bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Paysages numériques par Spot et Landsat : de Xingtaï (Hebeï) à Yan'an (Shaanxi) (Numerized landscapes from Spot and Landsat : from Xingtai (Hebei) to Yan'an (Shaanxi))
Authors: Bardinet Claude
Published: July 2014

A partir des méthodes de traitement d'image appliquées aux données de télédétection, on produit des paysages numériques dont la signification thématique est mise en évidence par combinaison avec les documents géographiques contrôlés sur le terrain.

L'analyse numérique des paysages de Xingtaï au Hebeï à partir de Landsat MSS et la reconstruction du relief de la région de Yan'an dans le Plateau des Loess au Shaanxi à partir de données stéréoradiométriques de Spot, ont été réalisées dans le cadre de la coopération entre CO DATA (ICSU) et l'IRSA (Beijing). Lors des transects sur le terrain, on a pu utiliser les cartes topographiques (1/10000) et prendre des photographies au sol et par avion.
Les zones maraîchères périurbaines : espaces résiduels ou nouvelles formes d'intégration des espaces agricoles aux stratégies urbaines ? (Market gardening zones in suburb : residual spaces or new forms of integration of agricultural lands in urban strategies ?)
Authors: Vaudois Jean
Published: July 2014

Produits d'une double histoire, économique et urbaine, les zones maraîchères périurbaines sont généralement considérées comme des espaces agricoles reliques, appelés à disparaître face à la poursuite de la croissance urbaine. Si elle s'applique aux zones maraîchères résiduelles, cette situation est loin d'être la règle dans le cas des autres types de zones. Nombreuses sont les zones maraîchères et horticoles à fonction locale, les zones extraverties ou les «zones horticoles» de création récente qui font l'objet d'une politique active de valorisation dans le cadre des politiques d'aménagement et de développement engagées dans les aires urbaines à la fin des années 1980. Le succès des actions entreprises suppose une bonne synergie entre une volonté politique affirmée, fondée sur la prise en compte de toutes les fonctions urbaines susceptibles d'être remplies par ces zones, et un projet professionnel fort, qui ne s'affirme pleinement, sauf exception, que dans les zones extraverties les mieux organisées.
Disparition, marginalisation et intensification de l'agriculture dans l'aire métropolitaine marseillaise (The fading, marginalisation and intensification of agriculture in the Marseille metropolitan region)
Authors: Durbiano Claudine
Published: July 2014

Le processus de disparition de l'espace agro-pastoral des collines est antérieur au phénomène périurbain. D'espace «flou», il tend à devenir un espace «nature» à l'usage des urbains. Quant à l'espace agricole, il a disparu ou ne comprend plus que des espaces reliques dans les secteurs les plus densément construits et où le relief limite l'espace utile, ce qui est le cas le plus fréquent dans l'aire métropolitaine marseillaise. Dans des bassins plus vastes comme celui d'Aix, il s'extensifie avec des espaces en attente ou comme dans celui de Trets il a été réorganisé. Mais des effets positifs peuvent se manifester par le biais d'une stimulation et d'une adaptation à un marché urbain proche (maraîchage, viticulture, pépinières) selon le modèle de Von Thûnen, mais sans formation d'une couronne ou d'un espace homogène. Ces espaces intensifs sont limités, dispersés et ponctuels, résultats de choix individuels dans un espace périurbain tentaculaire à partir de noyaux multiples (Marseille, Aix, Salon, étang de Berre...).
Le jardin de la France au péril de la ville : place et évolution de l'activité agricole dans le « Grand Avignon » (The garden of France at the city's peril : place and evolution of agricultural activity in Greater Avignon)
Authors: Lees Christiane , Dérioz Pierre
Published: July 2014

Au sein de la plaine comtadine (Vaucluse, France), et plus particulièrement de l'agglomération avignonnaise, l'article constate la résistance de l'activité agricole, viticole (vins A.O.C.), maraîchère et fruitière. Mais la régression de la S.A.U. et la transformation du paysage pourraient se voir accélérés par les difficultés que connaissent les maraîchers comtadins, qui fragilisent l'agriculture par rapport au processus d'urbanisation. La «ceinture verte» de la ville d'Avignon paraît particulièrement menacée.
Restructuration et devenir des exploitations agricoles dans une commune périurbaine : Plomelin (Finistère) (Restructuring and futur of farms in a suburban settlement : Plomelin (Finistère region))
Authors: Bernard Nicolas
Published: July 2014

Le phénomène de périurbanisation, observé ces vingt dernières années autour de Quimper, ville moyenne de 63000 habitants, a influencé l'évolution foncière du domaine agricole de Plomelin, commune limitrophe de 4000 habitants.

