bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Acoustic Investigation of Pakistani and American English Vowels
Authors: Abbasi Abdul Malik , Channa Mansoor Ahmed , John Stephen , Memon Masood Akhter , Anwar Rabia
Published: March 2018

Acoustic analysis tests the hypothesis that the physical properties of Pakistani English (PaKE) vowels differ in terms of acoustic measurements of Native American English speakers. The present paper aims to document the physical behavior of English vowels produced by PaKE learners. The major goal of this paper is to measure the production of sound frequencies coupled with vowel duration. The primary aim of this paper is to explore the different frequencies and duration of the vowels involved in articulation of PaKE. English vowels selected for this purpose are: /æ/, /ɛ/, /ɪ/, /ɒ/ and /ə/. Total ten samplings were obtained from the department of computer science at Sindh Madressatul Islam University, Karachi. The study was based on the analysis of 500 (10×5×10=500) voice samples. Five vowel minimal pairs were selected and written in a carrier phrase [I say CVC now]. Ten speakers (5 male & five female) recorded their 500 voice samples using Praat speech processing tool and a high-quality microphone on laptop in a computer laboratory with no background sound. Three parameters were considered for the analysis of PaKE vowels i.e., duration of five vowels, fundamental frequency (F1 and F2). It was hypothesized that the properties of PaKE vowels are different from that of English native speakers. The hypothesis was accepted since the acoustic measurements of PaKE and English Native American speakers’ physical properties of sounds were discovered different.
The Effect of Word Type on the L1 Support for L2 Vocabulary Learning: The Case of Arab EFL Learners
Authors: El-Dakhs Dina Adel Salam , Elhajj Hind , Al-Haqbani Jawaher Nasser
Published: March 2018

There is strong agreement in the literature that the first language (L1) supports second language (L2) vocabulary learning particularly at early stages of learning. The present study examines the influence of word type on the use of L1 language to support L2 vocabulary learning. To this end, 130 Arabic-speaking tertiary elementary female learners of English were taught 24 unfamiliar English words in 4 sessions over 4 weeks. The participants were divided into three groups; (1) a group where target words were taught with the use of translation equivalents, (2) a group taught with L2-only-definitions and (3) a control group who received no special treatment. Comparing the participants’ performance in pre-, immediate post- and delayed post-tests showed that the two experimental groups outperformed the control group, reflecting the benefit of the treatment. The results also showed greater vocabulary gains in terms of long-term retrieval for L1 use, but did not show consistent patterns for the special benefit of L1 in terms of specific word types. The results are interpreted in light of the existing literature and relevant bilingual lexicon models. Pedagogical implications and suggested research directions are also proposed.
Lexico-Semantic Features of Pakistani English Newspapers: A Corpus-Based Approach
Authors: Jilani Sartaj Fakhar , Anwar Behzad
Published: March 2018

Lexico-semantic variation with its socio-cultural significance, genuinely instilled in the tint of adaptation as well as innovation, has prompted many researchers and linguists to explore profoundly within the prolific soil of Pakistani English, while formulating its mark within the sphere of “New Englishes”. This “norm-developing” variety traces the accelerating concern in the momentum of diffusion of “World Englishes”, and consequently, adding to the evolution and development of English in non-native-contexts with its deep enriching essence. The principal goal of the present research work is to investigate lexico-semantic variation in Pakistani English newspapers along with the functional outcomes within the vibrant mould of perceptions based on context-dependent Pakistani socio-cultural scenarios in the light of Moag’s model based on “New Englishes”, Boas’ Cultural Relativism, Kachru’s Nativization and Acculturation with the conception of “Outer Circle” mainly connected to institutionalized Second Varieties of English. The study further analyzes two major lexico-semantic categories based on the corpus derived from two leading Pakistani English Newspapers. This corpus-based study took out the sample texts with their usual lengths, purposively chosen, from the real life. Findings of the study highlight that lexico-semantic categories in Pakistani English Newspapers are infused within the local aroma while having a diversity of colours of usage and elucidations in multifaceted functional settings of Pakistan. The study broadens the horizons while opening a wide range of opportunities for the researchers in grammar, lexicon, semantics, pragmatics etc. by means of construction and extension of corpora and drawing comparison with the other varieties of English.
Retribution in Biblical Texts: A Stylistic Analysis
Authors: Al-Ameedi Riyadh Tariq Kadhim , Al-A’ssam Saja Abdul Ameer
Published: March 2018

Divine retribution is both a teaching and a core-tenet in Christianity. A large portion of Biblical texts come to embody the righteous judgment of the Almighty Lord, His gracious as well as wrath character. This paper is an attempt to pinpoint the stylistic devices and features of retribution in Biblical texts. It aims to identify the stylistic phonological, syntactic, and semantic devices of retribution in Biblical texts and find out the function of each. Furthermore, it aims to explain the overall functions such texts of retribution perform and how the overall function of these texts and the functions of the utilized stylistic devices are coalesced to produce a stylistic interpretation to these texts. It is hypothesized that Biblical texts of retribution utilize specific stylistic phonological, syntactic, and semantic devices. Besides, it is hypothesized that the functions these devices perform fall in line with the overall functions the Biblical texts of retribution have. A model is developed to analyze the Biblical texts of retribution. In addition, statistical findings are used to support the results. The findings of the analysis validate the hypotheses mentioned above.
Karanlığın Mucizesi: Melatonin ve Ovaryum Etkileşimi
Authors: Yücel Gökçe Nur , Kaplanoğlu Gülnur Take , SEYMEN Cemile Merve
Published: March 2018

