bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
From Developmental and Industrialization to Neoliberal Premature Deindustrialization
Authors: EŞİYOK Bayram
Published: March 2018

History of capitalism is the history of crises and reconstruction. After the second sharing, this period that will continue till the middle of 1970’s and be qualified as the golden age of capitalism is the most social period also as the result of the expansionary welfare State applications of capitalism. In the golden age of capitalism, as the result of import substitution industrialization strategy applied in the environmental countries, important structural transformations occurred in the production structure of many countries also including Turkey, and the share of industry increased significantly. The main actor was the state in the import substitution industrialization strategy applied in the environmental countries. Developmental state, using resource allocation for the productive sectors (primarily the production industry), important transformations were obtained in industry. By means of the selective industrial politics applied by the developmental state, many nearby countries the export structure of which depends on the agricultural products due to the production went up to the statute of industrial exporting country. As the result of the erosion observed in the productivity growth in the developer countries and stagflation escalated, the golden age of capitalism ended in the middle of the 1970’s. The neoliberal reconstruction policies depending on the financial collection were carried into effect instead of it. In this period, in which developmental state and its tools were rectified and the financial crises increased day by day, Turkey came face to face with deindustrialization fact like the Latin America countries, and its industrializations were obstructed in an early stage. In the conditions of the 21st Century, when the socio-economic problems of the nearby countries increasing day by day were considered (except China and South Korea), the developmental state and the policies it will apply are evaluated as the basic solution.
The Late Capitalist Development in the Context of Internationalization of Capital: A Theoretical Framework
Authors: YILMAZ Koray , Özmen Yılmaz Demet
Published: March 2018

In this study we aim to present a theoretical framework which focuses on the development of capitalism in the late-developed capitalist countries. Therefore, in the first part we shortly but critically dwell on the concept of lateness which is widely used in the development literature. In the second part, we express the internationalization of capital as a “terminus a quo” of the late capitalist development. For this, firstly, the concept of internationalization of capital is discussed basing on Marx’s labour theory of value. We especially dwell on the circuits of capital which is developed in the second volume of Capital. And then some important Marxist scholars’ subsequent approaches are examined. These scholars especially focus on the internationalization of capital and its relation with the late capitalist development. In the last part, the internationalization process of capital is addressed in two complementary periods: “early stage” and “advance stage”. In addition to the detailed analysis of the principal forms of internationalizing capital, we determine the principal capital accumulation forms for late capitalist countries in line with these periods. We depict these forms through capital circuits analysis which was developed by Marx.
Adopting the Chemical Potential in the High School Curriculum: Why not?
Authors: Lubini Paolo , D'Anna Michele
Published: March 2018

Discussing some examples involving the equilibrium condition in phase transitions and chemical reac- tions, we show how it is possible to introduce the concept of chemical potential (?) even at the beginning of high school. This provides the students with a simple way of conceptualizing
and managing quantitatively phenomena which, on the surface, are quite different; and it allows them to do this in a way which is both unifying and coherent.
A INSTITUIÇÃO FISCAL INDEPENDENTE COMO MECANISMO DE BOA GOVERNANÇA NAS FINANÇAS PÚBLICAS
Authors: Copelli Copatti Lívia
Published: March 2018

A sustentabilidade fiscal, o equilíbrio das contas públicas e a accountability são vieses do que se entende como boa governança pública. No Brasil, a discussão sobre tais aspectos tem sido pauta no âmbito da administração pública e dado espaço para criação de mecanismos que atendam os anseios sociais e concretizem direitos. Considerando tal fato, o presente estudo problematiza e objetiva analisar a implementação de uma Instituição Fiscal Independente como um mecanismo de boa governança pública. Para desenvolver o trabalho é utilizado o método dedutivo e bibliográfico.
BİTÜMLÜ SICAK KARIŞIMLARA AİT AKMA DEĞERİNİN REGRESYON MODELLERİ İLE TAHMİNİ
Authors: Arslan Deniz , Bayırtepe Hikmet
Published: March 2018

Bu
çalışmada, bitümlü sıcak karışım özelliklerinden olan ve Marshall Testi ile
deneysel olarak belirlenebilen akma değerinin malzeme ve karışım özellikleri
temelinde regresyon modelleri ile tahmin edilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Bu kapsamda Ankara
Büyükşehir Belediyesi sınırları dahilindeki aşınma ve binder tabakalarının
inşaatına yönelik bitümlü sıcak karışım uygulamalarına ait veriler derlenmiş ve
uygulama temelinde 4680 adet gözlem içeren veri grubu oluşturulmuştur. Veri
grubuna regresyon, temel bileşen, kümeleme ve diskriminant analizleri
uygulanmıştır. Kümeleme analizi, veri grubunun 4 ana kümeye ayrılabileceğini
göstermiştir. Belirlenen kümelere ve çeşitli kombinasyonlarına uygulanan
standart aşamalı regresyon analizleri ile akma bağımlı değişkenini tahmin etmek
üzere geliştirilen modellerde regresyon katsayısı % 73,9’a kadar ulaşmıştır.
SICAK SU TANKLARINDA YALITIM KALINLIĞININ ISIL KATMANLAŞMAYA ETKİSİ
Authors: KURŞUN Burak , ÖKTEN Korhan
Published: March 2018