Dans un contexte de déprise agricole et de forte demande en terrains constructibles, l'emprise de l'urbanisme à Plomelin explique la disparition ou la restructuration de nombreuses exploitations. Elle conduit également à l'orientation de certaines d'entre elles vers de nouvelles productions, des activités touristiques ou des fonctions «environnementales».
Périurbanisation, agriculture et gestion de l'espace : l'exemple des campagnes clermontoises (Peri-urbanization, agriculture and space management : the example of Clermont's countryside)
Authors: Diry Jean-Paul
Published: July 2014

La ville a souvent été présentée comme dominant l'agriculture des campagnes périurbaines. Or, si aux abords mêmes de la ville l'agriculture est profondément affectée par les phénomènes urbains, au-delà d'un rayon de faible envergure, l'évolution des systèmes agricoles et des structures agraires est souvent dictée par des acteurs étrangers à la ville comme le montre l'exemple de Clermont-Ferrand.
Tale of a wandering spleen: 1800 degree torsion with infarcted spleen and secondary involvement of liver
Authors: Al Maksoud Safia Foud , Swamy Nayanatara , Khater Nivan Hany
Published: July 2014

Wandering spleen is a rare clinical entity characterized by splenic hypermobility resulting from laxity or maldevelopment of the suspensory splenic ligaments. The spleen can "wander" or migrate into various positions within the abdomen or pelvis due to this ligamentous laxity.  It is usually detected between 20 and 40 years of age, and is more common in women. The clinical presentation of a wandering spleen is variable, it could present as an asymptomatic, incidentally detected, abdominal or pelvic mass, or as an acute abdomen secondary to splenic torsion. Diagnosis in an emergent setting can be challenging as it is a rare cause of acute abdomen and does not produce any symptoms until splenic torsion has occurred. We present and discuss a case of ectopic, torsed spleen resulting in complete infarction of the spleen and severe hepatic vascular compromise, diagnosed by ultrasound, confirmed by computed tomography and effectively managed by splenectomy.
“It’s So Pleasant in the Countryside”: The Perception of Folk Songs and the Folk on Gramophone Recordings before the Second World War
Authors: Klobčar Marija
Published: July 2014

Prispevek izpostavlja vprašanje temeljne vsebinske naravnanosti pesmi, objavljenih na starejših gramofonskih ploščah v Sloveniji in v ZDA. To naravnanost presoja z umeščanjem v tiste družbene tokove, ki so na Slovenskem oblikovali percepcijo ljudske pesmi. Pri tem opazuje predvsem odnos do narodnega in pojav idealizacije dóma in domovine. Vsebinska presoja pesmi problematizira vprašanje komercialnega in njegov vpliv na nadaljnje oblikovanje pesemske ustvarjalnosti in koncepcijo popularnega.
***
The article raises the question of the basic orientation of the content of the songs recorded on old gramophone records in Slovenia and the U.S. It evaluates this orientation by comparing it with the social currents that shaped the perception of folk songs in Slovenia. In this, it predominantly observes the relation towards the “ethnic” and the idealization of home and the homeland. By observing the content of songs, the article problematizes the question of commercial influence and the impact of these principles on shaping song creativity and the conception of popular music.
Intellectual Capital of the European Universities
Authors: Bratianu Constantin
Published: July 2014

Universities and churches are among the oldest institutions of the world. Their longevity is a direct result of their impressive intellectual capital, mostly the spiritual and emotional intellectual capital for churches and cognitive intellectual capital for universities. The purpose of this chapter is to present the main issues of defining and evaluating the intellectual capital of the European universities, and what are the challenges for university leadership to transform this intellectual capital into a competitive advantage on the European and global arena. The authors present the most significant intellectual capital models developed so far and the way some of them have been applied to universities. Finally, they present the entropic intellectual capital model as being the newest and the most powerful one. This model is based on a multilayer structure and on the multi-field organizational knowledge concept. The model is based on the theory of integrators that are powerful fields of forces acting upon the organization members in order to create synergy and performance.
Mobility, Internationalisation, Higher Education
Authors: Ramos Maria da Conceição Pereira
Published: July 2014

In this chapter, the authors address the following issues: convergence of internationalisation paths in universities and trends in European higher education; international cooperation and education regarding the internationalisation of higher education policy in Europe and other world regions; mobility trends with the growth of selective and qualified migration; student flows and migration in the higher education globalisation and internationalisation process; European and national policies for academic mobility and internationalisation of higher education; consequences of academic mobility and migration regarding the professional value of mobility, interculturalism, and higher education; institutional and social responses to internationalisation, Europeanisation, and globalisation of higher education. The authors note how international academic mobility represents a professional added value and a cultural, scientific, and technological enrichment for higher education, which broadens the perspectives of the individuals and institutions involved. The internationalisation of higher education contributes to spreading an educational culture with a tendency to establish itself as a European and global educational model.
Business Schools
Authors: Rundshagen Volker
Published: July 2014

This chapter offers a conceptual contribution to the debate of European business schools and their future directions within the context of higher education internationalization. On the one hand, European business schools represent a continuous success story in terms of enrolment figures and increasing visibility on international rankings. On the other hand, particularly driven by overarching competitiveness paradigms, they are on a path of conformity and obedience to external pressures, leading to dangerously homogenous institutions. Furthermore, they are losing their esteem within society and face increasing criticism in the wake of financial and social crises, as business school contributions have come under scrutiny. Four drivers of European business schools internationalization are identified: globalization, EU policy, rankings/accreditation, and student consumerism. Opportunities and risks arising from all four drivers are highlighted in this chapter, and the subsequent discussion outlines potential future pathways of a more beneficial internationalization that allows for new perspectives beyond apparent Americanization tendencies. It is argued that, despite manifold ambiguities associated with such concepts, through a strategic elaboration of a distinct European identity, business schools could better meet their responsibilities and also develop propositions that are competitive in the global marketplace as well as inspiring constituencies beyond this continent.
New and Pressing Challenges for Romanian Higher Education System after 10 Years of Bologna Values Implementation
Authors: Miron Dumitru
Published: July 2014

