bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Appendiceal neuroendocrine tumour presenting as bilateral ovarian and breast metastasis
Authors: Joseph Julie , S. Bindu C. , Reddy Saikiran , P. Sathi P. 
Published: April 2017

Neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) of the appendix (formerly known 'carcinoids') are rare and are usually detected incidentally after appendectomy. The reported frequency of metastases from appendiceal carcinoids is gradually increasing, may be due to the increased longevity of the patients with benign/malignant diseases. Here we report a case of NET of appendix in an 80 year old female who presented with bilateral ovarian mass, and later developed metastasis in the breast. Though uncommon, NETs producing bilateral ovarian metastasis is well described in literature, the commonest primary being ileum. Only few cases of neuroendocrine tumor metastasis to breast have been reported in the literature, but none from appendix as primary.
Clinical profile and outcome of acute nephritic syndrome in children from a tertiary care centre in south India: a descriptive study
Authors: Valiyat Shemeena , Valoor Harsha T. 
Published: April 2017

Background: Acute nephritic syndrome (ANS) is major cause of morbidity in developing countries. This study is an attempt to evaluate the clinical characteristics, complications and outcome of acute nephritic syndrome.Methods:This hospital based descriptive study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Kerala, South India. 103 children with ANS were analysed. Detailed clinical examination and relevant laboratory investigations were done. These children were followed up for 1 year.Results: Out of 103 patients studied 64% were male and 36% were female. The peak age group was 6 to 8 years. Skin infection was the most common predisposing condition (68.9%). Hypertension was present in 60.1% of patients. 26.2% of patients developed complications. Of these Acute renal failures was the most commonly encountered complication (18.4%). Proteinuria (87.4%) and microscopic hematuria (80.6%) were the most consistent features. 82.5 % patients had low C3 at the time of diagnosis. Majority of patients with low C3 level had positive ASO titre. (p = 0.014). At 3month follow up C3 became normal in 95.2% of patients. At 3 months’ majority of patients with normal C3 had incomplete recovery. (p = 0.010). At the end of 12m, microscopic heamaturia was present in 4 patients, persistent hypertension in 2 patients, 11 patients had proteinuria. These patients are kept under long term follow up.Conclusions:Complications and morbidity is significantly high during the acute phase in ANS. This study highlights the need for long term follow up of these patients.
Ocular involvement in beta thalassemia major: a prospective study in an Indian cohort
Authors: Kumble Dhanalakshmi , Sekhon Prabhjot Kaur , C. Gayathri Devi 
Published: April 2017

Background: Thalassemia is the commonest haemoglobinopathies worldwide. Repeated blood transfusions lead to hemosiderosis which affects all the organs in the body including eyes. This study aims to study Ocular manifestations in these children and its correlation with age and serum Ferritin level.Methods: 75 children diagnosed with B-Thalassemia major (BTM) and on regular transfusions underwent detailed Ocular examination between 2013 and 2015, including visual acuity, slit lamp bio microscopy, direct & indirect Opthalmoscopy).Results: Mean age for children was 9.73 years, with 77 % males and 23% females. Average S. Ferritin being 2701.96 ng/dl. The most common eye changes seen were in the Retina (32%, n=24), Iris (34.7%, n=26) and lens (32%, n=24). Retinal changes were temporal Retinal thinning (29.3%, n=22), retinal venous engorgement (21.3%, n=16), vessel tortuosity (17.3%, n=13), atrophy of disc (17.3%, n=13). Lens opacities were seen in 32 %, posterior sub capsular haze, streaks in posterior capsule, and heterochromia in 34.7%. Retinal changes correlated with duration of disease in children above 10 years and with increasing Serum Ferritin levels.Conclusions: Corneal dryness, lenticular opacities, disc atrophy and thinning were observed in children with B- Thalassemia and on blood transfusions. These changes increased with duration of disease. Hence there is need to screen BTM adolescents and follow up.
Acanthosis nigricans: a clinical marker of insulin resistance
Authors: Choudhary Sanjiv V. , Saoji Vikrant , Singh Adarshlata , Mane Shivani 
Published: April 2017