Isıl enerji depolama amacı ile
kullanılan sıcak su tanklarının veriminin artırılmasında ele alınması gereken
önemli etkenlerden bir tanesi ısıl katmanlaşmadır. Tank tabanındaki suyun daha
düşük sıcaklıkta olması, ısıtılmak üzere gönderilen soğuk suyun ısı kaynağının
enerjisinden daha fazla faydalanmasını sağlayarak sistemin veriminine olumlu
katkı sağlamaktadır. Bu çalışmada tank dış yüzeyindeki yalıtım kalınlığının ve
tank çapının boyuna oranının (D/H) tank içerisindeki ısıl katmanlaşmaya olan
etkisi sayısal olarak incelenmiştir. Sayısal analizler çap/boy oranının D/H=0,3-1
aralığında yalıtım kalınlığının sabit ve değişken olması koşulları için
gerçekleştirilmiştir. Isı depolama akışkanı olarak su kullanılmış ve analiz
sonuçları sekiz saatlik soğuma periyodu için elde edilmiştir. Sayısal sonuçlar yalıtım
kalınlığının değiştirilmesi ile birlikte D/H=0,3-1 aralığındaki çap/boy
oranları için tank alt ve üst yüzeylerindeki sıcaklık farkının 7-9°C arasında
arttığını göstermiştir.
UMA REFLEXÃO DO PROCESSO DE APROPRIAÇÃO DOS RESULTADOS EM QUATRO ESCOLAS DA REDE ESTADUAL DE ENSINO DO AMAZONAS
Authors: Cavalcante Machado Andréa Sebastiana do Rosário , Júlio Ferreira Rosângela Veiga , Silva Daniel Eveling da
Published: March 2018

O texto em questão, baseado em uma pesquisa de mestrado profissional em Gestão e Políticas Públicas, discute a gestão de resultados em quatro escolas da rede estadual de ensino do município de Borba, no estado do Amazonas. O pano de fundo da discussão é o de que as avaliações em larga escala tornaram-se um importante instrumento para aferir a qualidade do ensino ofertado nas escolas, principalmente para auxiliar o direcionamento de políticas públicas de melhoria da qualidade educacional, o que implica uma reflexão em torno de processos de apropriação dessa política que gera outras políticas públicas de educação. Neste texto analisamos como a gestão conduz o processo de apropriação dos resultados das avaliações em larga escala entre a comunidade escolar e as estratégias utilizadas para promover a reflexão sobre o uso dos resultados e os desafios de melhoria da qualidade do ensino. Sob o aporte teórico da análise de conteúdo foram definidos gestores e professores de Língua Portuguesa e Matemática como sujeitos de pesquisa, entrevistados na perspectiva teórica da entrevista semiestruturada.Com base nos dados da pesquisa constata-se que os gestores se apropriam das informações geradas pelos indicadores, todavia, não é consensual entre os entrevistados que a política pública contribui para a promoção da melhoria da qualidade da educação pública. Verifica-se também que não há uma compreensão de especificidades que constituem o processo de avaliar em larga escala, mas identificam-se mudanças na organização escolar e no trabalho pedagógico docente, sob a justificativa de que é preciso melhorar os indicadores.
OS CENTROS EDUCACIONAIS DE TEMPO INTEGRAL DE MANAUS
Authors: Maciel Antonio Carlos , Silva Cintia Adélia da
Published: March 2018

Esse artigo tem por objetivo delinear um perfil da educação integral em Manaus, a partir da implantação dos Centros Educacionais de Tempo Integral – os CETIs, iniciada em 2010, para verificar se são uma alternativa pública em relação às propostas de tempo integral. Tendo por base a experiência adquirida com os levantamentos realizados em alguns municípios do estado de Rondônia, procedeu-se à aplicação de um survey multifatorial, combinado com uma entrevista de roteiro fechado, com a finalidade de coletar dados sobre o processo de implantação, com ênfase na estrutura, funcionamento e gestão dos Centros. Os resultados aqui apresentados fazem parte do momento inicial (2013), ainda predominantemente quantitativo, de uma pesquisa em andamento sobre a educação integral em Manaus, cujo momento final, predominantemente qualitativo, está previsto para 2017. Assim, são apresentados aqui o perfil do corpo administrativo, docente e gestor, além da estrutura e funcionamento desse modelo de escola concebido especialmente para atender às finalidades da educação de tempo integral, chegando-se à conclusão de que os CETIs caminham a passos largos para alcançar uma educação integral, senão politécnica, pelo menos de tempo integral qualificado!
As relações sociais que regulam a prática docente no ensino de Ligações Químicas
Authors: Quadros Ana Luiza de , Cruz Mariana Luiza de Freitas , Barcelos Amanda Souza , Carmo Naira Helena Simões do , Santos Bruno Ferreira dos
Published: March 2018

A vivência em um curso de formação de professores nos levou a investigar o que professores em formação consideram e com quem interagem, ao desenvolverem suas aulas. Para isso, nos apropriamos do “dispositivo pedagógico”, apontado por Basil Bernstein, para analisar as relações que permeiam a prática docente. A ação de professores em formação no desenvolvimento de aulas sobre Ligações Químicas foi o foco central deste trabalho. As aulas foram planejadas com base em tendências contemporâneas de ensino, com algumas orientações específicas, ressaltadas durante o planejamento. Percebemos que, apesar do planejamento conjunto, o desenvolvimento das aulas foi diferenciado para todos os envolvidos. Enquanto metade deles seguiu o planejado, com pequenas mudanças, a outra metade optou por seguir outro modelo de aula de acordo com o que aprendeu durante sua formação ou com a prática construída em sua experiência docente. Os estudantes investigados legitimaram algumas práticas, que precisam ser percebidas e problematizadas pelos formadores.
O software QSR Nvivo: utilização em pesquisas no ensino de química
Authors: Amaral-Rosa Marcelo Prado , Eichler Marcelo Leandro
Published: March 2018

