bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Supporting Community-Oriented Educational Change
Authors: Mabry Linda , Ettinger Laura
Published: March 2015

A study of a federally funded program to develop and implement community-oriented social studies curricula and curriculum-based assessments grounds cautions for educational change initiatives. In this case, despite the project director's stated intent to support teachers' desire for instruction regarding local culture and history, top-down support for classroom-level change evidenced insensitivity. Production and implementation of the planned curricula and assessments was obstructed by teacher's lack of cultural identification with the targeted community groups, workload, competing instructional priorities, inadequate communication, and organizational politics. Professional development was sometimes beneficial but more often ineffective—either perfunctory, unnecessary, or disregarded. The findings offer insight regarding educational change and a systemic analysis.
Race and Policy
Authors: House Ernest R.
Published: March 2015

Beliefs about race have played a central role in American history, literature, and education. Racial beliefs are embedded in the national identity in complex and disguised ways. These beliefs attribute presumed character traits to African Americans and other minorities, who are thought of as different in character and ability, especially the ability to govern themselves. These beliefs lead to education policies which separate, differentiate, and mandate different curricula and treatment for minorities, policies justified as being fair and democratic. These beliefs influence not only curriculum content, but how the schools are organized, financed, and administered at a deeper level than is commonly understood.
Demonstrated Actions of Instructional Leaders
Authors: Petersen George J.
Published: March 2015

To confirm perceptions, actions, and behaviors articulated by the district superintendents, triangulation interviews were conducted with school principals and school board members in each of the participating districts. A 52- item questionnaire was also administered to every principal and school board member in these districts. Responses of these personnel confirmed the articulated actions and behaviors of these superintendents in their promotion of the technical core of curriculum and instruction.
Limitations of How We Categorize People
Authors: Wallat Cynthia , Steele Carolyn
Published: March 2015

Social policy researchers and policy rules and regulation writers have not taken advantage of advances in assessing ways in which social representations of ideas about people can convey alternative explanations of social life. During the past decade a growing number of scholars have considered how representational practices and the representations that are outcomes of such practices have value. Neglecting to consider representational practices has consequences including failure to mobilize and sustain alternative ideologies that reject narrow perspectives on families and communities. As evidenced by recent OMB rulings on census categories, the dominant sense of meaning of population—and hence family and community—is quite similar to the 17th century sense of people as objects of a particular category in a place from which samples can be taken for statistical measurement. However, the contrastive analysis presented in this paper points out how sustained attention to consequences of use of sets of information categories collected to enumerate population to inform social policy can still materialize. In the wake of federal welfare reform, policy makers are particularly interested in questions of benefit relative to social service delivery and community revitalization. The presentation includes lessons learned from several dozen family, youth, school and community research projects.
Autonomous University in Brazi: A Utopia?
Authors: Fávero Maria de Lourdes de Albuquerque
Published: March 2015

The purpose of this work is to trace the historical stages through which university autonomy in Brazil has evolved. It begins with 1931 when Minister Francisco Campos conceded "relative autonomy" to the universities and describes developments to the present day. The history of autonomy in Brazilian universities is related to various political regimes and national movements through which Brazil has passed in the last 70 years. Final thoughts on the the challenges facing academic autonomy in present-day Brazil are presented.
Project Hope and the Hope School System in China
Authors: Wang Samuel C.
Published: March 2015

I investigate the creation, development, contributions and limits of Project Hope, a huge government-endorsed education project seeking non-governmental contributions to overcome educational inadequacy in poverty-stricken rural communities in transitional China. By reexamining the composition of sponsored students, the locations of Hope Primary Schools and non-educational orientations for building and expanding schools, I argue that Project Hope and its Hope School system have not contributed to educational access, equality, equity, efficiency and quality as it should have. Poverty-reduction-oriented curriculum requirements in Hope Primary Schools are theoretically misleading and realistically problematic.
Effects of 4X4 Block Scheduling
Authors: Cobb R. Brian , Abate Stacey , Baker Dennis
Published: March 2015

The effects of a 4 X 4 block scheduling program in a middle school on a variety of student measures were investigated. These measures included standardized achievement tests in mathematics, reading, and writing, cumulative and semester grades in middle school and high school, attendance rates, and enrollment rates in advanced high school courses (in mathematics only). The block scheduling program had been in effect for four years allowing analyses of current middle and high school students who had experienced a minimum of one and one-half years of block scheduling while in middle school. The primary research design was a post-test only, matched pairs design. Students were matched on school characteristics, gender, ethnicity, grade level, and 5th grade standardized reading scores. Results were relatively consistent with the extant literature and generally positive.
Grade Inflation Rates among Different Ability Students
Authors: Mc Spirit Stephanie , Jones Kirk E.
Published: March 2015