This chapter examines a number of issues related to the implementation of reforms in Romania, which focused on the national higher education system in order to internalize the values of the Bologna Process. It presumes that the assumption process of the challenges linked to the educational effects of the globalization and regionalization phenomena must be preceded by solving dilemmas, eliminating conceptual, regulatory, and instrumental fetishes, and changing the behavior of stakeholders involved. The study shows that after 10 years of the Bologna Process implementation, the balance between tradition and modernity is still ambiguous, many areas of uncertainty are kept, being unclear how to place this process within the European economic integration logic, and that much of the expected benefits cannot be seen. This chapter explores the extent to which changes that have occurred in the Romanian higher education system and the tools used for this purpose, strategic or circumstantial.
The Importance of Managerial Education and Training for Country Performance
Authors: Rasca Lavinia , Deaconu Alecxandrina
Published: July 2014

This chapter is the result of a study conducted by the authors aiming to study the impact that business education and training have on the increase of managerial competence, important to obtaining and maintaining the corporate advantage of the companies acting in Romania and consequently to country performance. The scope of the research is global, searching for the best practices that can be transferred from other countries to Romania and adapted to the local environment. A multitude of managerial education and training methods and programs are studied – EMBA, MBA, open and customized training programs. A literature review created a good understanding of the topic, being the starting point of the quantitative and qualitative research. The chapter will be useful for business schools and training companies, for participants in managerial education and training programs, and for governmental bodies, and should contribute to the increase of educational performance and convergence with European developments.
Convergence of Internationalization Paths in Romanian Universities
Authors: Agoston Simona Irina
Published: July 2014

This chapter approaches the topic of convergence in European higher education with a focus on the international dimension of universities, as it was claimed and debated in the last years. The main goal is to analyze from three main directions the following aspects of internationalization: measures, indicators, barriers, and bodies responsible for international dimensions. These are highlighted by the results of a qualitative research performed among educational experts from Romanian Higher Education Institutions. The main facets of convergence of internationalization paths in Romanian universities are addressed, the indicators proposed are analyzed, and proposals for their improvement result from respondents' answers.
Convergence of Quality Assurance Paths in Romanian Universities
Authors: Ghinea Valentina Mihaela
Published: July 2014

When it comes to the quality of education, despite the general adhesion related to its importance, one can notice a number of opinions frequently contradicting themselves. The intention of delimitating, systemizing, and prioritizing the multitude of quality facets simply enhances the criticism. These circumstances prompt a more thorough analysis of the quality in education. Focusing on the perspective of the European Higher Education, this chapter proposes a set of convergence indicators that are able to capture the relationship toward which universities evolve. The indicators are then tested against the opinion of several experts from Romanian Higher Education Institutions, analyzed, and subjected to careful revision based on the respondents' answers.
Pedagogical-Didactic Training for an Inclusive Didactics
Authors: Maria Murdaca Anna , Francesca Cuzzocrea , Patrizia Oliva , Rosalba Larcan
Published: July 2014

In recent years, focused studies have highlighted increasingly the importance of using new technologies during the planning of educational and didactic paths to develop skills and functions in disabled patients. They deal with assistive technologies that represent real opportunities of e-participation and social life. They also work as scaffolding in order to promote developing processes for an inclusive didactics. This chapter moves in such direction: about the importance of technologies in mental retardation. This importance turns around the usability of many inputs, which can offer to disabled patients the possibility to exercise their cognitive styles, their own characteristics, and their own autonomies to increase motivation and self-esteem. A didactic application of educational software, based on Precision Teaching method, is proposed in order to: a) verify the effectiveness of this didactic software on learning of integrative skills and b) verify gender differences. For this study, 40 children were selected (20 boys and 20 girls) with and without mental retardation. Results show learning improvements in each group; in spite of students' difficulties, the use of Precision Teaching seems to have reduced significantly the initial cognitive gap, which refers to the number of correct responses (accuracy) and to response time (fluency) relative to the learning of how to use money. Finally, new perspectives of its pedagogical and rehabilitative application for students with special needs are also discussed.
Policy Coherence for Development
Authors: Yawe Bruno Lule
Published: July 2014