O QSR Nvivo é uma ferramenta que dispõe de possibilidades para pesquisas qualitativas. Apesar de estar no mercado há cerca de quinze anos, o uso em pesquisas na área de ensino de Química ainda é escasso. Diante disso, o objetivo aqui é apresentar algumas possibilidades de uso do QSR Nvivo, com vistas a estimular a utilização dessa ferramenta no tratamento de dados de pesquisas qualitativas voltadas ao ensino de Química. A experiência na abordagem da temática é baseada na expertise adquirida em trabalhos anteriores. Mesmo com o avanço absoluto das tecnologias sobre as práticas acadêmicas, percebe-se que, apesar das inúmeras vantagens no tratamento de dados qualitativos ofertada pelo QSR Nvivo, poucos são os movimentos acadêmicos para a sua utilização. Na pesquisa qualitativa, ao contrário do que acontece na quantitativa, a preferência, seja por opção ou por inacessibilidade, ainda segue o caminho das ferramentas artesanais.
Observando a dinâmica do contrato didático em aulas de equilíbrio químico
Authors: Souza Larissa Oliveira de , Silva Priscila do Nascimento , Silva Flávia Cristiane Vieira da , Simões Neto José Euzebio , Brito Lima Anna Paula de Avelar
Published: March 2018

Esse estudo teve como objetivo analisar o contrato didático em uma turma de 3° ano de Ensino Médio, na gestão do saber Equilíbrio Químico. Os fenômenos didáticos emergem na relação didática, em sala de aula, envolvendo a tríade professor-aluno-saber. Entre esses, está o contrato didático, estudado inicialmente por Guy Brousseau, e diz respeito às cláusulas, em parte explícitas, mas, na sua maioria, implícitas, que podem se revelar a partir da sua transgressão, e que regulam a divisão de responsabilidades e expectativas entre professor e aluno, na gestão de um saber. Para a obtenção de dados e posterior análise, utilizamos videogravação e subsequente transcrição. Os resultados obtidos indicam a ocorrência de negociações e expectativa negativa/positiva para com o outro, com um número alto de ocorrência do efeito Topázio, explicado pela tendência do professor em assumir a palavra diante da postura de pouca interação entre ele e os alunos.
La ermita de Santa María de la Vega (Torre de Juan Abad), en la Edad Moderna
Authors: Moya García Concepción , Fernández-Pacheco Sánchez-Gil Carlos
Published: March 2018

El objetivo del presente trabajo es realizar un estudio de la ermita de Nuestra Señora de la Vega, de Torre de Juan Abad, desde las últimas décadas del siglo XV hasta finales del XVIII, analizando su estructura, las reformas realizadas, su funcionamiento, la gestión de sus bienes y fondos, la fuerte devoción y el carácter milagroso que le atribuían los vecinos de la comarca y la evolución sufrida a lo largo de dichos años.
Expedientes Judiciales en el archivo de Villahermosa (1567-1850)
Authors: Bellón Serrano Santiago
Published: March 2018

Estudio de la justicia local y tipos de pleitos en la villa de Villahermosa en el Antiguo Régimen tomando como fuente su archivo municipal, en concreto la documentación agrupada bajo el epígrafe de Expedientes Judiciales. La base del escalafón judicial la representan los alcaldes ordinarios como máxima autoridad en las villas. Juzgan y entienden todo tipo de pleitos desde morales, robos, agresiones, insultos, malos tratos hasta homicidios.
Antonio Rodríguez Huéscar: hispanismo filosófico en el Campo de Montiel
Authors: Arroyo Serrano Santiago
Published: March 2018

Se pretende dar una visión de la obra filosófica de Antonio Rodríguez Huéscar, que se interesa por el Campo de Montiel y por lo manchego en general, contextualizando su posición como filósofo español y su interés intelectual por la comarca, así como su devenir histórico tanto en la antropología o estudio de la metafísica, en una reflexión territorial, como de la estética, a través del análisis filosófico y estético de la obra del pintor Antonio López Torres. Estas dos perspectivas fundamentan las conclusiones sobre su papel en el ámbito de los estudios de filosofía hispánica y el Campo de Montiel y el diálogo con algunos autores locales para justificar sus ideas filosóficas.
The Influence of Rapidly Guessed Item Responses on Teacher Value-Added Estimates: Implications for Policy and Practice
Authors: Jensen Nate , Rice Andrew , Soland James
Published: March 2018