This study compares grade inflation rates among different ability students at a large, open admissions public University. Specifically, this study compares trends in graduating grade point average (GPA) from 1983 to 1996 across low, typical and higher ability students. This study also tests other explanations for increases in graduating GPA. These other explanations are changes in 1) ACT score 2) gender 3) college major and 4) vocational programs. With these other explanations considered, regression results still report an inflationary trend in graduating GPA. Time, as measured by college entry year, is still a significant positive predictor of GPA. More directly, comparisons of regression coefficients reveal lower ability students as experiencing the highest rate of grade increase. Higher grade inflation rates among low aptitude students suggest that faculty might be using grades to encourage learning among marginal students.
A Profile of the University for the Next Millenium
Authors: Infante Vidal Sunción
Published: March 2015

In this article, I analyze the role of the university in meeting the demands for new knowledge (scientific, artistic and technological) presented by an era of globalization of knowledge that is destroying old paradigms and creating new models of management and behavior. These demands include the need to train new professionals, who are highly skilled both in knowing "how to produce" as well as "why to produce." My recent research indicates that the university is not embarked on the path that leads to training professionals who know "how to produce." Nevertheless, I believe that it is possible to restructure the university to meet these goals. Activities and strategies are being devised to increase the university's ability to generate the basic knowledge that will increase the employability of the new professional with a university diploma.
Comments on the Ad Hoc Committee's Critique of the Massachusetts Teacher Tests
Authors: Wainer Howard
Published: March 2015

The critique of the Massachusetts Teacher Tests (MTT) by Haney and his colleagues is deserving of comment, both because of the impact of the MTT and because of the evocative manner in which the tale is told. Their emphasis on examples makes for a forceful argument, and I fear that my reliance on precepts may look meager by comparison. Nevertheless, I hope that some of the observations that follow contribute to the more reasoned assessment of these instruments and their use not just in Massachusetts but in the many other states where similar programs are being developed or contemplated.
Restructuring the Schoolbook Provision System in Indonesia
Authors: Supriadi Dedi
Published: March 2015

Schoolbooks account for between 65% and 75% of all publishing activity in Indonesia. The amount of money allocated is continually increasing. Priority is given to the primary and junior secondary school levels (6+3 years), which are compulsory. Between 1969 and 1988, the Government of Indonesia (GOI) has produced some 550 million primary textbooks and library books. Up to the year 2000, the GOI has decided to allocate the total of US$ 355.2 million to produce 250 million copies of primary and junior secondary school textbooks to reach the ratio of one book for each student. In addition, around Rp 20-50 billion (US$ 10-20 million) annually is spent to purchase 8-17 million copies of reading books which are aimed at stimulating the reading interest of primary school children. These books are distributed free to some 168,000 primary and 26,969 junior secondary schools throughout Indonesia. Following the massive efforts to increase book availability at schools, some innovative policies are being taken. Book evaluation standards have been improved to ensure that only high quality books are used at schools. The distribution system has been restructured to guarantee that books reach targeted schools. Consequently, the book monitoring system has had to be strengthened to examine whether or not the books really reach the schools and are used properly by students and teachers in the classrooms. In the last three years, there has also been a growing concern with multicultural issues in schoolbook provision programs. In such a culturally diverse nation as Indonesia, schoolbooks should also be culturally sensitive and be recognize the varied sociocultural backgrounds which affect students' learning.
Forces for Change in Mathematics Education: The Case of TIMSS
Authors: Macnab Donald S.
Published: March 2015

The results of the Third International Study in Mathematics and Science Education (TIMSS) were published in 1996/7. Since that time the participating countries have reacted in a variety of ways to the comparative performance of their students. This article investigates the diverse effects these reactions have had on mathematics curricula and teaching methodologies in a selection of these countries, within the context of a wider analysis of the motivations which determine change in education.
Educational Policy in the United States: Context of Current Debates; Impact in Latin America
Authors: Pini Mónica Eva
Published: March 2015

The objective of this article is to analyze some of the most relevant debates about current educational policies in the United States, and to explore the universalility of some of the ideas and strategies which have already been put in place in Latin America. The policies I will discuss are Goals 2000 and school choice proposals, especially those of charter schools and vouchers. These policies question the key definitions of educational goals, the role of the state, and democratic values. Through the analysis of different documents, reports, and research studies, the political context from which they emerged, and a critical perspective, discourses and policies are interpreted. The market model and the strong forces behind many of these proposals makes it necessary for us to think about how these ideas affect the social distribution of education and democratic ideals, both in the United States and in Latin America.
The equality of opportunities in the access of higher education
Authors: Freire Ma. Jesus
Published: March 2015

This work analyzes equality of access to the university in Galicia (Spain) as it was influenced by the political decision to finance higher education at between 80% and 85% of its real cost. The composition of the student body with respect to the level of their parents' education is examined. The analysis confirms that in spite of the significant effort at public financing, the objective of equal access will not be reached.
School-based Standard Testing
Authors: Bolon Craig
Published: March 2015