The elimination of school fees at Uganda's primary education level was accelerated by the 1996 first direct presidential elections. Since the inception of the universal primary education in 1996 and its actual operationalization in 1997, universal primary education is synonymous with primary education. Because school fees were eliminated before infrastructural improvements in the school system had been undertaken, the access shock created by the elimination of fees resulted in a substantial initial decrease in resources available per pupil and a large increase in the pupil-teacher ratio. The purpose of this chapter is to identify the policy incoherencies as well as research or knowledge gaps relating to Uganda's primary education. Nevertheless, what happens in other sectors outside the education sector has strong implications for the realization of the universal primary education objectives. Uganda's universal primary education policy is being undermined by policies within the education sector and policies in other sectors. As such, there is need to mainstream universal primary education into all relevant sectoral policies using the Education-In-All-Policies Approach, which would be in the nature of the Health-In-All Policies Approach as well as the Gender-In-All-Policies Approach.
Moodle-Based Validators to Improve Teaching and Learning of Web Development
Authors: Antón-Rodríguez M. , Pérez-Juárez M. A. , Díaz-Pernas F. J. , Martínez-Zarzuela M. , González-Ortega D.
Published: July 2014

The challenge to prepare the graduates for working in a constantly changing environment, such as software engineering, requires an effective learning framework. This chapter presents two educational Web (PHP and JavaScript) programming validators integrated into the learning management system Moodle to improve the teaching-learning process. These applications also offer the students an appropriate explanation of the errors found and some information about the language key terms, suggest alternatives to possibly misspelled terms, and gather usage data to provide both student and teacher statistical graphics of the type of error committed. The chapter also describes the result of a qualitative analysis of its use in several telecommunications engineering courses offered at the University of Valladolid.
Multi-Level Adaptation in End-User Development of 3D Virtual Chemistry Experiments
Authors: Liu Chang , Zhong Ying
Published: July 2014

Multi-level adaptation in end-user development (EUD) is an effective way to enable non-technical end users such as educators to gradually introduce more functionality with increasing complexity to 3D virtual learning environments developed by themselves using EUD approaches. Parameterization, integration, and extension are three levels of adaptation ranging from straightforward to complex in terms of what end users have to understand in order to develop functional software applications, all within reach of end users without special training on programming. A 3D educational application EUD system prototype, iVirtualWorld, has been expanded to support 3D virtual chemistry experiments generation using these three levels of EUD adaptation. An evaluation has been conducted on 18 participants from the education domain, and the results confirmed ease-of-learn, ease-of-use, and usefulness of this solution. Contributions of this paper are 1) a paradigm for applying EUD technologies in 3D virtual learning environment creation; 2) an easy-to-use tool for educators to build customized virtual chemistry experiments; and 3) empirical assessment data for the multi-level adaptation solution.
Oral Health: Something to Smile About!
Authors: Munro Cindy L.
Published: July 2014

Oral health is integrally linked to overall well-being. This article describes a research program focused on the contribution of poor oral health to systemic illness. Initial investigations examined factors related to streptococcal virulence that were important in dental caries and endocarditis and led to development of immunization strategies in animal models to reduce risk of endocarditis. Clinical investigations related to critically ill adults began with descriptive and observational studies that established the importance of dental plaque in development of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and examined existing nursing practices in oral care. Subsequent intervention studies sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to test oral care protocols in critically ill adults have built on that foundation. The group’s first NIH-funded randomized clinical trial tested the effects of toothbrushing and use of chlorhexidine in reducing risk of VAP in critically ill adults and showed that VAP was reduced by topical application of chlorhexidine initiated after intubation, although toothbrushing did not reduce VAP. The study had a rapid and dramatic effect on clinical practice. Results of the study were published in September 2009 in the American Journal of Critical Care, and in May 2010, the Institute for Health-care Improvement updated the recommendations for the care of patients receiving mechanical ventilation (the ventilator bundle) to include daily oral care with chlorhexidine, referencing the results of that study as evidence for the change. Chlorhexidine is now the standard of care for adults receiving mechanical ventilation. Because the effects of chlorhexidine after intubation were so beneficial, a second recently completed NIH-funded randomized clinical trial investigated the impact of chlorhexidine applied before intubation compared with after intubation. Currently a large randomized clinical trial is being launched to determine the optimal frequency of toothbrushing for critically ill patients receiving mechanical ventilation in an effort to maximize oral health benefits while minimizing systemic risks. The importance of collaboration and mentoring in building nursing science is discussed. Future directions for research also are explored.
Early Mobility Activities During Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy
Authors: Brownback Cherylynn A. , Fletcher Patricia , Pierce Lynelle N. B. , Klaus Susan
Published: July 2014

Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is a therapeutic technique used to support critically ill patients with acute renal failure in intensive care units. CRRT is preferred over hemodialysis for patients who cannot tolerate the rapid fluid and electrolyte shifts associated with hemodialysis because of their tenuous hemodynamic state. Traditionally, such patients have not been candidates for mobilization and have remained on strict bed rest. Mobilization is now being initiated on patients undergoing CRRT in intensive care units. This case study chronicles the successful mobilization of a patient undergoing CRRT. This experience suggests that CRRT patients who are appropriate candidates may be mobilized safely and therefore should not automatically be excluded from mobilization therapies.
Local Immune Response to Injection of Plasmodium Sporozoites into the Skin
Authors: Mac-Daniel Laura , Buckwalter Matthew R. , Berthet Michèle , Virk Yasemin , Yui Katsuyuki , Albert Matthew L. , Gueirard Pascale , Ménard Robert
Published: July 2014