While most educators assume that not all students try their best on achievement tests, no current research examines if behaviors associated with low test effort, like rapidly guessing on test items, affect teacher value-added estimates. In this article, we examined the prevalence of rapid guessing to determine if this behavior varied by grade, subject, and teacher, and evaluated if rapid guessing influenced teacher value-added estimates. We observed differences in rapid guessing across grades, subjects, and teachers; however, this behavior did not appear to have a substantive effect on teacher value-added estimates. These findings suggest that rapid guessing occurs frequently enough that educators should be mindful of its effect on the interpretations of student test results. However, based on the value-added specifications used in this research, this type of behavior did not appear to affect estimates of teacher performance.
Determinants of Willingness to Pay for Improved Solid Waste Management System in Lekhnath, Kaski, Nepal
Authors: Dhungana Ananta Raj
Published: March 2018

Solid waste management is one of the developmental challenges facing city authorities worldwide, especially in most developing countries. Rapid urbanization has made solid waste management a serious problem in poor and developing countries. This study aims to analyze the determinants of willingness to pay for improved solid waste management system. For this purpose, two hundred and seventeen Households were selected in Lekhnath, Kaski, Nepal. Pre-structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. Data was collected by using systematic random sampling techniques. Multiple Linear Regression analysis was used to find the determinants of willingness to pay for improved solid waste management system. The tentative average wastes produced per day from their house is one kilogram with minimum one hundred gram and maximum ten kilogram per day. Main disposal method/site for solid waste management of majority of the respondents is Burn followed by cannal, near open places, send in waste management vehicle, road side and rivulets. Almost all of the respondents are not satisfied with the community responsible for solid waste management in the study area. The average amount that the respondents have willingness to pay for solid waste management system is Rs 56.84 per month. Further, it is found that Having any member abroad, Remittance received in last one year and House ownership are the major determining factors for willingness to pay for improved solid waste management system in the study area. However, other factors like Sex of the respondents, age of the respondents, family size, Family type, Caste/ethnicity, education of the respondents, Total number of employed person at home, Total number of literate person at home, Major occupation of the respondents, tentative weight of accumulated solid waste per day, Monthly Income of household, Visit at any hotel/restaurant during last 12 months, and Having any livestock at household do not have any significant impact on willingness to pay for improved solid waste management system. Janapriya Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, Vol. 6 (December 2017)
Psychosocial Problem among School-going Adolescents in Pokhara, Western Nepal
Authors: Banstola Ratna Shila
Published: March 2018

Adolescence the second decade of life is the crucial period demanding significant adjustment to the physical and social changes. During this transitional period, if adequate care and attention is not given adolescents are prone to develop various psychosocial problems with long standingimpact. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the prevalence of psychosocial problem and its associated factors among 360 adolescents studying in public schools of Pokhara Lekhnath Metropolitan City. Data was collected by using self-administered questionnaire. The data was analyzed in SPSS version 16 applying both descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings of the study revealed that 21.7 percent of adolescents had psychosocial problem. Adolescents who are facing physical/verbal abuse (p=0.000, OR: 13.54),who do not feel good about home environment (p=0.000, OR: 5.01), have high academic/school relates stress (p=0.000, OR:5.304), who do not stay with their parents (p=0.000, OR: 4.49), belonged to hardly sufficient family income (p=0.000, OR: 3.29), those from joint family (p=0.004, OR: 2.12), whose mothers are illiterate (p=0.027, OR: 1.96) and having disrupted marital status of parents (p=0.040, OR: 1.78) were more likely to have psychosocial problem. Hence, the combined effort of family and school team is essential to protect adolescents from developing psychosocial problem. Janapriya Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, Vol. 6 (December 2017), page: 121-133
Constitution of Nepal and Political Development: Adaption and Challenges of Implication
Authors: Dahal Girdhari
Published: March 2018

The present constitution- promulgated by the Constitutional Assembly (CA) in September, 2015 is the seventh written document in the constitutional history of Nepal which has institutionalized Federal Democratic Republic achieved after the success of peoples' movement of 2006. It was made based on the principles of constitutionalism. The constitution of Nepal has addressed different issues for a modern state and is regarded as a progressive, people oriented constitution. It has also paved paths for further economic development. It has opened door for rights of the people, political stability, restructuring of the state, and sustainable peace and development of the state. However, there are many prospects as well as numerous challenges for its proper implementation. Some Madhes based parties (People of Terai) and ethnic minorities have criticized the constitution for being unable to address their pertinent issues fully. However, they have involved in the process of constitution implementation by participating in first local, provincial and federal level election held under new constitution. So the government needs to bring the Madhesh based parties and other groups into a peaceful consensus and should pave a path for implementation of this constitution. At the same time, implementation of federalism, election of local bodies, sustainable peace, political stability and development are among other challenges faced by this constitution. Janapriya Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, Vol. 6 (December 2017), Page: 148-159
Functional outcomes and quality of life after microsurgical clipping of unruptured intracranial aneurysms: a prospective cohort study
Authors: O’Donnell Joan Margaret , Morgan Michael Kerin , Manuguerra Maurizio
Published: March 2018

OBJECTIVE

Few studies have examined patients’ ability to drive and quality of life (QOL) after microsurgical repair for unruptured intracranial aneurysms (uIAs). However, without a strong evidentiary basis, jurisdictional road transport authorities have recommended driving restrictions following brain surgery. In the present study, authors examined the outcomes of the microsurgical repair of uIAs by measuring patients’ perceived QOL and cognitive abilities related to driving.