Başarılı bir üreme döngüsü sağlıklı aydınlık/karanlık

döngüye sahip fizyolojik koşullarla doğrudan ilişkilidir. Sirkadyan ritim olarak

da ifade edilen, bu aydınlık karanlık döngü memeli üreme sistemleri için

önemlidir. Özellikle dişi üreme döngüsü ovulasyon ve sirkadyan ritmi içeren

kompleks bir süreçtir. Bu kompleks süreçte antioksidan aktivitesiyle melatonin

çok önemli bir yere sahip olmakla birlikte, melatonin sentezleyen organ listesi

yapılan çalışmalar ışığında gün geçtikçe artmakta ve bu organların arasında

ovaryum da yer almaktadır Dolayısı ile pineal bezin yanısıraovaryumda da

melatonin sentezlendiği ve sentezlenen melatoninin foliküler sıvıya salındığı

ileri sürülmektedir. Benzer şekilde in vitrofertilizasyon (IVF) çalışmalarında

medyuma melatoninin eklenmesi ile tedavide pozitif sonuçlar elde edilmiştir. Bu

derlemede, karanlığın mucizesi olan melatoninin genel özelliklerini ve özellikle

son yıllarda yapılan çalışmalar ile ortaya konulan ovulasyon-melatonin

ilişkisini farklı yönleri ile ele almayı amaçladık.
Travmatik Pisiform kemik çıkığı
Authors: MORADİ Ramin , CENGİZ Bertan , IŞIK Metin , FRİK Selçuk
Published: March 2018

Travmatik üst ekstremite kemik patolojilerinden radius şaft

kırığına eşlik eden pisiform kemik çıkığı çok nadir bir vakadır. Biz 21 yaşında

20 haftalık gebe hastanın araç içi trafik kazası sonucu sağ radius şaft

kırığına eşlik eden pisiform çıkığını sunmayı amaçladık.Hastanın tedavisinde

radius kırığı için uygulanan açık redüksiyon ve internal fiksasyon tedavisine

eş zamanlı pisiform kemik çıkığı için kapalı redüksiyon uygulanmış ve hasta iyi

genel durumuyla taburcu edilmiştir. Ameliyat sonrası 12. Ay takibinde tam ve

ağrısız eklem hareket açıklığına ulaşıldığı görülmüştür.
From the Editor: Trusted Information in an Age of Uncertainty
Authors: Trott Barry
Published: March 2018

Public and academic libraries alike are facing a variety of challenges surrounding information, facts, and trust. These challenges arise from a societal shift that has been building over the half century since Richard Hofstadter published Anti-Intellectualism in American Life in 1964. Though scholars may disagree on the actual level of anti-intellectualism in the United States, there seems to be little doubt that many of our library users increasingly encounter opinion presented as fact, disturbing dismissals of science, and a lack of critical thinking on social media and in the news. Unfortunately, this disturbing trend also seems to be making an appearance in information available from formerly reliable sources. As this issue’s editors, David A. Tyckoson and Nicolette Sosulski, noted in their proposal for a special issue of RUSQ on information trustworthiness, “Professional organizations, educational institutions, [and] government agencies have always been trustworthy providers of quality information. But now that we are living in a time when government speech is inhibited, and some agencies are removing or revising their own publications, where do we find accurate and authentic information?” The columns and articles in this special issue of RUSQ have all been selected by Dave and Nicolette or by the RUSQ column editors to reflect in some fashion on the topics of information, authority, and trust, especially in regard to government information. Librarians as information professionals have always sought to provide access to accurate and authoritative information. Now, we need to be at the forefront of ensuring not only that access is preserved, but also that information itself does not become lost in the culture wars.
From the President of RUSA: Librarians as Target
Authors: LeBeau Chris
Published: March 2018

I have noticed lately that I am experiencing both internal and external challenges to my profession. There are days that I feel wedged between doubters on the inside and antagonists on the outside. This makes me pause and reflect. So, reflect I will.I am a library science (LIS) educator, and, as such, I encounter students new to the program who are working paraprofessionals in their local libraries. Some, in fact, have held these jobs for a number of years before deciding to seek a professional degree. Early in the program, they question the need for the professional library science degree. As far as they are concerned, their libraries run efficiently, jobs are clearly defined, and everyone knows the weekly routines. What more is there to know? I am certain many library science educators encounter these questions and are ready with their rationale and refrains. The prescription sounds something like this: take the management course, the copyright course, the intellectual freedom course, the digital libraries course, the metadata course, seven other courses, and come see me in three semesters. We’ll talk some more about the necessity of the degree. (Rest assured, I jest a bit.)
The Alert Collector: Collection Development in an Era of "Fake News:
Authors: Shores Mark
Published: March 2018