Malarial infection is initiated when the sporozoite form of the Plasmodium parasite is inoculated into the skin by a mosquito. Sporozoites invade hepatocytes in the liver and develop into the erythrocyte-infecting form of the parasite, the cause of clinical blood infection. Protection against parasite development in the liver can be induced by injection of live attenuated parasites that do not develop in the liver and thus do not cause blood infection. Radiation-attenuated sporozoites (RAS) and genetically attenuated parasites are now considered as lead candidates for vaccination of humans against malaria. Although the skin appears as the preferable administration route, most studies in rodents, which have served as model systems, have been performed after i.v. injection of attenuated sporozoites. In this study, we analyzed the early response to Plasmodium berghei RAS or wild-type sporozoites (WTS) injected intradermally into C57BL/6 mice. We show that RAS have a similar in vivo distribution to WTS and that both induce a similar inflammatory response consisting of a biphasic recruitment of polymorphonuclear neutrophils and inflammatory monocytes in the skin injection site and proximal draining lymph node (dLN). Both WTS and RAS associate with neutrophils and resident myeloid cells in the skin and the dLN, transform inside CD11b+ cells, and induce a Th1 cytokine profile in the dLN. WTS and RAS are also similarly capable of priming parasite-specific CD8+ T cells. These studies delineate the early and local response to sporozoite injection into the skin, and suggest that WTS and RAS prime the host immune system in a similar fashion.
CXCL1 Inhibits Airway Smooth Muscle Cell Migration through the Decoy Receptor Duffy Antigen Receptor for Chemokines
Authors: Al-Alwan Laila A. , Chang Ying , Rousseau Simon , Martin James G. , Eidelman David H. , Hamid Qutayba
Published: July 2014

Airway smooth muscle cell (ASMC) migration is an important mechanism postulated to play a role in airway remodeling in asthma. CXCL1 chemokine has been linked to tissue growth and metastasis. In this study, we present a detailed examination of the inhibitory effect of CXCL1 on human primary ASMC migration and the role of the decoy receptor, Duffy AgR for chemokines (DARC), in this inhibition. Western blots and pathway inhibitors showed that this phenomenon was mediated by activation of the ERK-1/2 MAPK pathway, but not p38 MAPK or PI3K, suggesting a biased selection in the signaling mechanism. Despite being known as a nonsignaling receptor, small interference RNA knockdown of DARC showed that ERK-1/2 MAPK activation was significantly dependent on DARC functionality, which, in turn, was dependent on the presence of heat shock protein 90 subunit α. Interestingly, DARC- or heat shock protein 90 subunit α–deficient ASMCs responded to CXCL1 stimulation by enhancing p38 MAPK activation and ASMC migration through the CXCR2 receptor. In conclusion, we demonstrated DARC’s ability to facilitate CXCL1 inhibition of ASMC migration through modulation of the ERK-1/2 MAPK–signaling pathway.
miR-190b Is Markedly Upregulated in the Intestine in Response to Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Replication and Partly Regulates Myotubularin-Related Protein-6 Expression
Authors: Mohan Mahesh , Chandra Lawrance C. , Torben Workineh , Aye Pyone P. , Alvarez Xavier , Lackner Andrew A.
Published: July 2014

HIV replication and the cellular micro-RNA (miRNA) machinery interconnect at several posttranscriptional levels. To understand their regulatory role in the intestine, a major site of HIV/SIV replication, dissemination, and CD4+ T cell depletion, we profiled miRNA expression in colon following SIV infection (10 acute SIV, 5 uninfected). Nine (four up and five down) miRNAs showed statistically significant differential expression. Most notably, miR-190b expression showed high statistical significance (adjusted p = 0.0032), the greatest fold change, and was markedly elevated in colon and jejunum throughout SIV infection. In addition, miR-190b upregulation was detected before peak viral replication and the nadir of CD4+ T cell depletion predominantly in lamina propria leukocytes. Interestingly non–SIV-infected macaques with diarrhea and colitis failed to upregulate miR-190b, suggesting that its upregulation was neither inflammation nor immune-activation driven. SIV infection of in vitro–cultured CD4+ T cells and primary intestinal macrophages conclusively identified miR-190b upregulation to be driven in response to viral replication. Further miR-190b expression levels in colon and jejunum positively correlated with tissue viral loads. In contrast, mRNA expression of myotubularin-related protein 6 (MTMR6), a negative regulator of CD4+ T cell activation/proliferation, significantly decreased in SIV-infected macrophages. Luciferase reporter assays confirmed MTMR6 as a direct miR-190b target. To our knowledge, this is the first report, which describes dysregulated miRNA expression in the intestine, that identifies a potentially significant role for miR-190b in HIV/SIV pathogenesis. More importantly, miR-190b–mediated MTMR6 downregulation suggests an important mechanism that could keep infected cells in an activated state, thereby promoting viral replication. In the future, the mechanisms driving miR-190b upregulation including other cellular processes it regulates in SIV-infected cells need determination.
The Developmental Biology of Grain-Sucking Bug, Stenocoris elegans Blöte, on Upland Rice
Authors: Alamu Olaniyi Thomas , Ewete Francis Kolawole
Published: July 2014