METHODS

Between January 2011 and January 2016, patients with a new diagnosis of uIA were prospectively enrolled in this study. Assessments were performed at referral, before surgery, and at 6 weeks and 12 months after surgery in those undergoing microsurgical repair and at referral and at 12 months in conservatively managed patients. Assessments included the Physical Component Summary (PCS) and Mental Component Summary (MCS) of the SF-36, the off-road driver-screening instrument DriveSafe (DS), the modified Barthel Index (mBI), and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS).

RESULTS

One hundred sixty-nine patients were enrolled in and completed the study, and 112 (66%) of them had microsurgical repair of their aneurysm. In the microsurgical group, there was a trend for improved DS scores: from a mean (± standard deviation) score of 108 ± 10.7 before surgery to 111 ± 9.7 at 6 weeks after surgery to 112 ± 10.2 at 12 months after surgery (p = 0.05). Two percent of the microsurgical repair group and 4% of the conservatively managed group whose initial scores indicated competency to drive according to the DS test subsequently had 12-month scores deemed as not competent to drive; the difference between these 2 groups was not statistically significant (p > 0.99). Factors associated with a decline in the DS score among those who had a license at the time of initial assessment were an increasing age (p < 0.01) and mRS score > 0 at one of the assessments (initial, 6 weeks, or 12 months; p < 0.01).

Mean PCS scores in the microsurgical repair group were 52 ± 8.1, 46 ± 6.8, and 52 ± 7.1 at the initial, 6-week, and 12-month assessments, respectively (p < 0.01). These values represented a significant decline in the mean PCS score at 6 weeks that recovered by 12 months (p < 0.01). There were no significant changes in the MCS, mBI, or mRS scores in the surgical group.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, QOL at 12 months for the microsurgical repair group had not decreased and was comparable to that in the conservatively managed group. Furthermore, as assessed by the DS test, the majority of patients were not affected in their ability to drive.
Spinal cord injury below-level neuropathic pain relief with dorsal root entry zone microcoagulation performed caudal to level of complete spinal cord transection
Authors: Falci Scott , Indeck Charlotte , Barnkow Dave
Published: March 2018

OBJECTIVE

Surgically created lesions of the spinal cord dorsal root entry zone (DREZ) to relieve central pain after spinal cord injury (SCI) have historically been performed at and cephalad to, but not below, the level of SCI. This study was initiated to investigate the validity of 3 proposed concepts regarding the DREZ in SCI central pain: 1) The spinal cord DREZ caudal to the level of SCI can be a primary generator of SCI below-level central pain. 2) Neuronal transmission from a DREZ that generates SCI below-level central pain to brain pain centers can be primarily through sympathetic nervous system (SNS) pathways. 3) Perceived SCI below-level central pain follows a unique somatotopic map of DREZ pain-generators.

METHODS

Three unique patients with both intractable SCI below-level central pain and complete spinal cord transection at the level of SCI were identified. All 3 patients had previously undergone surgical intervention to their spinal cords—only cephalad to the level of spinal cord transection—with either DREZ microcoagulation or cyst shunting, in failed attempts to relieve their SCI below-level central pain. Subsequent to these surgeries, DREZ lesioning of the spinal cord solely caudal to the level of complete spinal cord transection was performed using electrical intramedullary guidance. The follow-up period ranged from 1 1/2 to 11 years.

RESULTS

All 3 patients in this study had complete or near-complete relief of all below-level neuropathic pain. The analyzed electrical data confirmed and enhanced a previously proposed somatotopic map of SCI below-level DREZ pain generators.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study support the following hypotheses. 1) The spinal cord DREZ caudal to the level of SCI can be a primary generator of SCI below-level central pain. 2) Neuronal transmission from a DREZ that generates SCI below-level central pain to brain pain centers can be primarily through SNS pathways. 3) Perceived SCI below-level central pain follows a unique somatotopic map of DREZ pain generators.
Gefährlich und nützlich zugleich: Strategien zum Management der invasiven Robinie
Authors: Vítková Michaela , Conedera Marco , Sádlo Jiří , Pergl Jan , Pyšek Petr
Published: March 2018

Dangerous and useful at the same time: management strategies for the invasive black locust

The North American black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) is considered controversial as many other introduced tree species because of its both positive and negative properties. Based on a literature review and own data we analyze the occurrence of black locust in Czechia and Switzerland and present the management approaches in place. In both countries, black locust is on the blacklist of invasive introduced species. It can grow in a wide range of habitats from urban and agricultural landscape to dry grassland and forest. Meanwhile, the species became in many places part of the environment and human culture, so that neither unrestricted cultivation nor large-scale eradication is feasible. We suggest a context-dependent management which respects the different needs and takes into account the local environmental conditions, land-use, habitat type, risk of spread as well as economic, cultural and biodiversity aspects. To this purpose we propose three management strategies: 1) control respectively gradual suppression of black locust in forests where the species is not welcome, 2) its eradication in sensitive ecosystems as dry grasslands or clear and dry forests and 3) its tolerance in intensively managed agricultural landscapes and in urban environment.
Generation and Partial Characterization of Rabbit Monoclonal Antibody to Pyroglutamate Amyloid-β3-42 (pE3-Aβ)
Authors: Mehta Pankaj D. , Patrick Bruce A. , Barshatzky Marc , Mehta Sangita P. , Frackowiak Janusz , Mazur-Kolecka Bozena , Wegiel Jerzy , Wisniewski Thomas , Miller David L.
Published: March 2018