This Alert Collector column for RUSQ’s special issue “Trusted Information in an Age of Uncertainty” is not going to be the usual list of great resources to add to your collection. In fact, despite a broadly distributed call for Alert Collector columns for this special issue, no one took me up. I do not blame them! At the suggestion of the editor of RUSQ, I decided to put together a “think” piece on fake news as it relates to collection development. I am not going to propose any radical or innovative approaches to how librarians develop collections for the purpose of battling fake news. I do not feel such an approach is possible. What I do want to do in this column is reaffirm and highlight things that I know many of my colleagues are already doing and have been trying to do since the dawn of collection building in libraries.—Editor
Silencing Marginalized Voices: The Fragmentation of the Official Record
Authors: Garnar Martin
Published: March 2018

Librarians have good reason to be concerned about the potential loss of government information, but they can take action to help preserve the historical record.
Data We Trust—But What Data?
Authors: Golbeck Jennifer
Published: March 2018

The Obama administration’s time saw massive amounts of government data shifting online. It can be hard to remember the landscape back in 2008, when very few people had smartphones, and Facebook had fewer than 150 million users—less than 10 percent of its current size.1 We were just starting to grapple with all the data that was becoming available. The administration embraced the trend. They launched data.gov, a project designed to serve as a repository of important data sets from the federal government. Agencies followed suit, uploading their data or creating their own repositories. Databases, websites, and all sorts of content became accessible online. It appeared we were entering a golden age of open data, where citizens would have access to the raw data that their tax dollars funded, that fueled policy decisions, and that affected their lives. The movement of government data to the web improved transparency and fueled research to complement official sources.
Reflections on Fake News, Librarians, and Undergraduate Research
Authors: Rose-Wiles Lisa
Published: March 2018

The recent explosion of “fake news” highlights the need for academic libraries to provide access to reliable information resources and for librarians to instruct students in using them effectively. Providing reliable resources with minimal barriers to access involves cooperation among librarians, publishers, and vendors; however, I suggest that there is tension between our mutual desires to satisfy student demands for instant and perfect results and to encourage them to become persistent and critical information seekers. Many tools exist to assist students in gaining background information and limiting search results, but ultimately none replace the need to develop and explore questions and to evaluate information sources. In this paper, I reflect on the difficulties of persuading students to persist in using library resources and the use of Bernard Lonergan’s generalized empirical method as a framework for critical thinking and information literacy.
Book Review: Affordable Course Materials: Electronic Textbooks and Open Educational Resources
Authors: Molls Emma
Published: March 2018

Editor Chris Diaz opens this book with a boundary-pushing question: “What if I just bought all the textbooks?” The case studies that follow begin with other daring questions, all searching for an answer to the question of how to reduce student costs through affordable course materials. The nine case studies in the book represent universities from across the United States and a global campus (New York University at Shanghai). Each case study presents a different approach to providing affordable course materials, based on the campus context and student needs.
Book Review: The Collection All Around: Sharing Our Cities, Towns, and Natural Places
Authors: ElBasri Teralee
Published: March 2018

This book is not intended to be a guide to creating outreach opportunities, nor to bringing experiences into the library. Instead, it is an attempt to bring awareness to creating shared access between libraries and their communities. Davis creates a strong argument that public libraries are not just isolated spaces but rather a well-integrated part of any community. As such, libraries have the unique opportunity and skill set to foster shared access to resources outside the library that patrons may not otherwise be aware of or capable of accessing for various reasons, including socioeconomic and physical access difficulties. Davis defines improving this access as an effort that combines outreach, customer service, event management, collection development, and acquisitions. This in turn raises the library’s visibility in the community, along with that of its community partners.
Book Review: Creating and Sharing Online Library Instruction
Authors: Cooperman Larry
Published: March 2018

Online instruction over the last decade has proliferated in many academic areas, and library instruction is no exception. The ability to teach important topics such as critical thinking and research skills to a large number of students at once has created demand for more online library instruction. In the past, bibliographic instruction differed from library to library, even as online instruction became commonplace at many institutions. But recently, many libraries have begun collaborating, sharing their online instruction content and assessment as a time-saving (and budget-saving) alternative to conducting their instruction on their own.
Book Review: Creative Instructional Design: Practical Applications for Librarians
Authors: Plungis Joan
Published: March 2018

The title of this book might lead readers to expect a manual filled with examples of jazzy learning objects; however, the content goes far beyond that, broadly defining instructional design as “intentional, sound instructional or programmatic creation, delivery, and assessment that takes into account the audience, course, or program context, and shared learning goals” (p. ix). Why does instructional design in this larger sense matter for librarians? The way that libraries define themselves has shifted from materials to services, so the quality and relevance of instruction classes, online content, programs, and outreach initiatives are increasingly critical to their success.
Book Review: International Librarianship at Home and Abroad
Authors: Bartlett Jennifer A.
Published: March 2018

What is meant by “international librarianship”? The term can be difficult to define, potentially encompassing a vast array of library activities, including collecting materials published abroad, participating in librarian exchanges, and attending international library conferences.
Book Review: Learner-Centered Pedagogy: Principles and Practice
Authors: Tillotson Calantha
Published: March 2018