School-based standard testing continues to evolve, yet in some ways it remains surprisingly close to its roots in the first two decades of the twentieth century. After use for many years as a diagnostic and as a filter for access to education, in the closing years of the century it has been pressed into service for state-run political accountability programs. In this role, it is generating vehement controversy that recalls protests over intelligence testing in the early 1920s. This background article explores primary characteristics and issues in the development of school-based standard testing, reviews its typical lack of qualification for political accountability programs, and suggests remedies to address major problems. In general, the attitude toward new techniques of assessment is skeptical, in light of the side-effects and unexpected problems that developed during the evolution of current techniques.
Education Reform in Hong Kong
Authors: Dowson Chris , Bodycott Peter , Walker Allan , Coniam David
Published: March 2015

Since the early 1990s, the pace of educational reform in Hong Kong has accelerated and broadened to incorporate almost all areas of schooling. The reforms introduced during this period can be subsumed under what has generally been labelled the quality movement. In this paper, we review and comment on a number of policy reform initiatives in the four areas of "Quality Education," English Language Benchmarking, Initial Teacher Training and the Integration of Pupils with Special Needs into Ordinary Classrooms. Following a brief description of each policy initiative, the reforms are discussed in terms of their consistency, coherence and cultural fit.
Representations of Race, Gender and Ability in School Photography
Authors: Margolis Eric
Published: March 2015

This article examines photographs taken of American public school classes between the 1880's and the 1940's. Most of the images were found in two virtual archives: The American Memory site at the Library of Congress and The National Archives and Record Center. These very large photograph collections were searched for representations of race, gender, and physical ability. The photographs were compared and contrasted and analyzed for elements of hidden curricula using techniques drawn from the social sciences and humanities. It was found that these large photo collections have significant gaps and historical amnesias. Collections made under conditions of racial segregation are themselves segregated and continue to reproduce images of hierarchy and dominance. To the extent these sites function as important resources for teachers and students searching for primary source documents for history and social studies projects, the archives convey significantly biased views of the history of education and minority groups in America.
Teaching and Learning Policy Review in Hong Kong and the U.S.
Authors: Lee Orlan
Published: March 2015

The Research Assessment Exercises (RAEs) in hugely expanded universities in Britain and Hong Kong attempt mammoth scale ratings of "quality of research." If peer review on that scale is feasible for "quality of research," is it less so for "quality of teaching"? The lessons of the Hong Kong Teaching and Learning Quality Process Reviews (TLQPRs), of recent studies on the influence of grade expectation and workload on student ratings, of attempts to employ agency theory both to improve teaching quality and raise student ratings, and of institutional attempts to refine the peer review process, all suggest that we can "put teaching on the same footing as research" and include professional regard for teaching content and objectives, as well as student ratings of effectiveness and personality appeal, in the process.
Education Policy in Portugal
Authors: Sousa Jesus Maria
Published: March 2015

The Revolution of 25 April 1974 in Portugal put an end to a forty-eight year old dictatorship, opening the country to democracy. The purpose of this article is to describe education reform from the standpoint of a country that experienced a major political transition and had to start from the very beginning to devise an education policy. Rather than merely describing the organization of the Portuguese education system, I present a condensed analysis of Portuguese education policy, as I view it, making use of indicators of the nature of an education system proposed by D'Hainaut (1980).
Support for parent participation in primary school
Authors: Bernhard Judith K. , Freire Marlinda , Pacini-Ketchabaw Veronica
Published: March 2015

This article describes how a group of Latin American parents became more effective in their dealings with their childrens schools, a mainstream Canadian institution. Ethnicity, along with race, gender, and social class, is a critical determinant in of the interactions between schools and any group of newcomers to a society, particularly when those newcomers are an ethnic minority. Over an eight-month period, twelve Latin American parents met monthly to discuss aspects of their childrens experience with the Canadian educational system. These parents learned to collaborate with teachers and expressed their needs, but also affirmed their ethno-cultural differences. The positive feedback on their activities led to unforeseen gains, not just in relation to education and the schools. This exploratory study focuses on how the experience helped the parents to better comprehend what is expected of them in the support of their childrens schooling while retaining their own cultural assets. This study may serve as a possible model of adaptation for newcomer groups in their efforts to integrate in the school system.
Benefits and Costs of For-Profit Public Education
Authors: Molnar Alex
Published: March 2015

As a policy initiative, for-profit operation of public schools has not lived up to the claims of its proponents. An examination of issues such as teaching methods, academic achievement, autonomy, local control, and the image and influence of for-profit public schools suggests that "for-profits" are unlikely to succeed in the long term in improving the overall quality of public education. They do, however, seem capable of harming public schools.
Generation and Construction of Professional Identity
Authors: San Ramon Gago Sonsoles
Published: March 2015