The grain-sucking bug, Stenocoris elegans Blöte (Hemiptera: Alydidae), is an important rice pest in West Africa. Investigation on its developmental biology is important to provide the base and possibility to bring forth further research for the improvement of the pest management strategy. The developmental biology of S. elegans was investigated on upland rice variety IDSA 10 in the laboratory in Ibadan, Nigeria. The results showed that pre-oviposition and post-oviposition periods were 9.9 ± 0.49 and 6.1 ± 1.17 days, respectively, under ambient temperature and relative humidity. A mated female of S. elegans laid an average of 135.1 eggs during an oviposition period of 33.5 days. The average egg incubation period was 7.9 ± 0.3 days. There were five nymphal instars, and the total developmental period (first instar to adult) averaged 18.0 days. An over-all mean growth ratio of 1.29 was recorded for this species. A regular relationship existed between measurements of nymphal vertex and the duration of their developmental periods, and a significant correlation (0.98) was obtained.
Optic Nerve and Dura Mater Involvement as the First Sign of Multiple Myeloma
Authors: Yilmaz Suzan Guven , Ture Gamze , Zengin Mehmet Özgür , Talay Ekrem , Men Suleyman
Published: July 2014

Purpose

To report a case of optic nerve and dura mater involvement as the first sign of multiple myeloma.

Methods

Case report.

Results

A 43-year-old woman presented with a headache and decreased vision in both eyes. Ophthalmic examination revealed anterior uveitis and subretinal mass around the optic nerves with accompanying disc edema bilaterally. Magnetic resonance imaging showed dural and optic nerve infiltration with tram-track enhancement in the optic nerve sheath. The diagnosis of multiple myeloma was made as a result of systemic investigations. The patient underwent systemic chemotherapy and cranial radiotherapy. After treatment, the patient's headache disappeared, the papilledema regressed, and the ocular findings improved but complete recovery could not be achieved because of fibrous subretinal tissue and degenerative changes of the optic nerve.

Conclusions

Neurologic and ophthalmic involvement in multiple myeloma may appear as the first manifestation of disease. The correct diagnosis is important because it can be life-saving.
Yellow Micropulse Laser in Diabetic Macular Edema: A Short-Term Pilot Study
Authors: Nicolò Massimo , Musetti Donatella , Traverso Carlo E.
Published: July 2014

Purpose

To evaluate the effects of yellow micropulse laser in eyes with diabetic macular edema (DME).

Methods

In this retrospective interventional case series, 22 eyes of 17 patients with visual impairment secondary to persistent DME received one single session of yellow micropulse laser. Patients were divided into 2 groups: group 1, naive eyes; and group 2, previously treated eyes. Main outcome measures included changes in central retinal thickness (CRT) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA). Possible atrophic changes of the retinal pigment epithelium as a result of yellow micropulse laser application were evaluated with fundus autofluorescence.

Results

At baseline, the mean logMAR BCVA was 0.39 ± 0.18 and the mean CRT was 361.8 ± 70.95. The mean BCVA improved to 0.31 ± 0.19 (p = 0.0091) and 0.31 ± 0.19 (p = 0.0078) at 3 and 6 months of follow-up, respectively. The mean CRT improved to 331.3 ± 48.46 (p<0.0001) and 328.1 ± 53.25 (p<0.0001) at 3 and 6 months of follow-up. Subgroup analysis showed that only in naive eyes was there a beneficial effect on visual acuity and central macular thickness.

Conclusions

In eyes with DME, yellow micropulse laser produces a statistically significant improvement in BCVA and CRT in the short term.
Retinal Structural Changes in a Case of Spontaneous Resolution of Vitreomacular Traction Syndrome: Multimodal Retinal Imaging Approach
Authors: Di Antonio Luca , Toto Lisa , Aharrh-Gnama Agbeanda , Ciciarelli Vincenzo , Mastropasqua Alessandra , Carpineto Paolo
Published: July 2014

Purpose

Retinal structural changes in a case of spontaneous resolution of vitreomacular traction (VMT) syndrome were followed by means of multimodal retinal imaging approach.

Methods

Confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (cSLO) including digital infrared and blue reflectance (BR) imaging and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) were performed in a young man with VMT syndrome.

Results

At the time of diagnosis, multimodal retinal imaging documented outer retina abnormalities linked to VMT. At 1 month follow-up visit, improvement of best-corrected visual acuity and resolution of metamorphopsia were accompanied by documentation of VMT resolution and outer retina restoration.

Conclusions

Both cSLO and SD-OCT imaging, particularly BR and en face OCT adapted to the outer plexiform layer contour, allowed to depict outer retina changes in the course of VMT resolution. A strict correlation between topographic BR images and en face OCT scans was evident.
Candida Keratitis after Descemet Stripping with Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty
Authors: Villarrubia Alberto , Cano-Ortiz Antonio
Published: July 2014

Purpose

To report a case of Candida albicans keratitis after Descemet stripping with automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) due to fungal contamination of the donor cornea.

