bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Green Nanotechnology: Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Aqueous Leaf Extract of Swertia chirayita
Authors: KUMAR Manoj , SINHA Manoranjan Prasad
Published: October 2017

In the present study the synthesis of silver nanoparticles mediated by aqueous leaf extracts of Swertia chirayita is reported. Nanoparticles are particles having diameters below 100 nm. The nanoparticles formed were characterized using Uv-Vis spectrophotometer, scanning electron microscope, Ft-IR and light scattering & Zeta potential analysis. A Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) peak was observed at 450 nm in Uv-Vis analysis. SEM analysis showed that the particles were spherical and cuboidal in shape and had diameter from 85-120 nm. The FT-IR analysis spectra peak were observed at 3,610.74 cm-1, 3,089.96 cm-1, 2,125.56 cm-1, 166.50 cm-1 and 864.11 cm-1, which corresponds to the presence of capping agents such as primary and secondary amines, hydroxyl compounds, flavonoids, alcoholic and phenolic compounds. The results of light scattering analysis also confirmed the formation of nanoscale particles. The zeta potential analysis showed a peak of -25 mV which demarcates the stability of the synthesized nanoparticles.
Effects of Vitamin E Supplementation in Male Rats with Crude Oil-Induced Reproductive Toxicity
Authors: OCHIOGU Izuchukwu S. , IGWEBUIKE Udensi M. , MBEGBU Edmund C. , EZEH Ikenna O. , NNAMANI Paschal F.
Published: October 2017

Crude oil intoxication is a major threat among people and animals living around the crude oil producing regions of the world, hence the search for ameliorating agents. Forty-four male Wistar rats assigned into three groups were used to investigate the effects of vitamin E supplementation on crude oil-induced reprotoxicity (reproductive toxicity) in male rats. Group A represented the unexposed control, whereas groups B and C were exposed orally to 0.15 and 0.3 ml of crude oil respectively every other day for 56 days. Both the low dose and high dose oral administration of crude oil caused a significant reduction in the serum testosterone level (STL) and cauda epididymal sperm reserve (CESR) of the exposed rats when compared to the control. Crude oil withdrawal and vitamin E supplementation significantly improved the cauda epididymal sperm reserve (CESR) in all the subgroups. The serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities of the control and low dose group were significantly lower than those of the high dose group. The high dose crude oil administration significantly decreased the mean serum total protein (STP) and sodium ions (Na+) concentration. The mean serum total cholesterol (STC) value of the low dose group was significantly higher than those of the control and high dose group. However, crude oil withdrawal and vitamin E supplementation did not significantly alter the mean serum total protein (STP) and mean serum total cholesterol (STC) values in all the subgroups. Vitamin E supplementation following low dose crude oil withdrawal enhanced the mean serum Chloride ions (Cl-)concentration. The present findings revealed that Nigerian Qua Iboe Brent crude oil induced serious reprotoxic effects in male rats which vitamin E administration within 28 days did not completely reverse.
The Effect of Sugar Beet Broadleaf Herbicides on Fluorescence Induction Curves in Amaranthus retroflexus L. and Portulaca oleracea L.
Authors: CHITBAND Ali Asghar , GHORBANI Reza , RASHED MOHASSEL Mohammad Hassan , NABIZADE Mahbubeh
Published: October 2017

Chlorophyll fluorescence analysis is a simple and rapid method for detecting herbicide effects after a short time following their application in photosynthetic apparatus in plants. Chlorophyll fluorescence measurements were carried out against two broad of weeds to describe how the Kautsky curve and its parameters were affected by herbicides. Desmedipham + phenmedipham + ethofumesate changed the chlorophyll fluorescence induction curve at all time intervals except four hours after spring (HAS) in Amaranthus retroflexus L. and at all doses of Portulaca oleracea L. 4 HAS. In contrast, chlorophyll fluorescence inhibition was evident by chloridazon at doses of 650 and 325 g a.i. ha-1 in P. oleracea and A. retroflexus respectively, for all time intervals. Furthermore, chlorophyll fluorescence decays only occurred by clopyralid in A. retroflexus at the highest dose. A biomass effective dose (ED50 and/or ED90) based on log-logistic dose-response curves for A. retroflexus were considerably higher than that of P. oleracea. The maximum quantum efficiency (FV/Fm) was stable, whereas the relative changes at the J step (Fvj) and area (the area between the Kautsky curve and the maximum fluorescence (Fm)) was more sensitive to all three herbicides. There was a relatively good correlation between fluorescence parameters taken 24 hours after the spraying and the dry matter taken three weeks later, for both species under study.
Genetic Analysis and Trait Association in Multi-parent Advanced Generation Inter-Cross (MAGIC) F2 Population of Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.)
Authors: DHAVALA Chakravarthi V.N. , PAPIDANDLA Uma Mahesh , ULLAGADDI Chidanand , THIMMEGOWDA Ganesh C. , GANDRA Saiprasad V.S.
Published: October 2017