It is my aim in this article to carry out a thorough examination of the basic elements, ideology and symbolic representations which constitute the identity of a generation of schoolmistresses belonging to a crucial period in Spanish history: that of the intermediate Francoism, during the process of modernization which took place at the end of the 1950s. The investigation is based on live testimonies of schoolmistresses between the ages of 65 and 70. First, I will point out the antecedents of the profession of schoolmistress in Spain and show how circumstances made her role gradually and increasingly more important. Then I will reveal what kinds of opposition and obstacles schoolmistresses came up against and had to overcome in order to obtain professional equality with male colleagues. Finally, I will contextualize and interpret, in cultural terms, the attitudes, images and motivations, which turned out to be very symbolic, that arose during the interviews with these women. This article, which fills a large gap in research on this subject, concentrates on a very particular and decisive moment. It is my intention to invite the reader to reflect on a social phenomenon of great importance today: that of the feminization of teaching, which can be seen in most countries and whose influence can be observed, not only in a country´s educational system, but in the economic, political, religious and cultural spheres as well.
Testing Times: A School Case Study
Authors: Goodson Ivor , Foote Martha
Published: March 2015

A highly successful, innovative and creative alternative to traditional education is confronted by the demands of contemporary standardized accountability. The account here is a chronicle of the resistance of a particular school, the Durant School, to the global changes that would destroy its local ecologya school whose fight against the imposition of state standards and mandated tests has been a fight to preserve its integrity, its mission, and its autonomy.
Transference of Ethnic Difference in School
Authors: Aldea Muñoz Serafín
Published: March 2015

This article attempts to compile those concepts relating to the duality equality—difference, which appears with increasing frequency in our schools. Respect for ethnic minorities, integration, and the need to affirm certain values are part of the rights of children and of all persons. Nevertheless, this work provides evidence of the gap between theory and reality in the classroom. We also examine the difficulty of reaching an agreement as to what should be understood as tolerance or equality, which must be translated into didactic practice through behaviors and actions which go beyond the typical educational treatment or mere information about this worldwide problem.
Impact of Grants-in-aid on Collegiate Education
Authors: Narayana M. R.
Published: March 2015

This article estimates the impact of grants-in-aid (GIA) and other variables on students' performance (in terms of pass percentages) in aided private degree colleges, using panel data from sample colleges in Bangalore district of Karnataka State (India) from 1991-92 to 1997-98. In addition, sensitivity of a reduction in GIA on the estimated pass percent of students in the individual colleges and feasibility of financing a reduction in GIA through proposed changes in students' fee are analysed. The results show that (a) the impact of GIA is positive and significant in all estimations; (b) the estimated pass percentage of students does vary remarkably, especially if GIA is reduced by 50 percent or more; and (c) the proposed fee revisions can finance a reduction in GIA to all colleges by about 12 percent. The framework of analysis and implications of empirical results above are of relevance for other regions in India as well as for other developing countries in assessing the policy impact of a reduction in public financing of higher education.
Union Contracts and Teacher Professional Development
Authors: Bredeson Paul V.
Published: March 2015

In this article, I report the results of an investigation that examined the impact of teacher union contracts on the development of professional learning communities in schools. There are three primary sources of data used in the study: 1) 100 written teacher union contract documents; 2) structured interview data from 21 educators (school superintendents, principals, directors of staff development, and teacher union representatives; and 3) focus group interview data from educational leaders in schools. The analysis and discussion focus on five areas related to teacher professional development with implications for policy and practice: explicit language covering opportunities for teaching learning in their work; governance and decision making structures, that is, specific provisions covering wages, hours, and conditions of employment; the description of legitimate and sponsored activities for the professional development of teachers; and the resources supporting the on-going professional growth of teachers. The findings indicate that rethinking, restructuring, and organizational re-culturing in schools are initial expressions of a new unionism that has the potential to lead to the development of more powerful professional learning communities in schools.
The "Private School Advantage" in Argentina
Authors: Fischman Gustavo E.
Published: March 2015

Local actors' perceptions of curricular and management changes in two private schools and one neighboring public secondary school in the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina, are analyzed. An exploration was conducted of how, within an ideologically and politically pro-reform context and a widespread acceptance of the "private school advantage," principals, teachers, and students in these schools evaluated the changes (or lack of them) in management, teaching, and curriculum orientations of the secondary education sector.
Similarity of TIMSS Math and Science Achievement of Nations
Authors: Zabulionis Algirdas
Published: March 2015

In 1991-97, the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) undertook a Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) in which data about the mathematics and science achievement of the thirteen year-old students in more than 40 countries were collected. These data provided the opportunity to search for patterns of students' answers to the test items: which group of items was relatively more difficult (or more easy) for the students from a particular country (or group of countries). Using this massive data set an attempt was made to measure the similarities among country profiles of how students responded to the test items.
Significance of Test-based Ratings for Metropolitan Boston Schools
Authors: Bolon Craig
Published: March 2015