<p><strong>Background:</strong> Very little information is available regarding the association of acanthosis nigricans with insulin resistance from rural areas of India. Therefore this study was carried out with the aim and objectives to study the association between acanthosis nigricans and insulin resistance and to evaluate correlation of acanthosis nigricans severity, neck severity and neck texture severity with fasting blood sugar &amp; serum insulin especially in this rural part of central India.</p><p><strong>Methods:</strong> In this cross sectional study with comparative group, total 162 age and sex matched subjects were divided into two groups of cases (81) with acanthosis nigricans and comparative subjects (81) without acanthosis nigricans. The severity acanthosis nigricans was assessed using the Burke’s quantitative scale. Fasting blood sugar and fasting insulin levels were estimated to know the Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) values. Data was analyzed by using appropriate statistical tests.</p><p><strong>Results:</strong> The age range was 20 to 55 years with the mean of 32.82 ± 10.19 years for cases and 33.67 ± 8.09 for comparative subjects. Univariate analysis which showed significant association of acanthosis nigricans with fasting insulin and HOMA-IR with significant odds ratios and p value (p =0.0001) respectively. Fasting blood sugar showed greater risk of association in cases but it was statistically insignificant with p-value of (p =0.32). Spearman rank coefficient correlation showed weak correlation of HOMA-IR with acanthosis nigricans severity, neck severity and neck texture severity, but showed positive correlation of fasting insulin with acanthosis nigricans severity, neck severity and neck texture severity, with statistically significant P-value (p &lt;0.05).</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Acanthosis nigricans was strongly associated with insulin resistance with significant odds ratio and statistical significant p value (P &lt; 0.05). Acanthosis nigricans severity, neck severity and neck texture severity showed positive correlation with fasting serum insulin with statistically significant p value (P &lt;0.05). </p>
One Step at a Time: Stage‐Wise Analysis of a Series of Experiments
Authors: Damesa Tigist Mideksa , Möhring Jens , Worku Mosisa , Piepho Hans‐Peter 
Published: April 2017

Core Ideas
Single‐stage and two‐stage analysis of multienvironment trials yield very similar results.
Single‐stage and two‐stage analysis are identical when the same set of variance values is used.
Modeling genotypes as random helps to exploit correlations between agro‐ecological zones.
In stage‐wise analysis, genotypes need to be taken as fixed through all stages except the last.
Fully efficient two‐stage analysis is similar in spirit to meta‐analysis.
Multienvironment trials can be analyzed using single‐stage or stage‐wise analysis. Single‐stage analysis is fully efficient, meaning that the estimators can be expected to be as close as possible to the corresponding true genotypic values, and so is often deemed preferable to two‐stage analysis. However, two‐stage analysis is often favored in practice over single‐stage analysis in the case of large datasets because of the larger computational burden of the latter and because the former allows separate analyses of individual trials in the first stage, accounting for any specifics of each trial. In this study we demonstrate the similarities of results of single‐stage and two‐stage analysis when information on mean estimates and the associated variance–covariance matrix is forwarded from the first stage to the second stage using four examples with maize (Zea mays L.) trial data from Ethiopia. A new fully efficient and an approximate two‐stage method with diagonal weighting matrix are used for weighting in the second stage. We extend the method to three‐stage analysis for multienvironment trials when sites are stratified by agro‐ecological zones and demonstrate how to obtain best linear unbiased predictions of genotype effects per zone using the information from neighboring zones. Two macros that compute weights for use in the fully efficient and diagonal weighting approaches are provided.
Temperature Impacts on Soil Microbial Communities and Potential Implications for the Biodegradation of Turfgrass Pesticides
Authors: Reedich Lisa M. , Millican Michael D. , Koch Paul L. 
Published: April 2017

Maintaining healthy turfgrass often results in the use of pesticides to manage weed, insect, and disease pests. To identify and understand potential nontarget impacts of pesticide usage while still maintaining attractive and functional turfgrass sites, it is important to improve our understanding of how pesticides degrade in various environments throughout the growing season. Temperature heavily influences microbial community composition and activity, and the microbial community often heavily influences pesticide degradation in soil ecosystems. Pesticide transformation products generated through the action of soil microbial degradation networks can vary in their toxicity, with the potential result that a pesticide applied in the spring at 10°C could produce different transformation products with different toxicological impacts than the sample pesticide applied to the same site at 22°C. The objective of this review is to examine past research surrounding soil microbial activity related to pesticide degradation and provide a foundation for how the soil microbiome interacts with pesticides and how seasonal temperature variations may influence those interactions.Core Ideas
Microbial organisms drive pesticide breakdown in the soil.
Temperature heavily influences soil microbial structure and function.
Altered microbial activity can result in altered pesticide transformation products.
Soil temperature variations can result in altered toxicological pesticide effects.
Morphology and Genesis of Humus Profiles under Chaparral Shrubs in Southern California
Authors: Haydu-Houdeshell Carrie-Ann , Graham Robert C. , Peterson Adam C. , Hendrix Paul F. , Quideau Sylvie A. 
Published: April 2017