Genetic variability studies offers basic information related to genetic properties of the population based on which breeding methods could be formulated for further improvement of the crop. The estimates of heritability, coefficients of variability and genetic advance was calculated in a multi-parent advanced generation inter-cross (MAGIC) F2 segregating populations for 10 traits including nicotine percentage, total soluble sugars and yield contributing traits during 2015 seasons at Northern Light Soils (NLS). The estimates of phenotypic coefficients of variation (PCV) were high and moderate for plant height (18.16%), number of leaves (15.96%), leaf area index (27.35%), internodal length (21.01%), stem diameter (16.73%), grade index (13.86%), nicotine percentage (19.87%), total soluble sugars (39.81%), chlorides (23.35%) and leaf yield (13.27%) in MAGIC-F2 segregating populations at NLS 2015 season. High heritability coupled with high and moderate genetic advance was observed for all the traits studied. Correlation studies revealed that total soluble sugars was positively and significantly correlated with leaf area index, stem diameter, grade index and leaf yield. However total soluble sugars was negatively correlated with nicotine as total nicotine alkaloid and with chlorides percentage. Path coefficient analysis revealed that total percentage of sugars could be improved through selection of grade index, stem diameter, leaf area index and cured leaf yield which were positively correlated with total soluble sugar percentage. The current study also revealed that the MAGIC F2 population could be used for development high sugar lines with moderate or low levels of nicotine and chlorides in tobacco.
Phenotypic Variability of White Lupine (Lupinus albus L.) Germplasm
Authors: GEORGIEVA Natalia Anastasova , KOSEV Valentin
Published: October 2017

Collecting, exploring and using a suitable, genetically diverse source material with different ecological-geographical origin is a determining prerequisite for the breeding success. The present study was conducted during the 2014-2016 period at theInstituteofForage Crops(Pleven,Bulgaria) with 23 cultivars of white lupine originatingPoland,RussiaandUkraine. It was found a significant genetic diversity among the studied cultivars, which was a good prerequisite for starting a breeding program within the crop. The most favorable combination of a high seed productivity and crude protein content had cultivars ‘Tel Keram’, ‘Pflugs Ultra’, ‘WAT’, ‘Solnechnii’ and ‘Pink Mutant’, whose plants were also characterized by a mass of 1,000 seeds between 15 and 21 g. Genetically, the most distant from each other were ‘Bezimenii 1’ and ‘Pflugs Ultra’ compared to ‘Termis Mestnii’ and ‘Solnechnii’ as well as to ‘Tel Keram’. These cultivars are suitable as genitors for the development of high-yielding white lupine cultivars. Studied traits of pod length, number of seeds in a pod and seeds per plant showed a high positive phenotypic and genotypic correlation with the seed productivity in white lupine. Regarding productivity, it can be rely upon the mass of 1,000 seeds, plant height and number of seeds per plant due to their high total effect on the seed weight per plant.
Introduction Pages
Authors: SESTRAS Radu E.
Published: October 2017

Dear Authors, Readers, Contributors, Editors - we would like to inform you that Notulae Scientia Biologicae (http://www.notulaebiologicae.ro) has published its latest issue (Vol 9, No 3, 2017) at http://www.notulaebiologicae.ro/index.php/nsb/issue/current. Notulae Scientia Biologicae journal has moved to online-only publication at the start of 2017. Consequently, from now we do not send the printed journal to hundreds academic units - research institutes, universities, libraries etc. At the same time, we maintain our standard publication, as printed form, with 'classic' style - volume, issue, pagination. Thank you for your continued interest and support in our work.
Phytochemical and HPTLC Studies on Fruit Extracts of Momordica cymbalaria Fenzl, a Medicinally Important Plant
Authors: SRINIVASULU Shantakani , PALLAVI Yarrama , GAYATRI DEVI Bollu , PADMA JYOTHI Hemalatha K.
Published: October 2017

Preliminary screening of phytochemicals is a valuable step in the detection of bioactive principles present in medicinal plants, which subsequently may lead to drug discovery and development. In the present study, chief phytoconstituents of the Momordica cymbalaria were identified. Preliminary screening of phytochemicals was done by using three extraction methods: maceration, soxhlation and reflux with hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol. All the nine extracts showed the presence of flavonoids, phenols, steroids and terpenoids that were obtained by the three extraction methods. The present work also attempted to optimize the HPTLC fingerprint profiles of secondary metabolites in hexane, ethyl acetate and methanolic fruit extracts of M. cymabalaria. Soxhlated methanolic fruit extract was rich in secondary compounds and exhibited more biological activity than the other extracts. Hence future study is needed to isolate potential bioactive principle from fruit extract of M. cymbalaria.
Cultivos nativos y valorización simbólica del suelo rural de la Ciudad de México
Authors: De Jesús-Contreras Daniel , Ramírez-De la O Irma Luz , Thomé-Ortiz Humberto
Published: October 2017