In 1998 Massachusetts began state-sponsored, annual achievement testing of all students in three public school grades. It has created a school and district rating system for which scores on these tests are the sole factor. It proposes to use tenth-grade test scores as a sole criterion for high school graduation, beginning with the class of 2003. The state is treating scores and ratings as though they were precise educational measures of high significance. A review of tenth-grade mathematics test scores from academic high schools in metropolitan Boston showed that statistically they are not. Community income is strongly correlated with test scores and accounted for more than 80 percent of the variance in average scores for a sample of Boston-area communities. Once community income was included in models, other factors--including percentages of students in disadvantaged populations, (Note 1) percentages receiving special education, percentages eligible for free or reduced price lunch, percentages with limited English proficiency, school sizes, school spending levels, and property values--all failed to associate substantial additional variance. Large uncertainties in residuals of school-averaged scores, after subtracting predictions based on community income, tend to make the scores ineffective for rating performance of schools. Large uncertainties in year-to-year score changes tend to make the score changes ineffective for measuring performance trends.
Elementary Principal/Superintendent Relationship as Perceived by Teachers
Authors: Glascock Catherine H. , Taylor Diane
Published: March 2015

Despite more than a decade of research on bottom-up school change, the principal/ superintendent relationship continues to be studied primarily as a traditional flow of power from the top down. There is little research that considers the proposition that power vested in principals can be exercised upwardly within the school district hierarchy in the form of independence from and influence on the superintendent. Given the lack of research on these phenomena, it is not surprising that we could find no studies that explore the effects of hierarchical independence and influence on school climate. The present study investigates both. Two schools form the basis of this comparative case study. The schools were chosen based on scores obtained through the OCDQ and TAI instruments. The first school is selected for its high scores on both instruments and the second school is selected based on average scores on the OCDQ and the TAI. Both schools are in the same school district and a brief description of that district begins the discussion. Individual case study findings as well as a comparison of the two case studies follow.
Second Year Analysis of a Hybrid Schedule High School
Authors: Schreiber James B. , Veal William R. , Flinders David J. , Churchill Sherry
Published: March 2015

The current study examined two independent sophomore cohorts from a mid-western high school that had implemented a multi-schedule system (i.e., traditional, block, hybrid). The purpose of the study was to examine differences among the schedule types, gender, and GPA group on a state mandated standardized test. Analysis of covariance was used to examine the differences. Results indicate that a significant difference among schedule types was observed for only one cohort and for only one test (mathematics-computation). Results also indicate that schedule type did not significantly interact with gender or GPA group. The authors conclude that for these cohorts the type of schedule does not negatively or positively influence achievement.
Knowledge Management for Educational Information Systems
Authors: Thorn Christopher A.
Published: March 2015

This article explores the application of Knowledge Management (KM) techniques to educational information systems—particularly in support of systemic reform efforts. The first section defines knowledge and its relationship to information and data. There is also a discussion of various goals that might be pursued by organizations using KM techniques. The second section explores some of the fundamental design elements of an educational KM system. These include questions surrounding the unit of analysis, distributed computer resources, and organizational characteristics of successful KM efforts. Section three outlines the benefits that organizations expect to gain by investing in KM. Section four is a case history of the introduction of a district-level data system and the parallel efforts to support the aggregation and reporting of high-stakes educational outcomes for 8th grade students in the Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) district. Finally, there are some preliminary conclusions about the capacity of an urban district in a complex policy environment to respond to the knowledge management needs of a decentralized system.
Information Technology & Goals of Standards-Based Instruction
Authors: Archbald Douglas A.
Published: March 2015

This article examines goals of standards-based reform in education and ways in which developments in information technology have facilitated those goals. Since standards-based reform is a rather general concept, I begin by developing a more specific formulation which I refer to as the “standards-based instruction and assessment” model. Developments in information technology over the last fifteen years have contributed in important ways to the goals of standards-based reform at the policy level, but difficult organizational and technical challenges still have to be overcome to realize more fully the goal of standards-based instruction and assessment in instructional management and practice within schools and classrooms.
School Choice Policies in the Political Spectacle
Authors: Miller-Kahn Linda , Smith Mary Lee
Published: March 2015

This article presents research on school choice. It takes the case of a school district in Boulder, Colorado, through the decade of the 1990s and shows how interest groups took advantage of federal, state, and district policies meant to promote school choice and molded them into a system of schools that met individualistic interests rather than the common good. Extensive interviewing and analysis of documents and media reports served as sources of evidence. The authors argue that district officials accommodated the demands of elite groups of parents to transform the district. The study is framed by revisionist theories of policy, particularly Murray Edelman's theory of political spectacle wherein real values are allocated to a few groups, the allocation occurring largely out of public scrutiny. For most of the public, however, policies are largely symbolic.
Effect of cellulase-assisted refining on the thermal degradation of bleached high-density paper
Authors: Vänskä Emilia , Vuorinen Tapani
Published: March 2015