In Learner-Centered Pedagogy, Klipfel and Cook fuse philosophy and learner theory to provide the instruction librarian community with the pedagogical foundation it requires. This foundation is especially vital given that many employers today require applicants for even entry-level reference and instruction positions to be well versed in both theoretical and practical educational methodologies, and the “library school curriculum has been slow to catch up” (p. xii). As Klipfel and Cook point out, despite the “professional transition toward librarians as educators,” most ALA-accredited library programs do not require or even provide adequate “courses in instructional pedagogy or user education” (xii). Although this curricular inadequacy can be debilitating to recent graduates seeking employment as instruction librarian, books such as this one can provide the theoretical base necessary for applicants to gain a foothold in the profession and for current instructional librarians to improve and expand their information literacy programs.
Book Review: Providing Reference Services: A Practical Guide for Librarians
Authors: Graveline Laura
Published: March 2018

Providing Reference Services is number 32 in the Practical Guides for Libraries series. Beginning with a brief history of library reference service and a discussion of library stereotypes, the authors quickly move on to identifying criteria for building and maintaining a reference collection, as well as key points to consider when providing reference service, with particular emphasis on the reference interview. The authors note the need to incorporate emotional intelligence into reference work. Emotional intelligence is a topic that has recently garnered increasing interest in the business world, and it is good to see it addressed here in the context of libraries and reference services. This guide does not give detailed plans for implementing reference services but instead highlights key points and concerns to consider when developing reference services. The authors’ approach is broadly based, and the key points can be adapted by small public libraries as well large academic institutions. Each chapter ends with a helpful bibliography of sources and additional reading, and the authors also refer to another guide in the series for readers seeking more detailed help; this kind of continuity within the Practical Guides for Libraries series is useful and appreciated.
Book Review: Tactical Urbanism for Libraries: Quick, Low-Cost Ways to Make Big Changes
Authors: Givens Jessica
Published: March 2018

Making the most out of limited resources is a familiar situation to many librarians. How do libraries spark significant change within the constraints of tight budgets, limited staff time, and red tape from within the library system and without? Munro offers a solution in tactical urbanism—hands-on, short-term approaches to improve a city, neighborhood, or library with minimal budget and oversight. A popular concept in cities, it includes whimsical projects like yarn bombing and pop-up parks, as well as practical fixes to overlooked problems, such as building a footbridge over an obstructed walkway. Although long-term strategies are integral to developing cities or libraries, tactics can be used to address immediate needs or can mark the beginning of a large-scale initiative.
Book Review: Zotero: A Guide for Librarians, Researchers and Educators, 2nd ed.
Authors: Strothmann Molly
Published: March 2018

Zotero is a reference management program that enables users to import references from online sources with a single click, organize them, use them to create citations and bibliographies, and share them with collaborators. Both free and remarkably easy to use, it has been making the lives of students and researchers a little easier for more than a decade. As one of the program’s strengths is its intuitive interface, a book-length guide may seem unnecessary to some users who enjoy exploring software on their own; however, the new edition of Jason Puckett’s Zotero: A Guide for Librarians, Researchers and Educators is nevertheless to be appreciated for the thoroughness with which it explains the program. For new users, it provides clear, step-by-step instructions to all Zotero’s major functions, illustrated with extensive screenshots. It also provides enough detail about Zotero’s advanced features that even experienced users are likely to learn something new. (I’ve been using it for years and had never noticed the “timeline” tool before reading this book.)
Book Review: The Big Con: Great Hoaxes, Frauds, Grifts, and Swindles in American History
Authors: Carr Tracy
Published: March 2018

All cons require two participants: someone who lies and someone who believes. From the vantage point of someone not currently in the middle of being swindled, one can feel superior to the chumps who fall for obvious cons. But the human capacity to believe and trust is vast, and let’s face it: we all have fallen for something, whether it’s the belief in a miracle cream or much worse—like losing your savings in a Ponzi scheme.
Book Review: Gun Control in the United States, 2nd ed.
Authors: Darr Terry
Published: March 2018

In today’s political climate, there are few issues more polarizing than gun control. Unfortunately, the plethora of news commentary and websites on this heavily debated topic may lack objectivity. The author’s goal for this book is to provide information for the reader to decide on the amount or level of gun control and which types will be successful. This book is appropriate for high school and undergraduate students.
Book Review: Presidential Power: Documents Decoded
Authors: Mross Emily
Published: March 2018

Debates of presidential powers are often tied to the founding documents of the United States of America and the documents produced by those who have held its highest office. Presidential Power, therefore, is a natural fit for ABC-CLIO’s Documents Decoded series. The introduction does a thorough job of explaining both the nuances of expressed and implied presidential powers as defined (or not) by the Constitution, and how these powers are expanded or constrained by the branches of government using concrete examples from US history.
Book Review: Race in American Film: Voices and Visions That Shaped a Nation
Authors: Sprochi Amanda K.
Published: March 2018