Se presenta un análisis relativo al papel que desempeñan los cultivos nativos en la preservación del suelo rural de la Ciudad de México a la luz de un caso concreto: la producción de amaranto (Amaranthus spp.) en el pueblo de Santiago Tulyehualco, Xochimilco. A través de la aplicación del método etnográfico, se documentaron las prácticas agrícolas y culturales desplegadas por los campesinos para la conservación de la diversidad fitogenética de esta especie y para el uso racional de los recursos locales. Los resultados muestran que las prácticas agrícolas tradicionales, asociadas a la producción de amaranto sirven como mecanismos de preservación y apropiación del territorio, lo que al mismo tiempo refuerza el arraigo a los modos de vida del suelo rural de la ciudad y constituye una forma alternativa de entender el desarrollo, la cual es gestada desde los propios esquemas cognitivos de los campesinos. De esta manera, los significados  del cultivo, el territorio y la agricultura tradicional se convierten en referentes de la valorización de los espacios rurales.
TERRITORIOS RURALES ENTRE CRISIS Y PERSPECTIVAS DE DESARROLLO TERRITORIAL CON AUTONOMÍA: la agricultura campesina (agro)ecológica
Authors: Saquet Marcos
Published: October 2017

Nuestro objetivo principal es comprender la agricultura campesina (agro)ecológica por medio de las nociones de territorialidad y de la temporalidad a partir de los años 1990, en el Suroeste del Paraná – Brasil, dentro de un enfoque territorial. Los procedimientos utilizados son la investigación bibliográfica y documental, aplicación de cuestionarios, realización de encuestas, recolección y análisis de los datos agropecuarios del Instituto Brasileño de Geografía y Estadística (IBGE) de los municipios estudiados, registros fotográficos y representaciones cartográficas. Verificamos que la producción agroecológica es muy pequeña, sin embargo, es muy diversificada e importante para la economía familiar campesina: es realizada por los trabajadores de cada familia con técnicas rudimentarias; los establecimientos rurales también son pocos y pequeños; la comercialización es hecha predominantemente en los mercados locales, por medio de las ferias libres, y los campesinos están muy bien organizados políticamente en ONGs y asociaciones de agricultores.
Presentación
Authors: Martínez Valle Luciano , Mesclier Évelyne
Published: October 2017

Introducción al Tema Central.
Defensa de bienes comunes naturales y decolonialidad: caso Xochicuautla, México/ Defense of natural common goods and decoloniality: the Xochicuautla, Mexico, case
Authors: Mota Díaz Laura , Hernández Lara Oliver Gabriel
Published: October 2017

El presente artículo intenta comprender las dinámicas provenientes de movimientos sociales latinoamericanos relacionados con la defensa de bienes comunes naturales. Ello, a partir de dos enfoques: las epistemologías del Sur y la perspectiva del pensamiento crítico decolonial, para dar cuenta de las luchas y resistencias, así como de las propuestas que emergen desde colectivos sociales que ven amenazados sus territorios por la actual ofensiva capitalista. Para ello, retomamos el caso de la lucha en San Francisco Xochicuautla, Lerma, estado de México, al que consideramos un referente de los actuales movimientos sociales, en el contexto mexicano. De este modo, caracterizamos la lucha de la comunidad de Xochicuautla, para destacar cómo se articulan sus demandas, exigencias, alternativas, prácticas y discursos con otros movimientos más amplios que actúan en el territorio nacional, y cómo ello aporta a las construcciones teóricas latinoamericanas. En términos metodológicos, recurrimos al análisis documental extenso, la revisión y reflexión teórica, así como al trabajo de campo en la comunidad de Xochicuautla.AbstractThe present article tries to understand the dynamics from Latin American social movements related to the defense of common natural resources. This, from two approaches: the southern epistemologies, and the perspective of critical and decolonial thinking to account for the struggles and resistance, as well as the proposals that emerge from social groups whose territories are threatened by the current capitalist offensive. To do this, we return to the case of the struggle in San Francisco Xochicuautla, Lerma, estado de México, which we consider as a benchmark of the social movements of the present, in the Mexican context. Thus, we characterize the struggle in the community of Xochicuautla, to highlight how their demands, requirements, alternatives, practices and discourses articulate to broader movements occurring in the country, and how this is a contribution the Latin American theoretical constructs. In terms of methodology, we use the extensive documental analysis, review and theoretical reflection, as well as field work in the community of Xochicuautla.
La común anomalía del ejido posrevolucionario. Disonancias normativas y mercantilización de la tierra en el sur de Yucatán.
Authors: Pecker Carolina
Published: October 2017

Reseña del libro La común anomalía del ejido posrevolucionario. Disonancias normativas y mercantilización de la tierra en el sur de Yucatán de Gabriela Torres-Mazuera Book review of The common anomaly of the post-revolutionary ejido. Normative dissonance and mercantilization of land in southern Yucatan by Gabriela Torres-Mazuera
Lucha comunitaria y mercado de tierra en Tepoztlán, México/ Disputes on Commons and Land Market in Tepoztlan, Mexico
Authors: Vargas Velázquez Sergio , López Chávez Emmanuel
Published: October 2017