Pulp was treated with cellulase, and the chemical, physical, and optical properties of the refined pulps in paper sheets were measured in terms of the degree of polymerization of cellulose, tensile strength, elongation, burst strength, light scattering, and brightness. The sheets were thermally treated for 20 and 60 min at 225°C in the presence of 1% and 75% (v/v) water vapor. The cellulase treatment intensified the fibrillation of fibers and reduced the specific energy consumption during refining. It was demonstrated based on the water retention value that the refining modified the water-bonding ability of the pulp fibers, which was further enhanced in the case of cellulase-treated pulps. However, the enzymatic pretreatment impaired the physical properties, such as the tensile strength, elongation, and burst strength of the high-density paper. These changes further reduced the thermal strength stability of the paper. In addition, considerable brightness loss of the cellulase-treated high-density paper was observed compared to the reference paper, indicating more severe thermal degradation reactions as a consequence of enzyme-assisted refining.
Evaluation of the virulence of Sclerotium rolfsii isolates on Arachis hypogaea and screening for resistant genotypes in greenhouse conditions
Authors: Eslami A.A. , Khodaparast S.A. , Mousanejad S. , Padasht Dehkaei F.
Published: March 2015

Sclerotium rolfsii is a soil borne pathogen responsible for root and stem rot on a wide range of crops. This study was conducted to identify the virulence of different S. rolfsii isolates on a susceptible local peanut germplasm and determine the resistance of 20 peanut genotypes to the most virulent isolate and also the relationship between virulence and mycelial compatibility groups (MCGs). Seventy eight isolates of this fungus from 10 host plants and six known MCGs were used in the experiment. The experiment was done in greenhouse conditions (25±5°C) using a complete randomized block design with three replications. Pots containing sterile soil (pH=6.7) were inoculated with barley seeds colonized by each isolate separately before being seeded with the peanut germplasm. Disease severity was assessed by scoring the wilting, yellowing or death of plants, mycelia or sclerotia production on the soil surface or on plant stem, stem area affected (%) and stem lesion length, at the stage of plant maturity. Also, shoot wet weight and plant height were recorded at this stage. According to the results of the pathogenicity tests, all of the isolates were virulent on the susceptible peanut germplasm and the virulence diff ered signifi cantly between the isolates (P≤0.01). There was no relationship between the virulence of the five groups of isolates identified in the present study and the MCGs. The peanut genotype 140, which was better than the others based on seed size, plant height and the canopy size, was also the most resistant one
Record of Phenacoccus peruvianus Granara de Willing and Phenacoccus madeirensis (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) on new host ornamental plants in Greece
Authors: Stathas G.J. , Kartsonas E.D. , Darras A.I.
Published: March 2015

Two invasive mealybug species, Phenacoccus peruvianus Granara de Willink and Phenacoccus madeirensis Green (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), have been recorded on new species of ornamental plants in diff erent regions of Greece. Phenacoccus peruvianus was recorded in Athens on Cestrum nocturnum L. (Solanaceae) in September 2013. Phenacoccus madeirensis was found in Kalamata (Peloponnese) on Aloysia citriodora Palau (Verbenaceae) in May 2014 and on Osteospermum jucundum (Phillips) (Asteraceae) in July 2014. This is the first record of O. jucundum as host plant of P. madeirensis
Evaluation of AquatainTM monomolecular surface film against mosquito larvae of Culex pipiens in a full-grown rice field in Greece
Authors: Kioulos I. , Koliopoulos G.
Published: March 2015

The impact of the monomolecular surface fi lm AquatainTM against mosquito larvae was tested in a rice field in Central Greece. AquatainTM was poured in a 1.2 hectare rice paddy along the one side of the field. Laboratory reared mosquito larvae of Culex pipiens were introduced into cages placed in three different transects along the short side of the rice paddy. Larval mortality was counted 3, 6, 15 and 25 days after application. In the line located closer to the site of AquatainTM application, larval mortality ranged from 100% to 70%, 25 days after application. Mortality ranged from 88% to 25% in the middle transect and from 42%, to 10% in the more distant line. The results indicated that AquatainTM provides sufficient larval control in wide mosquito larval habitats
Band Gap Properties of Two-Dimensional Photonic Crystal Structures with Rectangular Lattice
Authors: Alipour-Banaei Hamed , Serajmohammadi Somaye , Mehdizadeh Farhad , Andalib Alireza
Published: March 2015

In this paper we proposed a new structure of two-dimensional photonic crystals with rectangular lattice. After deducing the primitive lattice vectors and first Brillouin zone of the structures, we studied the band gap properties of horizontal and vertical rectangular lattice structures and compared them with conventional square lattice structure. The most excellent characteristic of these structures is their joint band gap regions, which make them suitable for designing polarization-independent devices. The other advantage of these structures is having band gaps at higher normalized frequencies.
New Generation of Optical NoC System with Wireless CDMA Architecture
Authors: Mrabet Hichem , Attia Rabah
Published: March 2015