N-terminally truncated pyroglutamate amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide starting at position 3 represents a significant fraction of Aβ peptides (pE3-Aβ) in amyloid plaques of postmortem brains from patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and older persons with Down syndrome (DS). Studies in transgenic mouse models of AD also showed that pE3-Aβ is a major component of plaques, and mouse monoclonal antibody to pE3-Aβ appears to be a desirable therapeutic agent for AD. Since small peptides do not typically elicit a good immune response in mice, but do so favorably in rabbits, our aims were to generate and partially characterize a rabbit monoclonal antibody (RabmAb) to pE3-Aβ. The generated RabmAb was found to be specific for pE3-Aβ, since it showed no reactivity with Aβ16, Aβ40, Aβ42, Aβ3-11, and pE11-17 Aβ peptides in an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The isotype of the antibody was found to be IgG class. The antibody possesses high affinity to pE3-Aβ with dissociation constant (KD) for the antibody of 1 nM. The epitope of the antibody lies within the sequence of pE3-FRHD. In dot blotting, the optimal detection of pE3-Aβ was at an antibody concentration of 0.5 μg/ml. The threshold of pE3-Aβ detection was 2 fmol. The antibody was sensitive enough to detect 10 pg/ml of pE3-Aβ in sandwich ELISA. pE3-Aβ was detected in AD and DS brain extracts in ELISA and immunoblotting. Immunohistological studies showed immunolabeling of plaques and blood vessels in brains from patients with AD, and DS showing AD pathology. Thus, the antibody can be widely applied in AD and DS research, and therapeutic applications.
Alzheimer’s Amyloid-β is an Antimicrobial Peptide: A Review of the Evidence
Authors: Gosztyla Maya L. , Brothers Holly M. , Robinson Stephen R.
Published: March 2018

The amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide has long been considered to be the driving force behind Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, clinical trials that have successfully reduced Aβ burden in the brain have not slowed the cognitive decline, and in some instances, have resulted in adverse outcomes. While these results can be interpreted in different ways, a more nuanced picture of Aβ is emerging that takes into account the facts that the peptide is evolutionarily conserved and is present throughout life in cognitively normal individuals. Recent evidence indicates a role for Aβ as an antimicrobial peptide (AMP), a class of innate immune defense molecule that utilizes fibrillation to protect the host from a wide range of infectious agents. In humans and in animal models, infection of the brain frequently leads to increased amyloidogenic processing of the amyloid-β protein precursor (AβPP) and resultant fibrillary aggregates of Aβ. Evidence from in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrates that Aβ oligomers have potent, broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties by forming fibrils that entrap pathogens and disrupt cell membranes. Importantly, overexpression of Aβ confers increased resistance to infection from both bacteria and viruses. The antimicrobial role of Aβ may explain why increased rates of infection have been observed in some of the AD clinical trials that depleted Aβ. Perhaps progress toward a cure for AD will accelerate once treatment strategies begin to take into account the likely physiological functions of this enigmatic peptide.
An element-scaling-revising method (ESRM) for magnetic flux leakage signal analysis
Authors: Peng Lisha , Huang Songling , Wang Shen , Zhao Wei
Published: March 2018

Magnetic flux leakage (MFL) testing is a commonly used nondestructive testing (NDT) technique for signal analysis and defect detection. MFL signal prediction is essential to build forward model and solve defect inverse problem. This paper innovatively proposed an element-scaling-revising method (ESRM) for MFL signal analysis. A forward model for predicting MFL signal is established by ESRM. It doesn’t need to solve the forward finite element method (FEM) model in the calculation process; thus can greatly reduce computation cost, while maintaining a high precision. In this method, the MFL signals of element defects is obtained from FEM model in advance. Then detection plane of defect is scaled and the lift-off value is revised according to scaling factor [Formula: see text]. This method is verified both numerically and experimentally to demonstrate its feasibility.
Fracture Propagation in Brazilian Discs with Multiple Pre-existing Notches by Using a Phase Field Method
Authors: Zhou Shuwei
Published: March 2018

The crack propagation in the Brazilian discs with multiple pre-existing notches is investigated by using a phase field method. The phase field modeling is verified by applying a direct tension test and an indirect splitting test on a Brazilian specimen with no pre-existing notches where the simulated results are in good agreement with previous numerical and experimental results. The influence of the notch number and spacing on the crack propagation in the Brazilian discs with multiple vertically and horizontally arranged notches is studied. Outer cracks initiate from the notch tips and propagate at a small angle with the vertical direction, finally coalescing with the ends of the discs. The strength of the specimen decreases as the notches increases. The Brazilian discs with horizontally arranged pre-existing notches only have outer cracks when the notch number is 1, 3, and 5 and have both outer and inner cracks for two and four notches. The peak load of the Brazilian discs with horizontally arranged notches increases as the notch spacing increases. The final crack patterns obtained by the phase field modeling are consistent with those by previous numerical simulations and experimental tests.
Ewing's sarcoma of rib
Authors: Hossain Sk Moazzem , Kabir Farjana , Kamal SM , Ghosh Debasish Kumar
Published: March 2018