El pueblo de Tepoztlán enfrenta distintos disyuntivas en la defensa de su territorio, en sus formas de organización social y en la autonomía de su organización comunitaria, frente a sucesivos proyectos de infraestructura y urbanización. Los movimientos sociales surgidos de la localidad son presentados como ejemplo de resistencia y lucha desde la organización local. Sin embargo, una parte de sus pobladores han asumido como parte de su economía la venta de terrenos, principalmente para la construcción de viviendas, así como también para la expansión de servicios al turismo y la gentrificación. Con base en el análisis de las actas de las asambleas comunitarias de 2015, en las que se ratifican los acuerdos de compra-venta de terrenos, se confirma su legitimidad al interior de la comunidad en tanto se adscriban a su marco normativo local: los denominados usos y costumbre. Concluimos que la defensa de su territorio y la venta de terrenos son compatibles en tanto el poder local así lo determine, y esto les permita equilibrar sus relaciones con el entorno socioeconómico.AbstractTepoztlan village faces different dilemmas in the defense of its territory, the forms of social organization and autonomy in its community organization, in front of successive infrastructure and urbanization projects. The social movements that have emerged from the locality have been exposed as examples of resistance and struggle from community organization. However, their inhabitants have assumed the sale of parcels, principally to housing use, as well as the expansion of services to tourism and gentrification as part of their economy. Based on the analysis of the records of the community assemblies of 2015, in which they ratify the land purchase and sale agreements, its legitimacy within the community is confirmed, as long as it adheres to its local normative framework: known as usos y costumbres. We conclude that the community management of its territory and the sale of land are compatible as long as the local powe
Propiedad y territorio como (diferentes) bienes comunes. El caso de las tierras de comunidades en la costa norte peruana/Property and territory as (different) common property. Community lands on the northern coast of Peru
Authors: Diez Hurtado Alejandro
Published: October 2017

El artículo aborda el problema de la tierra comunal desde la perspectiva de los bienes comunes en los cambiantes y nuevos contextos contemporáneos. A través del análisis de dos comunidades del norte del Perú, muestra los cambios en los contenidos de los bienes comunes como en las organizaciones comunales que los gobiernan. Se desarrolla primero el proceso de formación de la propiedad comunal como bien colectivo, construido en el proceso de defensa de la tierra frente a las haciendas, analizando luego la problemática de la comunidad de Catacaos, sometida a presiones de titulación de tierras agrícolas y de vivienda, obligando a la comunidad a ensayar mecanismos de gobierno territorial. El caso de Sechura ilustra los procesos que se desencadenan cuando la comunidad recibe una renta por la tierra comunal, por derechos de uso del suelo para actividades extractivas, generando un nuevo bien colectivo que es motivo de disputa en el marco del desarrollo de reivindicaciones y defensa territorial que no pasa por la comunidad. Tratamos de mostrar que los cambios en los bienes comunes (hacia la titulación, la rentabilización o la territorialización) desencadenan crisis en las dirigencias comunales que pasan de lógicas de gobierno a lógicas de gobernanza de la tierra. Además, al involucrar otros actores en la disposición sobre los bienes comunes, éstos pueden ser considerados como semi-comunes o semi-públicos.AbstractThis article addresses the problem of communal land from the perspective of common goods in the changing and new contemporary contexts. Through the analysis of two communities in northern Peru, shows the changes in the contents of the common goods as in the communal organizations that govern them. The process of formation of communal property is first developed as a collective good, built in the process of defending the land against the haciendas. Then the case of community of Catacaos, shows how the pressures of titling agricultural land and housing land, are forcing the community to test territorial governance mechanisms. The case of Sechura illustrates the processes that are triggered when the community receives a rent for communal land, for land use rights for extractive activities. That generating a new collective good disputed and a development of claims and defense the territory without the community. We try to show how changes in common goods (towards titling, profitability or territorialization) trigger crises in communal leaderships that go from logics of government to logics of land governance. In addition, by involving other actors in the provision on common goods, these goods can be considered as semi-common or semi-public.
Asalariados rurales en territorios del agronegocio: flores y brócoli en Cotopaxi
Authors: Dirven Martine
Published: October 2017

Reseña
Las acciones en defensa de la tierra en Santiago del Estero (1990-2012). El caso del MOCASE
Authors: Desalvo Agustina
Published: October 2017

La población rural de Santiago del Estero, Argentina, habita, mayoritariamente, en tierras fiscales. Hacia fines de la década de 1990 y principios de 2000, esas tierras se volvieron codiciables para el cultivo de soja. Esto generó focos de conflicto entre los capitalistas interesados en ellas y la población rural que allí residía. El objetivo de este artículo será examinar las formas que asume la lucha por la tierra en Santiago del Estero en el período 1990-2012. Para llevar a cabo este objetivo se ha confeccionado una matriz de datos original donde se tuvieron en cuenta las siguientes variables: tipo de acción, organizaciones convocantes, organizaciones participantes, motivos por los cuales esas acciones se llevaron adelante y lugares en los cuales se desarrollaron. Se han registrado 157 acciones (principalmente directas) que se han llevado a cabo, fundamentalmente, para defender la tierra o reclamar por el desprocesamiento de detenidos. El MOCASE-Vía Campesina ha llevado adelante la mayor cantidad de acciones.
Soberanía alimentaria y luchas por el territorio en el Istmo oaxaqueño, México
Authors: Ramírez Miranda César Adrián , Cruz Altamirano Lilia , Marcial Cerqueda Vicente
Published: October 2017