Race in American Film is a three-volume encyclopedic treatment of race and racism in American cinema, from the early film era to modern times. The editors, Daniel Bernardi and Michael Green, address the question of “American cinema’s place in American and world culture with respect to the question of race” (xxx). For the purpose of this three-volume set, they define “race” broadly, using Omi and Winant’s definition of race as a “‘shifting yet reforming’ complex of meanings that works to shape our sense of selves and those we see as similar—thereby allowing us to see others as different.” (xxi) The concept of race, therefore, is subject to change over time and among different social groups.
Book Review: The Routledge Companion to Media and Race
Authors: Singleton Brent D.
Published: March 2018

In recent years, Routledge has published several works on various aspects of race and media, including The Race and Media Reader, edited by Gilbert B. Rodman (2014). The book under review complements Rodman’s earlier work, although it has a different purpose and focus within this well-studied subject. Campbell also carves out a bit of space for his work in a crowded field by concentrating solely on race and media as opposed to coupling them with gender and/or class, as is often the case.
Book Review: Today’s Foreign Policy Issues: Democrats and Republicans
Authors: Deutsch Anne C.
Published: March 2018

Today’s Foreign Policy Issues: Democrats and Republicans, as the title suggests, examines international and “intermestic” policy issues from the perspectives of our two major political parties. According to the introduction, this book “examines the proposals and positions of the two parties—from profound disagreements to areas of common ground” (p. viii); however, this nuanced approach is difficult to achieve in a volume written for the novice researcher. Further, the structure of the articles stresses differences rather than similarities. Presenting political parties as monolithic structures is also problematic. While parties have unifying platforms that are referred to often throughout the book, they tend to obscure internal divisions. This partisan framework also seems to lend itself to deepening cleavages, both real and imagined, for readers approaching the material from entrenched perspectives. And what of independent, libertarian, and green-party positions, among others?
Motivaciones hacia la formación inicial pedagógica en estudiantes del Máster en educación secundaria de la Universidad de Granada//Motivation to pre-service pedagogical training in Master in secondary education to university of Granada students
Authors: Martín Romera Ana , Molina Ruiz Enriqueta
Published: March 2018

RESUMENEste trabajo analiza las razones por las que futuros docentes de Educación Secundaria cursan el Máster de Formación de Profesorado. Participaron 207 estudiantes matriculados en el Máster de la Universidad de Granada durante el curso 2014/2015. Se identifican las razones manifestadas por los estudiantes y se analizan sus relaciones con las características socio-demográficas de la muestra (género, edad, titulación de acceso, especialidad en la que cursan el máster, periodo en que se realizan las prácticas docentes, y experiencia docente). Los resultados muestran un colectivo de estudiantes que dicen estar altamente motivados por la docencia y que, solo en menor media, cursa el Máster por obtener una titulación por si fuera necesaria en un futuro, por las condiciones laborales de su ejercicio o para adquirir una capacitación pedagógica. Los resultados de los análisis de asociación chi-cuadrado informaron sobre relaciones entre las razones para cursar el máster y el género, el área de conocimiento de la titulación con la que accedieron al máster, y el área en la que se encuentran cursando la especialidad del máster. Estas relaciones de dependencia se muestran de forma significativa entre la razón "Adquirir formación pedagógica" y el área de conocimiento. Atendiendo a los resultados obtenidos, se presentan las implicaciones de los resultados obtenidos en el ámbito de la investigación sobre formación inicial pedagógica de estos profesionales.ABSTRACT This paper analyzes the reasons why prospective teachers enrolled in the Master Teacher Training. The sample of this study consists of 207 students Master in Teacher Training in Secondary Education. The students reasons expressed are identified and their relationships are analyzed with socio-demographic characteristics of the sample (gender, age, access degree, specializing in coursing the master, during which teaching practices are performed, and experience teaching). The results show a group of highly motivated by teaching and coursing the Master to a lesser extent more a degree, by the working conditions of their exercise or to acquire a pedagogical training. The results of the analysis of association chi-squared reported on relationships among the reasons to take the master and gender, area of knowledge of the degree with which accessed the master and on the other hand, the area where you are pursuing master's specialty. These dependency relationships are significantly attending to reason "Acquire pedagogical training" and the area of knowledge. Based on the results, the implications of the results obtained in the field of research on initial pedagogical training of these professionals are presented.
Effects of ultraviolet radiation on metabolic rate and fitness of Aedes albopictus and Culex pipiens mosquitoes
Authors: Villena Oswaldo C , Momen Bahram , Sullivan Joseph , Leisnham Paul T
Published: March 2018