Methods

Case report.

Results

A 73-year-old woman underwent phacoemulsification with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation and DSAEK with 1 week difference. Ten days after DSAEK surgery, the culture of the donor corneoscleral rim revealed Candida albicans contamination and a small whitish infiltrate was noted within the interface. Despite conservative treatment with oral and systemic voriconazole, the infection was present outside the interface and inside the anterior chamber. Hot penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) was performed and the infection was eradicated. However, due to uncontrolled high intraocular pressure, a new PKP had to be performed, the IOL was removed, and an Ahmed valve was implanted (by pars plana vitrectomy). The anterior cap of the same donor cornea was used to perform a tectonic superficial anterior lamellar keratoplasty and the recipient did not have any problem related to fungal infection.

Conclusions

The diagnosis of fungal keratitis should be taken into account once a small infiltrate is seen in the interface of any kind of lamellar keratoplasty. It is not clear whether it is better to treat it conservatively or aggressively.
A Case of Branch Retinal Artery Occlusion following Orbital Cavernous Hemangioma Excision
Authors: Sacconi Riccardo , Resti Antonio Giordano , Lattanzio Rosangela , Pierro Luisa , D'angelo Armando , Baccelli Nicola , Bandello Francesco
Published: July 2014

Purpose

To report the first case of branch retinal artery occlusion (BRAO) following surgical excision of orbital cavernous hemangioma.

Methods

A 34-year-old man was referred to our department with an orbital cavernous hemangioma compressing the optic nerve, the medial rectus muscle, and the eyeball, and resulting in a hyperemic optic disc, vascular tortuosity, and pronounced choroidal folds at fundus biomicroscopy. The patient underwent transconjunctival inferior orbitotomy and the lesion was excised entirely without intraoperative complications.

Results

On the second postoperative day, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) decreased from 2/10 to counting fingers and fundus examination showed occlusion of the inferotemporal branch retinal artery. Fluorescein angiography and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) confirmed the diagnosis. One month of corticosteroid therapy and anticoagulation therapy were prescribed. The patient was followed up for 6 months; SD-OCT showed resolution of the retinal thickening and the retinoschisis but a new hyporeflective space in the outer retina at the fovea had appeared at 6 months follow-up. The patient's BCVA improved to 9/10 after 6 months but an absolute superior visual field defect was still present at the end of the follow-up.

Conclusions

We describe the first reported case of BRAO following orbital cavernous hemangioma excision with significant improvement of the BCVA at 6-month follow-up. The SD-OCT could be a useful tool to monitor morphologic changes of the area corresponding to the retinal ischemia.
Development of a High-Performance Anesthesia Ventilator for Research in Small Animals
Authors: Popoiu Calin Marius , Burian Caius Alexandru , Paunescu Virgil , Boia Eugen , Arghirescu Smaranda , Muntean Danina Mirela , Ordodi Valentin Laurentiu
Published: July 2014

Introduction

Small animal models are used extensively in basic research because of their low cost and possibility to mimic several human pathologies. These models are used to either analyze the underlying mechanisms and/or assess therapeutic approaches. In this respect, gentle and safe artificial ventilation is mandatory, especially for prolonged experimental procedures that require the survival of the animals. The aim of the present paper was to develop and validate a high-performance anesthesia ventilator for small animals.

Methods

A pressure-controlled ventilator with assisted ventilation and deep breath modulated on a scheduled basis and a PEEP facility for an improved anesthetic management was developed. Parameters of acid-base balance and arterial blood gases were measured initially at the end of arterial catheterization and monitored throughout the experiment.

Results

Our data show the following average values (mmHg) for pO2: 440 +/- 45 (initial), 378 +/- 24 (2 h), 373 +/- 22 (4 h), and 375 +/- 28 (6 h) and for pCO2: 35 +/- 3 (initial), 34 +/- 5 (2 h), 38 +/- 5 (4 h), and 40 +/- 6 (6 h), respectively.

Conclusions

We describe the procedure for the manufacture of a reliable, high-performance anesthesia ventilator that facilitates recovery of spontaneous respiration at animal arousal with preservation of normal blood gases values and no damage to the lungs.
Biosafety Assessment of an Intra-Neural Electrode (TIME) following Sub-Chronic Implantation in the Median Nerve of Göttingen Minipigs
Authors: Kundu Aritra , Wirenfeldt Martin , Harreby Kristian R. , Jensen Winnie
Published: July 2014

Before a novel peripheral nerve interface can be applied in a neural prosthesis for human use, it is important to determine the biocompatibility of the device. The aim of the present study was to assess the biosafety of the recently developed transverse intrafascicular multi-channel electrode (TIME) in a large nerve animal model. Six TIMEs were implanted (33-38 days) into the median nerves of Göttingen minipigs, and nerve specimens were harvested for histological analysis. We analyzed samples from the area of the implant and from control regions. We found an expected layer of fibrosis around the implant and fibroblasts in both the implant and control region, however, we found no significant presence of inflammatory cells or necrosis. Our results indicated that the TIME may be an attractive, biocompatible neural interface for future neuroprosthesis applications in the clinic setting.
Mycobiota of rape seeds in Romania. II. Evaluation of potential antagonistic fungi isolated from rape seeds against the main pathogens of rape crop
Authors: Şesan Tatiana-Eugenia
Published: July 2014