En el presente artículo se analiza la importancia de la soberanía alimentaria en los procesos de construcción autonómica que realizan los pueblos originarios en sus luchas por la defensa del territorio. El referente empírico es el conflicto territorial que enfrenta en el Istmo de Tehuantepec, México, a las comunidades indígenas contra las empresas transnacionales y el Estado mexicano que las respalda en la construcción de parques eólicos. Se documenta la desterritorialización impulsada por el Estado mexicano, en un contexto de debilitamiento de la producción campesina, así como la reterritorialización derivada de la lucha de las comunidades mareñas. Finalmente, se discuten los desafíos para el fortalecimiento de la comunalidad, eje conceptual y práctico de la construcción autonómica en la región.
Territorio y ambiente en las Zonas de Reserva Campesina de Colombia
Authors: Ruiz Reyes Manuela
Published: October 2017

El presente artículo se basa en una investigación original centrada en analizar el concepto de ordenamiento ambiental territorial en las Zonas de Reserva Campesina (ZRC) en Colombia desde las perspectivas del campesinado y el Estado. Inicialmente, sitúa la dimensión geográfica del análisis con los conceptos de espacio y territorio. Luego, toma herramientas analíticas sobre la cuestión agraria, para situar a las ZRC como parte de la Reforma Agraria de la década de 1990. Enfatiza cómo la mirada de la cuestión agraria está sesgada hacia el comportamiento económico, ignorando el sentido de construcción territorial de propuestas como las ZRC en el marco de la construcción estatal del ordenamiento territorial. Presenta algunas estructuras organizativas (Juntas de Acción Comunal), y dinámicas locales con el espacio (vereda y propuesta de Unidades Ambientales Campesinas) para justificar este argumento. El objetivo del artículo es articular los debates económicos de la cuestión agraria con un enfoque geográfico centrado en lo territorial, para analizar cómo las ZRC son propuestas de territorialidad campesina donde el elemento ambiental juega un rol crucial en la negociación de esta territorialidad con el Estado. Finalmente, el artículo invita a la reflexión sobre qué significa y para qué sirve “lo ambiental” en las luchas campesinas contemporáneas.
El rostro femenino de los conflictos territoriales: las mujeres mapuce
Authors: García Gualda Suyai Malen
Published: October 2017

El Corredor de Los Lagos es un circuito turístico de notable valor para la provincia de Neuquén, Patagonia Argentina. En dicho corredor se suceden numerosos conflictos que denotan el valor económico –y político- que encierra este espacio territorial, habitado tradicionalmente por el Pueblo/Nación Mapuce. En esta oportunidad analizamos y reflexionamos sobre las disputas que han atravesado dos comunidades en particular: Plácido Puel y Paicil Antriao, pues ambas comunidades se ubican en áreas codiciadas por capitales nacionales, internacionales y el Estado. Nuestra atención se enfoca en la participación de las mujeres mapuce en los momentos de conflicto. Para ello se usará información obtenida durante el trabajo de campo y de material bibliográfico relevado a lo largo del proceso de indagación teórica. Finalmente, es pertinente señalar que el presente artículo sintetiza parte de la investigación desarrollada en el marco de mi tesis doctoral.
Palma aceitera: conflictos y resistencias territoriales en María La Baja-Bolívar, Colombia
Authors: Ávila Gonzalez Natalia Estefanía
Published: October 2017

La incursión y extensión del cultivo de palma aceitera en el municipio de María la Baja, Bolívar se ha erigido como una de las más graves problemáticas ambientales, sociales, económicas, culturales y territoriales para las comunidades que se asientan en este territorio. Dicho modelo se ha implementado a través del despojo territorial, la violencia y la proletarización de campesinos y afro descendientes, que empiezan a quedarse sin tierra para cultivar, en beneficio de grandes empresarios palmeros. En este sentido, el texto tiene como objetivo entender las raíces históricas que desencadenaron en el actual esquema productivo, la forma cómo este proceso (qué?) se ha implementado y las apuestas construidas desde el territorio a partir de las organizaciones de base para enfrentar esta grave amenaza. Para ello, parto de la premisa fundamental de que este ha sido un territorio en constante disputa entre hacendados, terratenientes, empresarios y las comunidades campesinas atravesadas por periodos de violencia y exacerbación del conflicto.
La extracción de recursos naturales y la protesta social en el Perú
Authors: Martínez Tuesta Ginno
Published: October 2017

El presente libro retoma la importancia de los aspectos políticos y culturales del territorio, como factores claves para entender las movilizaciones sociales de resistencia frente a la ampliación de las fronteras extractivas de recursos naturales en el Perú. Si bien el marco de análisis del libro se nutre sustancialmente de herramientas de análisis político, su mérito y aporte logrado radican en explorar las particularidades de los contextos territoriales que posibilitaron el empleo de estrategias sostenidas en oposición al inicio de las actividades extractivas. El autor, mediante el análisis de tres casos subnacionales de célebre resistencia social en oposición a las actividades extractivas, tales como Tambogrande, Cerro Quilish y Bagua– los cuales reclaman por tierra, agua y reconocimiento de derechos–, señala que el éxito de las movilizaciones sociales de protesta contra la extracción de recursos naturales radicó en las organizaciones sociales preexistentes.
Presentación
Authors: Martínez Valle Luciano , Rebaï Nasser
Published: October 2017

