insulin like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) genes and IVDD in patients with IVDD, in Turkey. We examined and genotyped 199 patients with IVDD and 197 healthy individuals. Genomic DNA was isolated from the peripheral blood leukocytes of all participants, and analyzed using real-time PCR. Via melting curve analysis, VDR, MMP2, and IGF1R polymorphism variant distributions were determined. The patients with IVDD showed higher frequencies of the VDR ApaI A allele genotype as compared to the control group; however, there were no significant differences in the frequencies or allelic distributions of the IGF1R and MMP2 genotypes between the IVDD patients and the control group. The incidence of IVDD in these Turkish patients is correlated with the VDR ApaI gene polymorphism, but not with the IGF1R and MMP2 polymorphisms.
Antimicrobial Effect of Garlic (Allium sativum) and Thyme (Zataria multiflora Boiss) Extracts on Some Food Borne Pathogens and Their Effect on Virulence Gene Expression
Authors: El-Azzouny Mona M , El-Demerdash Azza S , Seadawy Hanan G , Abou-Khadra Sally H
Published: August 2018

The incrementing scope of pathogenic resistance to antibiotics has encouraged the search for antivirulence natural extracts. Therefore, our study designed to demonstrate the antimicrobial activity of an aqueous-garlic and thyme oil extracts against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Salmonella spp.) bacteria by evaluating the influence of sub-inhibitory concentrations on the expression of the most critical virulence genes of the tested isolates. The antibacterial potential of both herbs was checked by the agar well diffusion method and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay. Interestingly, all isolates were inhibited by both extracts up to 50% concentration. Also, the MIC values of garlic extract (0.125-1µg/ml) against Salmonella isolates were lower than the values of thyme extract (0.5- 8µg/ml). But in S. aureus isolates, the MIC values of thyme extract (0.25- 2µg/ml) were the lowermost. Conventional PCR investigated that all S. aureus isolates carried the hlg (hemolysin) and icaA (intracellular adhesion) genes, but only six Salmonella isolates (three S. typhimurium and one each of S. kentucky, S. anatum, and S. lagos) had both the sopB (Salmonella outer protein B) and mgtC (membrane protein) genes. Real-time RT-PCR assays were performed to evaluate the extract's effect on the virulence genes. The thyme-oil extract has significantly repressed S. aureus virulence genes expression more than aqueous-garlic extract, which later one has effectively more than thyme-oil extract in downregulating the Salmonella virulence genes. In conclusion, garlic and thyme extracts can be used not only as a flavor, but also as potential antimicrobial agents against Gram-positive and negative bacteria.
Stem cell therapy for lung diseases: From fundamental aspects to clinical applications
Authors: Hosseinirad Hossein , Rashidi Mohsen , Moghaddam Mehrdad Moosazadeh , Tebyanian Hamid , Nouraei Soheila , Mirhosseini Seyed Ali , Rasouli Mehdi , Habibian Soheil
Published: August 2018

The respiratory system is a complex group of organs in the human body, all of which are necessary in breathing. Due to its special anatomy and composition, after exposure to various damaging factors such as micro particles, carbon granules and toxic gases, the respiratory system can be affected by a variety of damage without return to its original state. Currently, the prevalence of lung diseases, including asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, such as emphysema, has increased remarkably. New therapeutic approaches are desperately needed to discover regenerative medicine approaches, especially cell therapy. This review summarizes the recent advances in stem cell treatments and the research efforts conducted through the application of stem cell therapy for respiratory system diseases. In particular, researchers have used animal models to gather data about treating lung injury by stem cell transplantation. This review concentrated on the findings about route, timing and adjustment of cell transplantation dose, optimum stem cell type selection and potency marker of cells as therapeutic agents. These factors are essential subjects for approval and clinical transplantation. The current clinical trials aiming at treatment of lung diseases by stem cells are mentioned and discussed.
Pyridoxine exerts antioxidant effects in cell model of Alzheimer's disease via the Nrf-2/HO-1 pathway
Authors: Li Chen , Wang Ruili , Hu Chunting , Wang Hui , Ma Qiaoya , Chen Songsheng , He Ya
Published: August 2018

Pyridoxine is a water- soluble pyridine derivative. The effect of pyridoxine in cell models of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and the potential mechanisms involved, are not fully understood. In this study, the anti-AD effects of pyridoxine were studied in an AD cell model using a combination of techniques viz MTT assay, western blotting and assays for reactive oxygen species (ROS). Assays were also carried out to determine the mechanism underlying the antioxidant effects of pyridoxine. The results obtained revealed that pyridoxine exerted a protective potential against AD, attenuated ROS levels, decreased the expressions of cytoplasmic Nrf2, and upregulated whole-cell HO-1 expression. These results suggest that the anti-AD effect of pyridoxine may be attributed to its anti-oxidant property elicited via stimulation of the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway.
Conservation of stored food using plant's extracts. Effect of oregano (Origanum vulgaris) essential oils on the reproduction and development of flour moth (Ephestia kuehniella)
Authors: Taibi Faiza , Boumendjel Mahieddine , Moncef Zaafour , Omar Sekiou , Taha Khaldi , Amel Delimi , Safa Abdessmad , Hassiba Rebani , Hanène Chnouga , Nacira Siakhène , Amel Boumendjel , Mahfoud Messarah
Published: August 2018

In the search for effective methods of biological control of stored products insect-pests, the essential oil of Origanum vulgaris was extracted using Clevenger apparatus and tested on reproduction and mortality of flour moth Ephestia kuehniella. Bio-insecticide works with a double action mechanism; administered by inhalation in pupae, essential oil affects their pupal development. It also disrupts the reproduction of exuviated adults by extending the preoviposition period and reducing the period of egg laying and fecundity because fecundated females cannot live more than four days compared to control group. Moreover, the essential oil administered by inhalation in adults causes a significant mortality rate compared to control group by reducing their lifespan. A repellent effect against larvae and adults of this pest was noticed in this work. This allowed us ranking this oil as "moderately repulsive".