Environmental changes will alter many environmental factors in the coming years including temperature, precipitation, humidity, and the amount of solar radiation reaching the earth’s surface, which in turn will have an impact on living organisms like invertebrates. In this study, we assessed the effect of UV-B radiation upon the metabolic rate and upon three fitness parameters (survival, development time, and body size) of the mosquitoes Aedes albopictus and Culex pipiens, and upon the production of microbial resources on which mosquito larvae feed in aquatic microcosms. We set up three UV-B radiation treatments mimicking levels typically measured in full-sun (FS) and shade (S) conditions, as well as a control group with no UV-B radiation (NUV). The metabolic rate expressed as heat production (µwatts/ml) for larvae and microbial community was measured at days 1, 8, and 15. Our results indicated that UV-B radiation affected the metabolic rate of both Cx. pipiens and Ae. albopictus larvae; metabolic rates were significantly higher in full-sun (FS) compared to shade (S) and no-UV condition (NUV), at days 8 and 15 compared to day 1 (Figures 1A and 1B). Culex pipiens metabolic rates were significantly higher than Ae. albopictus at day 15 compared to days 1 and 8 (Figure 1B). Metabolic rates were significantly lower in microbial communities from vials with Ae. albopictus larvae, Cx. pipiens larvae, and no larvae in FS conditions compared to vials from S and NUV conditions, especially at day 8 (Figure 2A and 2B). There was a major effect of UV-B conditions only on the survival of Ae. albopictus and Cx. pipiens mosquitoes, with significantly lower survival in FS compared to S and NUV conditions. UV-B radiation at levels found in aquatic environments in open fields showed a negative impact on the metabolic rate of Ae. albopictus and Cx. pipiens larvae and on the microbial communities on which they feed. These negative impacts could have important implications for the distribution and abundance of these mosquitoes and for the transmission rate of illness caused by the pathogens that these two broadly distributed mosquitoes transmit.
Identification of microRNAs in the green and red sectors of Amaranthus tricolor L. leaves based on Illumina sequencing data
Authors: Liu Shengcai , Peng Liyun , Pan Junfei , Wang Xiao , Zhao Chunli , Cheng Chunzhen , Zhang Zihao , Lin Yuling , XuHan Xu , Lai Zhongxiong
Published: March 2018

Betalains are abundant in amaranth plants. Additionally, the betalain molecular structure and metabolic pathway differ from those of betanin in beet plants. To date, only a few studies have examined the regulatory roles of miRNAs in betalain biosynthesis in plants. Thus, we constructed small RNA libraries for the red and green sectors of amaranth leaves to identify miRNAs associated with betalain biosynthesis. We identified 198 known and 41 novel miRNAs. Moreover, 216 miRNAs were distributed in 44 miRNA families, including miR156, miR159, miR160, miR166, miR172, miR319, miR167, miR396, and miR398. An analysis of all unigene sequences in an amaranth transcriptome database resulted in the detection of 493 target genes for the 239 screened miRNAs. The targets included SPL2, ARF18, ARF6, and NAC. A quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction validation of 20 miRNAs and nine target genes revealed expression-level differences between the red and green sectors of amaranth leaves. This study involved the application of an Illumina sequencing platform to identify miRNAs regulating betalain metabolism in amaranth plants. The data presented herein may provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of betalain biosynthesis in amaranth and other plant species.
Novel, non-symbiotic isolates of Neorhizobium from a dryland agricultural soil
Authors: Soenens Amalia , Imperial Juan
Published: March 2018

Semi-selective enrichment, followed by PCR screening, resulted in the successful direct isolation of fast-growing Rhizobia from a dryland agricultural soil. Over 50% of these isolates belong to the genus Neorhizobium, as concluded from partial rpoB and near-complete 16S rDNA sequence analysis. Further genotypic and genomic analysis of five representative isolates confirmed that they form a coherent group within Neorhizobium, closer to N. galegae than to the remaining Neorhizobium species, but clearly differentiated from the former, and constituting at least one new genomospecies within Neorhizobium. All the isolates lacked nod and nif symbiotic genes but contained a repABC replication / maintenance region, characteristic of rhizobial plasmids, within large contigs from their draft genome sequences. These repABC sequences were related, but not identical, to repABC sequences found in symbiotic plasmids from N. galegae, suggesting that the non-symbiotic isolates have the potential to harbor symbiotic plasmids. This is the first report of non-symbiotic members of Neorhizobium from soil.
The signaling lipid sphingosine 1-phosphate regulates mechanical pain
Authors: Hill Rose Z , Hoffman Benjamin U , Morita Takeshi , Campos Stephanie M , Lumpkin Ellen A , Brem Rachel B , Bautista Diana M
Published: March 2018

Somatosensory neurons mediate responses to diverse mechanical stimuli, from innocuous touch to noxious pain. While recent studies have identified distinct populations of A mechanonociceptors (AMs) that are required for mechanical pain, the molecular underpinnings of mechanonociception remain unknown. Here, we show that the bioactive lipid sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) and S1P Receptor 3 (S1PR3) are critical regulators of acute mechanonociception. Genetic or pharmacological ablation of S1PR3, or blockade of S1P production, significantly impaired the behavioral response to noxious mechanical stimuli, with no effect on responses to innocuous touch or thermal stimuli. These effects are mediated by fast-conducting A mechanonociceptors, which displayed a significant decrease in mechanosensitivity in S1PR3 mutant mice. We show that S1PR3 signaling tunes mechanonociceptor excitability via modulation of KCNQ2/3 channels. Our findings define a new role for S1PR3 in regulating neuronal excitability and establish the importance of S1P/S1PR3 signaling in the setting of mechanical pain thresholds.
Genetic signatures of memories
Authors: Sagar Vivek , Kahnt Thorsten
Published: March 2018