Presentación Revista Eutopía 8
Discussion “What Tomorrow Holds for Universities” July 14, 2017, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow
Authors: Kuzminov Yaroslav , Peskov Dmitriy
Published: October 2017

Which non-educational processes will influence the development of universities in the next 15–20 years? Whom will universities compete with? How will education markets change? What will be the relationships between future universities and external environment, society, government, businesses, and other universities? The future of universities is discussed between Yaroslav Kuzminov, Rector of the National Research University Higher school of Economics (HSE), and Dmitry Peskov, Director of the Young Professionals Direction at the Agency for Strategic Initiatives. The meeting was organized by Voprosy obrazovaniya / Educational Studies Moscow journal.
How to Avoid Predicaments in Human Improvement. Review of the Russian Edition of the Book: Cohen D. K. Teaching and Its Predicaments
Authors: Gusejnov Gasan
Published: October 2017

An answer is sought for the question as to why the United States remain the most attractive place in the world to get tertiary education despite its permanent secondary school crisis, based on what David Cohen reveals about U.S. education as well as what he would probably prefer not to disclose but which becomes obvious from his book. The U.S. tertiary education system makes good use of the best outcomes of secondary education from all over the world to develop the most advanced forms of higher education. Their  education system rests on a self-organizing social environment, which has been great at adjusting to changing global trends. The attitude towards education as a constantly renewing process of criticizing the foundations and traditions of teaching is a key element of the worldwide influence of American universities. The article is focused on describing the mechanisms of adjusting the social environment through the development of outstripping forms of educational institutions and projects.
Narrative Account of the Arab Spring: Translations of Aljazeera and RT of the Egyptian and Syrian Uprisings as Case Study
Authors: Aldreabi Haitham A.
Published: October 2017

the events of the Arab Spring attracted the attention of many scholars from various disciplines. However, the general trend of existing literature seems to ignore the different cultural representations within the Arab world leading for assumptions that the uprisings share similar outcomes and/or motivations. This article attempts to deconstruct the terms Arab Spring and Arab world through shedding light on two of the most influential uprisings that brought about social, economic, and political changes. To do so, it combines CDA and narrative theory to address the subject of the thematic nature of the subsequent media messages during the Egyptian and Syrian uprisings to investigate the process of meaning-making and the role of language in social reality construction. The purpose is to motivate researchers to address the largely ignored issue of the different representations in media and narratives.
Investigating the Effects of Reader Response Journals on the Quality of Teacher Trainees’ Responses to Literary Works
Authors: Iskhak Iskhak , Saleh Mursid , Sofwan Ahmad , Hartono Rudi
Published: October 2017

The present study investigated the effects of writing reader response journals (RRJ) on the quality of responses to literary works assigned. The study is underpinned by Rosenblatt’s Reader Response Theory, literacy principles, and sociocultural views. The study assumes that readers’ responses to literature involve critical and aesthetic reading-writing (literacy) events that are collaboratively constructed.  The study involved an intact group (N=22) comprising EFL teacher trainees of a private education college in Ciamis, Indonesia, taking Literature Criticism subject. This time series pre-experimental study entailed repeated measurements of critical reading and assessments of aesthetic responses before and after the treatment. Before the treatment, New Critics’ conventional text-based teaching strategies were given. Findings of the study suggest that, quantitatively, as ANOVA proved, the use of reader response journal gave effects on the constantly better achievements, and, as the Paired t-Test indicated, the treatment resulted in better quality. Additionally, qualitative evidences revealed from observation, interviews, and document analysis showed better quality of the trainees’ aesthetic experiences reflecting varied reader response strategies. The study recommends further studies develop reader response-based literature teaching model across contexts in reference to gender issues.
English Speakers’ Comprehension of Embedded Relative Clauses in L2 Japanese
Authors: Shoji Shinichi
Published: October 2017

This study investigated native English speakers’ comprehension of Japanese sentences in which relative clauses are embedded. Specifically, this study contrasted between (a) short-before-long sentences with center-embedded relative clauses and (b) long-before-short sentences with non-center-embedded relative clauses. Sentence-type (a) indicates a sentence that includes a short phrase before a long phrase and includes a relative clause that is embedded in the middle of the sentence, e.g., Onna-ga Ken-ga kiratteiru giin-o hometa ‘The woman praised the senator who Ken hated’. Sentence-type (b) indicates a sentence with a long phrase before a short phrase and includes a relative clause that is embedded peripherally, e.g., Ken-ga kiratteiru onna-ga giin-o hometa ‘The woman who Ken hated praised the senator’. Experiment 1 revealed that native English speakers, who are learners of Japanese, comprehended the type (b) sentences with long-before-short phrases and with non-center-embedded relative clauses more accurately than the type (a) sentences with short-before-long phrases with center-embedded relative clauses. The results indicate that the preference for the non-center-embedded clauses to center-embedded clauses is universal across languages, while the preference for short-before-long phrases is language-specific. However, Experiment 2 indicated that the different accuracy rates in comprehensions of (a) and (b) disappeared when the matrix subjects are marked by the topic-morpheme wa. The outcome indicated that the topic phrases are immediately interpreted as a part of main clauses.
The Effects of Communicative Pronunciation Instruction on Suprasegmental Performance in an EFL Context
Authors: Nazari Nasrin Shah Mohammad , Mirsaeeidi Atefeh Sadat
Published: October 2017