Ewing's sarcoma is an uncommon malignant bone tumour occuring in children, adolescents and young adults. We report a case of a 13 year old male admitted to Khulna Medical College Hospital with history of pain and swelling in chest wall for two weeks. Earlier chest X-ray showed a mass lesion in the left upper part of chest wall and erosion of first rib. Subsequent X-ray revealed left sided massive pleural effusion. CT scan revealed a mass lesion in the left upper part of chest wall originated from left first rib and left sided pleural effusion. FNAC from the mass lesion revealed features suggestive of Ewing's sarcoma. Patient was treated with chemotherapy and after first cycle there was significant improvement of all the signs and symptoms.Bang Med J (Khulna) 2017; 50 : 41-43
Analysis of Mechanical Properties of Self Compacted Concrete by Partial Replacement of Cement with Industrial Wastes under Elevated Temperature
Authors: Mansoor Junaid , Shah Syyed , Khan Mudasser , Sadiq Abdullah , Anwar Muhammad , Siddiq Muhammad , Ahmad Hassam
Published: March 2018

Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC) differs from the normal concrete as it has the basic capacity to consolidate under its own weight. The increased awareness regarding environmental disturbances and its hazardous effects caused by blasting and crushing procedures of stone, it becomes a delicate and obvious issue for construction industry to develop an alternative remedy as material which can reduce the environmental hazards and enable high-performance strength to the concrete, which would make it durable and efficient for work. A growing trend is being established all over the world to use industrial byproducts and domestic wastes as a useful raw material in construction, as it provides an eco-friendly edge to the construction process and especially for concrete. This study aims to enlighten the use and comparative analysis for the performance of concrete with added industrial byproducts such as Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBFS), Silica fumes (SF) and Marble Powder (MP) in the preparation of SCC. This paper deals with the prediction of mechanical properties (i.e., compressive, tensile and flexural Strength) of self-compacting concrete by considering four major factors such as type of additive, percentage additive replaced, curing days and temperature using Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs).
A Rule Extraction Study from SVM on Sentiment Analysis
Authors: Bologna Guido , Hayashi Yoichi
Published: March 2018

A natural way to determine the knowledge embedded within connectionist models is to generate symbolic rules. Nevertheless, extracting rules from Multi Layer Perceptrons (MLPs) is NP-hard. With the advent of social networks, techniques applied to Sentiment Analysis show a growing interest, but rule extraction from connectionist models in this context has been rarely performed because of the very high dimensionality of the input space. To fill the gap we present a case study on rule extraction from ensembles of Neural Networks and Support Vector Machines (SVMs), the purpose being the characterization of the complexity of the rules on two particular Sentiment Analysis problems. Our rule extraction method is based on a special Multi Layer Perceptron architecture for which axis-parallel hyperplanes are precisely located. Two datasets representing movie reviews are transformed into Bag-of-Words vectors and learned by ensembles of neural networks and SVMs. Generated rules from ensembles of MLPs are less accurate and less complex than those extracted from SVMs. Moreover, a clear trade-off appears between rules’ accuracy, complexity and covering. For instance, if rules are too complex, less complex rules can be re-extracted by sacrificing to some extent their accuracy. Finally, rules can be viewed as feature detectors in which very often only one word must be present and a longer list of words must be absent.
Catalytic Growth of Carbon Nanotubes by Direct Liquid Injection CVD Using the Nanocluster [HxPMo12O40⊂H4Mo72Fe30(O2CMe)15O254(H2O)98-y(EtOH)y]
Authors: Esquenazi Gibran L. , Brinson Bruce , Barron Andrew R.
Published: March 2018

The growth of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by direct liquid injection chemical vapor deposition (DLICVD) has been studied using the polyoxometalate cluster [HxPMo12O40⊂H4Mo72Fe30(O2CMe)15O254(H2O)98-y(EtOH)y] (FeMoC) as the catalyst with either ethanol or toluene as the carbon source. In order to screen different growth conditions a single large batch of FeMoC is required in order to eliminate variation in the catalyst precursor. The preparation of 6 g of FeMoC is possible by scaling (10×) literature reagent ratios. DLICVD studies of the FeMoC derived carbon product were evaluated by Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to determine the quality (G:D ratio) and purity of CNT content. With the use of ethanol as the carbon source, increasing the temperature in the injection zone (aspiration temperature) above 250 °C increases the yield, and results in a slight increase in the G:D ratio. The maximum yield is obtained with a growth temperature of 900 °C, while the G:D ratio is the highest at higher temperatures. Faster solution injection rates increase yield, but with a significant decrease in G:D, in fact no CNTs are observed in the product for the highest injection rate (10 mL/h). An optimum catalyst concentration of 1.25 wt.% is found, which influences both the catalyst:C and catalyst:H ratios within the system. Growth at 800 °C is far more efficient for toluene as a carbon source than ethanol. The resulting “process map” allows for large quantities of CNTs to be prepared by DLICVD.
Modes of Interaction of KMT2 Histone H3 Lysine 4 Methyltransferase/COMPASS Complexes with Chromatin
Authors: Bochyńska Agnieszka , Lüscher-Firzlaff Juliane , Lüscher Bernhard
Published: March 2018