In this paper, a new generation of Network-on-chip (NoC) system with CDMA code is proposed. A Bipolar CDMA code is used to provide a good system performance and to reduce MAI. Two structures of a detector are employed, which are the PIN and the APD detectors, while putting into consideration thermal noise. On one hand, we are proving, in this work, that system performance can achieve a good BER value in optical context with an acceptable node number. On the other hand, system bandwidth can reach 16 Gbit/s with an acceptable SNR compared to wired architecture.
Donohue syndrome: a new case with a new complication
Authors: Odeh Rasha , Alassaf Abeer , Al-Qudah Abdelkarim A.
Published: March 2015

Donohue syndrome (DS) is a very rare autosomal recessive disease affecting less than one in a million live births. It represents the most severe form of insulin resistance due to mutations involving the insulin receptor gene. DS is characterized by pre- and postnatal growth retardation with failure to thrive, lipoatrophy, muscle wasting, acanthosis nigricans, hypertrichosis, and dysmorphic features. Glucose homeostasis is affected with hyperinsulinemia, fasting hypoglycemia, and postprandial hyperglycemia. We report a Jordanian patient with genetically proven DS who had the classical physical features, progressive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, cholestasis, and hyperglycemia, followed by hypoglycemia. In addition, the patient developed polyuria and uremia despite normal creatinine levels, hypernatremia, and hypertension. To our knowledge, these metabolic derangements were not previously reported in patients with DS.
Early onset hearing loss in autosomal recessive hypophosphatemic rickets caused by loss of function mutation in ENPP1
Authors: Steichen-Gersdorf Elisabeth , Lorenz-Depiereux Bettina , Strom Tim Matthias , Shaw Nicholas J.
Published: March 2015

Autosomal recessive hypophosphatemic rickets 2 (ARHR2) is a rare form of renal tubular phosphate wasting disorder. Loss of function mutations of the ecto-nucleotide pyrophosphatase/pyrophosphodiesterase 1 gene (
Metabolic syndrome in obese children and adolescents in Serbia: prevalence and risk factors
Authors: Vukovic Rade , Zdravkovic Dragan , Mitrovic Katarina , Milenkovic Tatjana , Todorovic Sladjana , Vukovic Ana , Soldatovic Ivan
Published: March 2015

To assess the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) in obese children and adolescents in Serbia.

The study group consisted of 254 subjects (148 female and 106 male), aged 4.6–18.9 years with diet-induced obesity (body mass index ≥95th percentile). Presence of MS using the International Diabetes Federation definition was assessed in all subjects, as well as oral glucose tolerance test and insulin resistance indices.

Overall prevalence of MS in all subjects aged ≥10 years was 31.2%, namely, 28.7% in children aged 10 to <16 years and 40.5% in adolescents ≥16 years. When adjusted for age, gender and pubertal development, higher degree of obesity was a strong predictor of MS. Multivariate analysis showed that taller subjects and those with higher degree of insulin resistance were at significantly higher risk of MS, independent of the degree of obesity.

High prevalence of MS emphasizes the need for prevention and treatment of childhood obesity.
The level of rodent problems in poultry farms of Rawalpindi-Islamabad, Pakistan
Authors: Shahwar Awan Durr e , Hussain Ifthikhar
Published: March 2015

We surveyed 69 poultry farms to assess the level of rodent infestation and identify the factors associated with the infestation in the area of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Rodents were recorded in 63 farms, and the factors associated with their occurrence included broken window screens, defective doors, presence of cracks in floor and walls, the practice of dumping poultry manure and wastes within farm premises and unmanaged wild vegetation. The structural conditions of poultry sheds were relatively better than those of the food stores, reflecting the farmers’ interest to protect poultry. Farms older than 10 years had poor structural conditions and higher rodent infestation. Farms managed by owners had lower rodent populations compared with those operated by tenants, suggesting that farm owners exert more effort to ensure adequate maintenance of farm facilities. We quantified the amount of damage caused by rodents to poultry eggs (0.001%, an average of 31±3.4 eggs per day) and food bags (5.9%, an average of 5±0.3 feed bags daily). We also measured the level of contamination of poultry food by rodents. Analysis of the samples of poultry food collected from sheds and food stores revealed that about 37.5±4.5 and 40.3±6.4 per kg, respectively, were contaminated by rodents based on counts or about 10.5±2.9 g/kg and 6.3±0.8 g/kg by weight, respectively. We conducted rodent trapping at 23 poultry farms to assess their population. We captured six rodent species, namely,
Null model analysis on bat species co-occurrence and nestedness patterns in a region of the Atlantic Rainforest, Brazil
Authors: Varzinczak Luiz Henrique , Bernardi Itiberê Piaia , Passos Fernando C.
Published: March 2015