In vitro relationships between identified seed- and soil-borne fungi from rape samples have been investigated in order to evaluate their antagonistic ability as potential biocontrol agents. The bioproduct obtained from the Trichoderma viride Pers. (strain Td50) has been tested in vivo against the main phytopathogens of rape: Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary, Botrytis cinerea Pers., Alternaria spp. and Fusarium spp. in greenhouse at the Laboratory of Mycology and Plant Pathology, Biology Faculty, University of Bucharest – Romania and in the field at the Agricultural Experimental Research-Development Station Caracal (AERDS), Olt district. The T. viride (strain Td50) bioproduct formulated as a powder for the seed treatment has been effective in the protection of rape plantlets against the above mentioned phytopathogens.
Ensino rural e legitimação das ações do Estado
Authors: Obino Corrêa Werle Flávia
Published: July 2014

A Secretaria de Estado da Educação do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil, publicou, na década de 1950, o Boletim de Educação Rural. Era um instrumento de política, uma publicação em formato de revista impressa, focalizando as instituições, os atores, o papel da educação e projetos para a área rural. Nesse trabalho se analisa a importância desse impresso, sua função de legitimar as políticas do setor, o conteúdo e o contexto em que ele circulou, bem como as temáticas, artigos, notícias, fatos, documentos administrativos e o conteúdo pedagógico voltado para a vida rural. Conclui-se que tal impresso contribuiu para o estabelecimento de normativas do trabalho docente, para a emulação de práticas exemplares, como estratégia de constituição da identidade profissional dos professores rurais, e de divulgação das políticas expansionistas do setor.
La producción de conocimiento en política educacional: entre los nuevos modos de producción de conocimiento y el EEPE
Authors: Tello César Gerónimo
Published: July 2014

Este artículo analiza las diversas formas de producción de conocimiento que tuvieron lugar en los últimos veinte años en nuestra región presentando algunas notas reflexivas que permitan debatir alrededor de los diversos modos de producción de conocimiento en política educacional que se fueron desarrollando a partir de la vinculación que los investigadores académicos comenzaron a tener de un modo preponderante en la década de 1990 con los tomadores de decisiones. Debatiendo las categorías de el nuevo modo de producción de conocimiento, el analista simbólico y el enfoque de las políticas basada en la evidencia y que de algún confrontan y atentan contra la solidez de lo que denominamos la investigación académica en política educacional. Desarrollando el Enfoque de las Epistemologías de la Política Educativa como un modo de vigilancia epistemológica sobre el propio proceso de investigación en política educacional.
Educação e qualidade: duas faces de um mesmo direito
Authors: Siqueira Esquinsani Rosimar Serena
Published: July 2014

Se a educação é um direito, a sua garantia concretiza-se apenas com o acesso à escola? Há o respeito pelo direito à educação quando desprovido de indicadores mínimos de qualidade? Educação sem qualidade não seria um direito pela metade? Alimentado por essas indagações, o texto propõe uma leitura sobre a qualidade na educação pública a partir dos resultados de uma pesquisa empírica em produtos midiáticos no recorte temporal de 2001 a 2011, cotejada com ancoragens teóricas que versam sobre a educação como um direito. Conquistar uma vaga na escola pública é parte do direito à educação, que só terá vazão se esta vaga também se fizer contemplada por referenciais de qualidade. O texto pondera, ainda, que a questão da qualidade na educação não se trata de um tema filosófico, mas político, que orbita na esfera prática e de garantia dos direitos humanos. Como conclusão, o texto defende a premissa de que a consecução de um direito não está descolada de condições contextuais e objetivas de sua existência, que possam garantir este direito efetivamente, para além de declarações e intenções. Não basta colocar todos na escola para alcançar a garantia do direito à educação, é preciso ir além da vaga: garantir a permanência, o sucesso escolar e um padrão mínimo (digno) de qualidade na escola e nos processos inerentes a essa instituição. Nessa ordem, o direito à educação só seria efetivado mediante referenciais de qualidade, como faces de uma mesma moeda.
Educação e Direitos Humanos: análise da formação no Ensino Médio e Profissional
Authors: Da Silva Czernisz Eliane Cleide
Published: July 2014

Apresenta-se, neste texto, uma análise do Ensino Médio e Profissional como política pública para formação do cidadão e do trabalhador. O foco são os encaminhamentos do Ensino Médio e Profissional a partir da LDBEN 9394/96 e sua relação com o exercício dos direitos humanos e da cidadania. Para tanto, realiza-se uma análise do contexto social, político e econômico objetivando a realização do estudo das normativas norteadoras do Ensino Médio e Profissional. Discutem-se as propostas que sustentam a formação média e profissional e destacam-se os objetivos da formação com base nos direitos humanos e na cidadania, objetivos que, no contexto societário atual, podem levar também ao reforço dos ideais neoliberais ao atender interesses do sistema produtivo.