This study investigated the effects of communicative suprasegmental instruction on Iranian EFL learners’ pronunciation performance. To this end, 24 pre-intermediate EFL learners were randomly assigned to two groups: the experimental group receiving communicative pronunciation instruction in which after receiving conventional explicit instruction students were given communicative tasks to practice learned features, and the control group receiving only conventional explicit exercise-based instruction. The learners’ pronunciations were assessed in controlled read-aloud and communicative picture-description/picture-driven contexts in terms of two suprasegmental features (i.e. compound words stress and interrogative intonation). The results of the study revealed that the explicit exercise-based instruction was significantly effective in controlled contexts but modestly effective in communicative picture-description and picture-driven tasks. On the contrary, communicative pronunciation instruction was not only significantly effective in the controlled context but also in communicative tasks. This finding reveals that communicative suprasegmental instruction is more effective than conventional explicit instruction in both controlled and communicative language production contexts. In the end, some pedagogical implications of the findings are also discussed.
Local Evaluation of an EFL Textbook: ‘Mosaic 1: Listening and Speaking’
Authors: Marzban Amir , Zokaeieh Siavash
Published: October 2017

The present study was carried out to evaluate Mosaic 1: Listening and Speaking. This study took an advantage of mixed method. The adopted checklist was retrieved from Al-sowat’s (2012) with minor revision to gain qualitative data. The appropriateness of the checklist was sought vis a vis the comments by two faculty members of Guilan University with research interests in curriculum design and development. The evaluation was based on criteria, namely, lay-out and design, objectives, activities and tasks, balance of skills, language type, subject and content, social and cultural value, structures and vocabulary, and teachers’ need. Some weaknesses and strengths of this book were discussed accordingly. In addition, the attitude of thirty freshmen towards this book was investigated via opinionnaire to gather quantitative data. The validity of the oppinionnaire was checked by the Faculty members of Guilan University. The estimated value of Cronbach’s alpha for opinionnaire was (α═.780). Findings showed shortcomings and strengths such as limited number of pictures, usefulness of objectives, appropriateness of the activities for different learning styles, combination of different activities, little attention to reading and writing, lack of unplanned interaction, lack of different dialects and accents (World Englishes), culturally unbiased. Moreover, the result of the opinionnaire indicated highest positive attitude towards items (11, 13, 2, 6, 8, and 3) respectively. This study might be of help to speaking and listening teachers, syllabus designers, textbook evaluators in that they could apply appropriate addition, deletion, adaption and adoption if using Mosaic1: speaking and listening.
Reading for Writing—The Application of Genre Analysis in College English Writing in China
Authors: Wu Yan
Published: October 2017

Writing is seen as the most difficult one in the four skills of learning a foreign language. And also one cannot be quickly improved in teaching. Genre approach is a teaching pedagogy based on the theories of genre analysis. The purposes of genre approach are to cultivate learners’ genre awareness of texts and master a certain genre which has its own communicative purpose and generic structure, to help learners understand and apply generic knowledge in writing. The author analyzes the existing problems in teaching college English writing in China. Then, the author designs a teaching approach, combining the advantages of three genre approaches and the author’s teaching practice, which is suitable for college English writing in China. Last, some main findings are recommended in teaching writing.
Impact of Risk Taking Strategies on Male and Female EFL Learners’ Test Performance: The Case of Multiple Choice Questions
Authors: Karimi Mehrnoush , Biria Reza
Published: October 2017

This study scrutinized the interaction between gender and risk taking variables in test performance of Iranian EFL learners. The research was conducted on 120 male and female EFL learners from Islamic Azad university of Isfahan (khorasgan). The participants received a Venturesomeness subscale of Eysenck `s IVE questionnaire and were asked to rate each item on a 5point Likert-scale. The total score for this questionnaire ranges from 16 to 80. Students who were lower than 30 were considered as low risk-takers, those who were more  than 70 as high risk-takers, and those between 30 and 70 as moderate risk-takers.  In a weeks’ time, a complete TOEFL PBT test comprising 140- multiple-choice items as the second instrument was administrated. The results revealed that the female EFL students were lower risk takers and left questions unanswered more frequently and skipped questions a lot more than their male counterparts. Finally, it was found out that low risk takers answered the least number of questions in comparison to high and moderate risk takers, and consequently, had the most number of questions left unanswered which had a negative effect on test takers’ performance.
Literature Review of Second Language Learners’ Acquisition of Chinese Resultative Construction
Authors: Lu Yanmei
Published: October 2017