Regulation of gene expression is achieved by sequence-specific transcriptional regulators, which convey the information that is contained in the sequence of DNA into RNA polymerase activity. This is achieved by the recruitment of transcriptional co-factors. One of the consequences of co-factor recruitment is the control of specific properties of nucleosomes, the basic units of chromatin, and their protein components, the core histones. The main principles are to regulate the position and the characteristics of nucleosomes. The latter includes modulating the composition of core histones and their variants that are integrated into nucleosomes, and the post-translational modification of these histones referred to as histone marks. One of these marks is the methylation of lysine 4 of the core histone H3 (H3K4). While mono-methylation of H3K4 (H3K4me1) is located preferentially at active enhancers, tri-methylation (H3K4me3) is a mark found at open and potentially active promoters. Thus, H3K4 methylation is typically associated with gene transcription. The class 2 lysine methyltransferases (KMTs) are the main enzymes that methylate H3K4. KMT2 enzymes function in complexes that contain a necessary core complex composed of WDR5, RBBP5, ASH2L, and DPY30, the so-called WRAD complex. Here we discuss recent findings that try to elucidate the important question of how KMT2 complexes are recruited to specific sites on chromatin. This is embedded into short overviews of the biological functions of KMT2 complexes and the consequences of H3K4 methylation.
Impact of Supplemental Oxygen on Obstructive Sleep Apnea of Infants
Authors: Das Piyush , Kashyap Rahul , Kotagal Suresh
Published: March 2018

Treatment options may be limited for infants with obstructive sleep apnea when there is no surgically correctable upper airway lesion. We therefore evaluated, retrospectively, the efficacy of low-flow oxygen as a therapeutic option for infant obstructive sleep apnea. We reviewed the medical charts of 23 infants who had undergone a therapeutic trial of low-flow oxygen during polysomnography. Split-night polysomnography was used in 21/23 subjects while 2/23 had undergone two separate, full-night polysomnography sleep architecture and respiratory findings on the baseline polysomnogram segment that was obtained in room air were compared with the segment on low-flow oxygen (0.25–1 L/min). Wilcoxon signed rank or McNemar’s test were used as indicated for comparing apnea hypopnea index and measures of sleep architecture at baseline and with oxygen therapy. The mean (±SD) age of subjects was 4.8 (±2.7) months, with 52% being males. The median apnea hypopnea index fell from a baseline of 18 (range 7–43) to 3 (range 1–19; p = 0.001) on oxygen. The baseline median obstructive/mixed apnea index decreased from 2 (range 1–16) to 1 during oxygen therapy (range 0–1; p = 0.003). Additionally, a significant decrease in central apnea index (median interquartile range (IQR) 1 (0–2) vs. 0 (0–1), p = 0.002) was noted. Sleep efficiency remained unaffected, while O2 saturation (SaO2) average and SaO2 nadir improved on oxygen. We were able to confirm the utility of low-flow oxygen in reducing central, obstructive, and mixed apneas and improving average oxygen saturation in infants with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
An Integrated Theatre Production for School Nutrition Promotion Program
Authors: Bush Robert , Capra Sandra , Box Selina , McCallum David , Khalil Stephanie , Ostini Remo
Published: March 2018

In the context of stubbornly high childhood obesity rates, health promotion activities in schools provide a potential avenue to improve children’s nutritional behaviours. Theatre production has a rich history as a health behaviour promotion strategy but lacks sound, outcome-based evaluation. This study evaluated the effect of an integrated, two-part, place-based theatre performance program with 212 students in five schools in a regional urban and semi-rural area. The program included a theatre performance and a healthy eating competition. A brief survey assessed student healthy eating knowledge and attitudes at three time points. Nutrition behaviour was measured by scoring the contents of children’s lunch boxes before, during and up to six weeks after the intervention. Statistical analysis tested change over time on five variables (Knowledge, Attitude, Sometimes foods, Everyday foods, Overall lunch box score). Results showed that both components of the integrated program improved nutrition knowledge and that the theatre performance improved children’s healthy eating attitudes. All three lunch box scores peaked after the integrated program and remained significantly higher than baseline at 4–6 weeks follow-up. Interaction effects were identified for school catchment area on four of the five dependent variables. Evaluation of this integrated theatre production program indicates the potential benefit of taking a “super-setting” approach. It demonstrates an effect from students taking home information they had learned and incorporating it into lunch box preparation. It also showed consistent effects for school geographical catchment. This study suggests that, with careful, theory-based design, theatre productions in schools can improve student nutritional activities.
Analytical Expression of Parabolic Trough Solar Collector Performance
Authors: Bellos Evangelos , Tzivanidis Christos
Published: March 2018

The parabolic trough collector is one of the most developed solar concentrating technologies for medium and high temperatures (up to 800 K). This solar technology is applied in many applications and so its investigation is common. The objective of this study is to develop analytical expressions for the determination of the thermal performance of parabolic trough collectors. The non-linear equations of the energy balances in the parabolic trough collector device are simplified using suitable assumptions. The final equation set includes all the possible parameters which influence the system performance and it can be solved directly without computational cost. This model is validated using experimental literature results. Moreover, the developed model is tested using another model written in Engineering Equation Solver under different operating conditions. The impact of the inlet fluid temperature, flow rate, ambient temperature, solar beam irradiation, and the heat transfer coefficient between cover and ambient are the investigated parameters for testing the model accuracy. According to the final results, the thermal efficiency can be found with high accuracy; the deviations are found to be up to 0.2% in the majority of the examined cases. Thus, the results of this work can be used for the quick and accurate thermal analysis of parabolic trough collector. Moreover, the analytical expressions give the possibility for optimizing solar thermal systems driven by parabolic trough collectors with lower computational cost.