Memorable positive and negative experiences produce different profiles of gene expression in brain areas associated with long-term memory.
Experiências memoráveis de viagens de casais
Authors: Coelho Mariana de Freitas , Meira Kelly Cristine Oliveira , Gosling Marlusa de Sevilha
Published: March 2018

A experiência turística é um termo que se associa a múltiplas interpretações que permeiam o ambiente, as pessoas e outros componentes da atividade. O objetivo deste artigo é identificar a essência de viagens memoráveis de casais a lazer, tendo em vista que a viagem a dois ainda é pouco estudada. Entende-se “casais” como um termo amplo, formado por indivíduos que possuem relação sentimental e/ou sexual, como casais de namorados, pessoas legalmente casadas (cônjuges), público GLBT e indivíduos de diferentes idades e estilos de vida. O método do trabalho é qualitativo e exploratório, sendo composto por três estudos distintos e complementares. O primeiro estudo envolveu relatos de dois casais durante a experiência de viagem dos mesmos. O segundo estudo é composto por narrativas de viagem a dois por uma das partes do casal, com roteiro semiestruturado. O terceiro estudo abarcou entrevistas em profundidade com casais que possuíam acima de 18 anos e viajaram a lazer pelo menos uma vez nos 12 meses anteriores à data da coleta de dados. A análise dos dados se deu via análise de conteúdo do texto, por meio da categorização temática. Os resultados demonstram que a viagem a dois proporciona a criação de eventos memoráveis, em que estórias e situações vividas podem ser compartilhadas posteriormente entre o casal e seus conhecidos. Além da fuga da rotina, diversão e relaxamento, as datas comemorativas e as paixões em comum também são motivadores para viagens do casal. Assim, organizações de destino turístico devem identificar interesse em comum do casal para melhor atendê-los. As contribuições do estudo remetem à abordagem da experiência em grupo ao invés da perspectiva individual.
Catalysis with Pnictogen, Chalcogen, and Halogen Bonds
Authors: Benz Sebastian , Poblador‐Bahamonde Amalia I. , Low‐Ders Nicolas , Matile Stefan
Published: March 2018

Halogen‐ and chalcogen‐based σ‐hole interactions have recently received increased interest in non‐covalent organocatalysis. However, the closely related pnictogen bonds have been neglected. In this study, we introduce conceptually simple, neutral, and monodentate pnictogen‐bonding catalysts. Solution and in silico binding studies, together with high catalytic activity in chloride abstraction reactions, yield compelling evidence for operational pnictogen bonds. The depth of the σ holes is easily varied with different substituents. Comparison with homologous halogen‐ and chalcogen‐bonding catalysts shows an increase in activity from main group VII to V and from row 3 to 5 in the periodic table. Pnictogen bonds from antimony thus emerged as by far the best among the elements covered, a finding that provides most intriguing perspectives for future applications in catalysis and beyond.
Carbon-Based Metal-Free Electrocatalysis for Energy Conversion, Energy Storage, and Environmental Protection
Authors: Hu Chuangang , Xiao Ying , Zou Yuqin , Dai Liming
Published: March 2018

Carbon-based metal-free catalysts possess desirable properties such as high earth abundance, low cost, high electrical conductivity, structural tunability, good selectivity, strong stability in acidic/alkaline conditions, and environmental friendliness. Because of these properties, these catalysts have recently received increasing attention in energy and environmental applications. Subsequently, various carbon-based electrocatalysts have been developed to replace noble metal catalysts for low-cost renewable generation and storage of clean energy and environmental protection through metal-free electrocatalysis. This article provides an up-to-date review of this rapidly developing field by critically assessing recent advances in the mechanistic understanding, structure design, and material/device fabrication of metal-free carbon-based electrocatalysts for clean energy conversion/storage and environmental protection, along with discussions on current challenges and perspectives.

Graphical Abstract
Neurogenesis in the postnatal cerebellum after injury
Authors: Andreotti Julia P. , Prazeres Pedro H.D.M. , Magno Luiz A.V. , Romano‐Silva Marco A. , Mintz Akiva , Birbrair Alexander
Published: March 2018

The cerebellum plays major role in motor coordination and learning. It contains half of the neurons in the brain. Thus, deciphering the mechanisms by which cerebellar neurons are generated is essential to understand the cerebellar functions and the pathologies associated with it. In a recent study, Wojcinski et al. (2017) by using in vivo Cre/loxP technologies reveal that Nestin‐expressing progenitors repopulated the external granular cell layer after injury. Depletion of postnatal external granular cell layer is not sufficient to induce motor behavior defects in adults, as the cerebellum recovers these neurons. Strikingly, Nestin‐expressing progenitors differentiate into granule cell precursors and mature granule neurons after ablation of perinatal external granular layer, either by irradiation or by genetic ablation. This work identified a novel role of Nestin‐expressing progenitors in the cerebellar microenvironment during development, and revealed that extracellular signals can convert specified progenitors into multipotent stem cells. Here, we discuss the findings from this study, and evaluate recent advances in our understanding of the cerebellar neurogenesis.
A Worldwide Survey on Peyronie's Disease Surgical Practice Patterns Among Surgeons
Authors: Chung Eric , Wang Run , Ralph David , Levine Laurence , Brock Gerald
Published: March 2018

Background

Despite published guidelines on Peyronie's disease (PD), there are limited data on actual surgical practice among surgeons.