This study aimed to test through null models analysis the co-occurrence and nestedness patterns of bat species in a region of the Atlantic Rainforest. Data from 10 communities were tabulated in presence-absence matrices. Two metrics have been used to test the co-occurrence patterns: C-Score, which calculates the “checkerboard” pattern testing the interspecific competition between pairs of species, and V-Ratio, which calculates the covariance between species. All analyses were performed with EcoSim software. For nestedness analyses, we utilized the NODF metric through the Aninhado software. None of all the C-Score results showed a significant pattern of species association, indicating a higher coexistence among bat species. For V-Ratio, three results indicated nonrandom associations of species. The communities are highly nested, with poor species sites being subsets of richer sites. The diversification in this group allows the coexistence of species, decreasing the niche overlap. Nested pattern is common in mammal communities, and the significance of our results is in accordance with the results of the co-occurrence test. Competitive interactions may lead to differences in abundance of species in communities. However, as the method of bat sampling is considered biased, the results using binary data, as in our study, seems to be the most trustful method.
Breeding habits of the Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) in Potohar Plateau, Pakistan
Authors: Mahmood Tariq , Irshad Nausheen , Hussain Riaz , Akrim Faraz , Hussain Iftikhar , Anwar Maqsood , Rais Muhammad , Nadeem Muhammad Sajid
Published: March 2015

The Indian pangolin (
NH4
+FeBr4
- • S4N4, eine Einschlußverbindung von ungeladenem S4N4 in eine ionische Wirtsverbindung
Authors: Thewalt Ulf , Burger Maria , Mausser Regina , Holl Konrad
Published: March 2015

S4N4 reacts with NH4
+FeBr4
- in benzene to give the 1:1 inclusion compound NH4
+FeBr4
- • S4N4. The dark red crystals are monoclinic, space group Cc with Z = 4 and lattice constants a = 6.430(1), b = 17.644(4), c = 12.180(2) Å , and β = 90.77(3)°. An X-ray analysis shows that the geometry of the S4N4 group is almost identical to that of crystalline tetrasulfur tetranitride. The S4N4 molecule is surrounded by ionic neigbors in such a way that the S atoms form close contacts to Br atoms of the FeBr4
- anions and the N atoms are close to the NH4
+ cations.
Synthese und Kristallstruktur von Mo(NO)(N3)3terpy, einem Nitrosyl-azido-Komplex des Molybdäns mit siebenfacher Koordination
Authors: Beck Johannes , Strähle Joachim
Published: March 2015

Mo(NO)(N3)3terpy was obtained in form of yellow platelets from Mo(CO)3terpy and (CH3)3SiN3 in nitroethane as solvent. It crystallizes in the triclinic space group P1̄ with the lattice parameters a = 817.3, b = 866.7, c = 1416.2 pm, a = 71.97°, β = 102.15°, γ = 107.34°. The unit cell contains two monomeric complexes in which the central Mo atom exhibits the coordination number seven in a slightly distorted pentagonal bipyramid. One azido group and the nitrosyl ligand are in axial positions. NO+ coordinates in a linear arrangement (Mo-N-O = 176.2°) and acts as a three electron donor completing the noble gas configuration for the molybdenum atom. A weak trans effect of the NO-ligand causes different Mo-N distances to the axial (Mo-N31 = 218.4 pm) and the equatorial (Mo-N11 = 211.3, Mo-N21 = 212.9 pm) azido groups.
Strukturchemische Untersuchungen an Scandium-Cobalt-Phosphiden mit einem Metall:Phosphor-Verhältnis von 2:1
Authors: Jeitschko Wolfgang , Reinbold Elke J.
Published: March 2015

Several new scandium cobalt phosphides were prepared by reaction of the elemental components in a tin flux. ScCoP has a TiNiSi-type structure with the orthorhombic lattice constants a = 6.268(2) Å , b = 3.750(1) Å , c = 7.050(3) Å. ScCo5P3 is isotypic with YCo5P3. Its orthorhombic lattice constants are: a = 11.691(5) Å , b = 3.583(1) Å , c = 10.206(3) Å. Sc2Co12P7crystallizes with the hexagonal Zr2Fe12P7 structure with a = 8.973(3) Å, c = 3.531(1) Å. Sc5Co19P12 is of a new type which is closely related to the structure of Hf2Co4P3. It has hexagonal symmetry, space group P6̄2m -D3h
3 and the lattice constants a - 12.124(7) Å , c = 3.633(2) Å , with Z = 1 formula unit per cell. The structure was determined and refined with isotropic thermal parameters from single-crystal counter data to a residual of R = 0.023 for 848 unique structure factors and 24 variable parameters. Considering the environments of the phosphorus atoms the structures are all closely related. There are, however, considerable differences in the coordination polyhedra of the metal atoms.