Chinese resultative construction was the hotspot of grammar researches and also the difficult point of second language teaching and learning. From the aspects of syntax, semantics and pragmatics, this paper analyzed the ontology researches of Chinese resultative construction, reviewed the research results of second language learners’ acquisition of Chinese resultative construction and also provided some references and directions of related researches.
Dynamics of Fluency, Lexical Resources and Language Awareness: Investigating the Role of Pre-speaking Strategies Instruction
Authors: Abdi Nasim , Davaribina Mehran
Published: October 2017

The purpose of the present study was to find out the effect of using pre-speaking strategies coupled with strategic planning on Iranian EFL learners’ fluency, lexical resources and language awareness. The study involved 70 intermediate male and female learners divided into two groups-experimental and control. Prior to the main phase of the study, Nelson test was carried out to check the homogeneity of the participants. In the pre-test stage, a picture-cued narrative task was administered to the two groups. Next, during ten treatment sessions the experimental group received pre-speaking strategies instruction and strategic planning with ten minutes of planning time while the control group did not receive them. To answer the research questions, Independent-samples t-test and Mann-Whitney U test were used. Data analyses showed the experimental group outperformed the control group. Therefore, for effective speaking, strategic planning should be coupled with pre-speaking strategies.
An Ecological Study on A Sand County Almanac
Authors: Zhang Minglan , Wang Fade
Published: October 2017

Aldo Leopold is an American author, scientist, ecologist, conservationist, environmentalist, whose most outstanding and representative work A Sand County Almanac is filled with abundant and deep ecological thoughts. This paper intends to explore Leopold’s ecological thoughts in this book. First, Leopold redefines the relationship between nature and human beings. He states that human beings are part of nature and should show love and respect for it; second, Leopold proposes the famous and significant land ethic theory, which establishes a basis for new ecological ethics. He enlarges the ethic range to land and to the whole nature, sets the criteria of land ethic, and describes the importance of ecological conscience which is fundamentally helpful to solve ecological crisis and protect the ecosystem; third, Leopold elaborates on the values of wilderness, such as the recreational value,the ecological value, the aesthetic value, the scientific value, the ecological value and the cultural value.Nowadays, all these ecological thoughts are still meaningful for people to know and love the nature, to protect the land and the wilderness.
Improving Oral Fluency of EFL Students with Different Proficiency Levels through Explicit Instruction of Face Threatening Strategies
Authors: Biria Reza , Pozveh Sayed Mirhossein Hosseini , Rajabi Bahar
Published: October 2017

Meaning and interaction are the essential parts of socialization process in which the interlocutors try to mitigate and control the negative impact of face threatening acts. As such, the main objective of the present study was to determine whether explicit instruction of FTA strategies could lead to the improvement of EFL students’ oral fluency with different proficiency levels. To achieve this end, from the targeted population of 350 undergraduate students majoring in English translation at Isfahan (Khorasgan) Islamic Azad University, a sample of 100 intermediate and advanced students, 50 each, were chosen based on their scores on an OPT test. They were subsequently divided into four equal groups who were homogenized in terms of their oral fluency scores on an IELTS interview test used as the pre-test groups. From the four targeted groups, only the intermediate and advanced samples received the explicit instruction on FTA strategies whereas the no treatment groups were taught by a conventional approach. At the end of the treatment all samples were exposed to the post-test, a parallel form of another IELTS interview exam. The results indicated that the groups taught by explicit instruction of FTA strategies considerably outperformed those who had been taught by the conventional method.
THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS OF THE ECOLOGICAL AND GEOMORPHOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE SOIL COVER OF THE CENTRAL PART OF THE NORTHERN BLACK SEA COAST
Authors: Stetsyuk V. , Veselova E.
Published: October 2017

The questions of possibilities of ecological and geomorphological study of the soil formation, using and transformation of soil cover northern Black Sea region in the context of theoretical ideas general geomorphology are shown. The significant role of the relief as a factor of soil formation and as a factor, that leads to the spreading of soils in nature (the law of vertical zoning) is noted. It allows us to assert that the formation of soil science as a science began; the relief is included in the range of its objects of investigation, the scientific interweaving of soil and geomorphological ideas. In article the role of the basic properties of the relief – morphology, genesis, age and dynamics, as well as the general conditions in the geographic possibilities of interpretation at the establishment of the laws of the formation of the general properties of the soil cover of the region are analyzed. It is indicated that an attempt to depart from the traditional approaches to the study of geographical objects, to study the soil cover precisely from the position of the subject of geomorphology are the methodological principles of geomorphological science. The role of morphological and morphometric properties of the relief of the earth’s surface in relations with the soil cover, regional differences in the morphometric parameters of the relief of the earth’s surface, the role of the genesis of certain forms of the relief of the earth’s surface in the formation and changes in the soil cover, the influence of the relief age on the formation of the soil cover, earth`s surface in changes in soil properties are represented.
This material show`s that the basis for our comprehensive geomorphological and soil studies of the territory of the Northern Black Sea Region, which for the first time illustrates the possibility of using the theoretical and methodological foundations of general geomorphology in the study of the origin, spread, degradation and protection of the soil cover of Ukraine’s most important agricultural region.