Aim

To evaluate the surgical practice patterns in PD among surgeons from different continents and members of various sexual medicine societies.

Methods

An anonymous survey on various pre-, intra-, and postoperative aspects of PD surgical care was distributed in printed format during International Society of Sexual Medicine meetings and as an online survey to International Society of Sexual Medicine members.

Outcomes

390 surgeons responded to the survey, with great variations in pre-, intra-, and postoperative strategies in PD surgical care.

Results

Most surgeons performed fewer than 10 penile plications and 10 graft surgeries per year. Modified Nesbit plication was the preferred option by most surgeons. Surgeons who received fellowship training were more likely to perform autologous than allograft surgery (odds ratio = 1.79, 95% CI = 1.13–2.82, P = .01). The use of penile color duplex ultrasound was inconsistently performed, with higher-volume surgeons (ie, >20 cases operated a year) more likely to use this diagnostic modality (odds ratio = 70.18, 95% CI = 20.99–234.6, P < .001). Most surgeons agreed that surgical intervention should be performed only after a 6-month history of stable penile curvature, although higher-volume surgeons were more inclined to perform surgery sooner (P = .08).

Clinical Implications

Although it is unknown whether variations in PD surgery significantly affect clinical outcome and patient satisfaction rate, this worldwide survey study has the potential to assist in the formation of a new practice guideline and serve as the basis for future prospective multinational studies.

Strength and Limitations

This is one of the largest surveys on PD practice and, to our knowledge, the only survey conducted across various sexual medicine societies, with the inclusion of many high-volume and experienced PD surgeons. This also is the 1st study to comprehensively evaluate many key aspects in surgical practice patterns for PD. However, the categorization on the questionnaire used in this survey was not designed to allow for direct comparison given the possibility of some surgeons with dual society memberships, reporting biases, large CIs in outcomes, different patient demographics, and cultural acceptance.

Conclusion

There is great variation in surgical practice patterns in PD management, including key differences among surgeons across different continents and sexual medicine societies.
Abnormally high mercury contents in hydrogenic ferromanganese crusts from Seth Guyot (Northwestern Pacific)
Authors: Mikhailik P.E. , Khanchuk A.I. , Mikhailik E.V. , Ivanov M.V. , Rashidov V.A. , Zarubina N.V. , Blokhin M.G. , Barinov N.N. , Pletnev S.P.
Published: March 2018

Variations in mercury contents in marine sediments have implications for hydrothermal activity, paleoclimate, depositional environments, and primary bioproduction. Mercury contents reach 148 ppb in hydrogenic ferromanganese crusts on flat-topped seamounts. Such crusts, with up to 4120 ppb Hg, were dredged from the slopes of Seth Guyot in the western Marcus-Wake Seamounts in 1982, during the 13th cruise of RV Vulkanolog. The Seth Fe–Mn crusts are of the same origin as hydrogenic Co-rich ferromanganese deposits from seamounts in other oceanic regions. Mercury accumulated in the Cenozoic as Fe–Mn oxyhydroxides in the crusts adsorbed Hg from bottom water. The process was especially rapid during the Pliocene volcano-tectonic rejuvenated stage.
Comparison of the compositions of crystalline aluminosilicate rocks and their minerals in a planar triangular projection
Authors: Golitsyna Z.F. , Banushkina S.V. , Surkov N.V.
Published: March 2018

The problem of comparison of the composition of crystalline rocks with the composition of the constituent minerals of these rocks is considered. It is proposed to present the composition of rocks and the compositions of the constituent minerals in the form of a triangle on the plane. The experience of presentation of compositions in phase diagrams was taken as a basis for the construction. Analysis of the crystallochemical characteristics of clinopyroxenes and garnets has shown that three parameters are enough for depicting the compositions of these and other minerals. For this purpose, similar composition components of rocks and their minerals are summarized in molecular proportions and are plotted on the triangle DO-1/2(R2O3)-XO2, where DO = (MgO + CaO + FeO + MnO + NiO + …) + 1/4(Na2O + Al2O3) + 1/4(K2O + Al2O3), 1/2(R2O3) = 1/2(Al2O3 + Fe2O3 + Cr2O3 + …) - (1/4(Na2O + Al2O3) + 1/4(K2O + Al2O3)), and XO2 = SiO2 + TiO2. The compositions of minerals are expressed as the sums of their components: Ol = Fo + Fa + Lar + Neph + …, Px = Di + En + Wol + Ged + Gip + Jd + Eg + …, Ga = Pyr + Gross + Alm + Spe + Ski + Knr + Mj + …, etc. A step-by-step calculation algorithm is proposed, which permits evaluation of the contents of bi- and trivalent iron during probe microanalyses of garnets and pyroxenes. Comparison of the compositions of deep-seated rocks and their minerals shows their good consistency. The proposed schematic projection permits a visual comparison of the compositions of rocks with low contents of carbonates and water, from ultrabasic (e.g., dunites) to acid (e.g., granites) ones.