Core IdeasLitter layers of chaparral soils differ dramatically under different plant species.The rate of litterfall, balanced by the rate of decomposition, influences the type of litter layers that develop.Macrofauna, such as earthworms, are inhibited by dry conditions and have minimal effects on litter layer characteristics.Chaparral is the predominant wildland ecosystem adjoining many urban areas of California. The litter layers under this dense shrub cover are important because they modify soil climate, support soil fauna, provide nutrients, and protect against soil erosion. The objectives of this study were: (i) to understand how the morphology of chaparral litter layers changes with depth under different shrub species, and (ii) to determine the influence of shrub species and associated macrofauna on the genesis of humus profiles. Research was conducted within mature chaparral stands (38 yr after fire) on the San Dimas Experimental Forest under four common chaparral species: chamise (Adenostoma fasiculatumH. & A.), hoaryleaf ceanothus (Ceanothus crassifoliusTorr.), bigberry manzanita (Arctostaphylos glaucaLindl.), and scrub oak (Quercus dumosaNutt.). Increased litter decomposition with depth was expressed as decreasing C/N ratios, proliferation of fungal hyphae, and degradation of characteristic leaf features. Mineral matter content also increased with depth in the humus profiles, resulting from mixing by soil fauna. Earthworm densities were low throughout the chaparral, caused by seasonal moisture limitations, and were insufficient to consume manzanita leaf litter effectively, leading to thicker humus profiles and the development of Mor‐type humus. Moder‐type humus forms, with thinner litter layers, were found under scrub oak and ceanothus. Chamise litter was classified as a Rhizomull because of minimal litter accumulation, resulting from low and roughly equivalent litterfall and decomposition rates. Unique characteristics of the chaparral species led to different humus profiles and humus forms but macrofauna were not an overriding genetic influence.
10. Teaching World Literature for the 21st Century: Online Resources and Interactive Approaches
Authors: Bernstein Lisa 
Published: April 2017

This paper introduces a pedagogical approach and strategies for using online resources and interactive media to teach in English about writers and writing from around the world without colonizing or excluding other languages and cultures. First, I explain the context and challenges of teaching world literature: the importance of including diverse works and authors; competing definitions and information overload; barriers to international availability and accessibility of non-dominant works and of non-English languages; and students’ limited historical and cross-cultural knowledge. I then show how faculty can incorporate open-source Internet and interactive multimedia resources into world literature courses in ways that allow alternative and outsider voices to challenge and expand national, ethnic, linguistic, socio-political, and disciplinary boundaries. Faculty can use web resources such as blogs and wikis; online self-publishing and translation sites; maps, timelines, primary documents, and other sources of historical and socio-political context; and social media platforms to create a more inclusive notion of world literature, as well as a learning process that is dynamic, collaborative, and relevant to students’ daily lives.
Making Students' Metacognitive Knowledge Visible Through Reflective Writing in a Mathematics-for-Teachers Course
Authors: Menz Petra , Xin Cindy 
Published: April 2017

Metacognition directly contributes to learning, performance, and beliefs about the self as a learner. This paper describes the rationale, implementation, and assessment of a weekly online reflection activity based on instructor prompts designed for post-secondary students who aspire to be elementary school teachers. Our study defines four categories of metacognitive knowledge that speak to the specific goals of the course and the characteristics of the students. Using these categories, 71 students’ written responses to four reflection prompts from three course offerings were coded, and their effects were examined in terms of types of metacognitive knowledge demonstrated. Our results not only confirm that students were engaged in metacognition through the reflection activity but also show that students exhibited different categories of metacognitive knowledge in relation to the varying emphases of the prompts.
Insulin Resistance Predicts Cognitive Decline: An 11-Year Follow-up of a Nationally Representative Adult Population Sample
Authors: Ekblad Laura L. , Rinne Juha O. , Puukka Pauli , Laine Hanna , Ahtiluoto Satu , Sulkava Raimo , Viitanen Matti , Jula Antti 
Published: April 2017

OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to examine whether insulin resistance, assessed by HOMA of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), is an independent predictor of cognitive decline.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
The roles of HOMA-IR, fasting insulin and glucose, HbA1c, and hs-CRP as predictors of cognitive performance and its change were evaluated in the Finnish nationwide, population-based Health 2000 Health Examination Survey and its 11-year follow-up, the Health 2011 study (n = 3,695, mean age at baseline 49.3 years, 55.5% women). Categorical verbal fluency, word-list learning, and word-list delayed recall were used as measures of cognitive function. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed and adjusted for previously reported risk factors for cognitive decline.

RESULTS
Higher baseline HOMA-IR and fasting insulin levels were independent predictors of poorer verbal fluency performance (P = 0.0002 for both) and of a greater decline in verbal fluency during the follow-up time (P = 0.004 for both). Baseline HOMA-IR and insulin did not predict word-list learning or word-list delayed recall scores. There were no interactions between HOMA-IR and apolipoprotein E ε4 (APOEε4) genotype, hs-CRP, or type 2 diabetes on the cognitive tests. Fasting glucose and hs-CRP levels at baseline were not associated with cognitive functioning.

CONCLUSIONS
Our results show that higher serum fasting insulin and insulin resistance predict poorer verbal fluency and a steeper decline in verbal fluency during 11 years in a representative sample of an adult population. Prevention and treatment of insulin resistance might help reduce cognitive decline later in life.
Efficient Portfolio Selection and Its Applications to Decision Making
Authors: Ralevic Nebojsa M. , Djakovic Vladimir Dj. , Andjelic Goran B. , Kiurski Jelena S. 
Published: April 2017

Abstract—Dynamic nature of investment return requires the application of the appropriate methodology, especially regarding enhanced volatility induced by frequent extreme events occurrence. The subject of the research is to analyze the possibility of efficient portfolio selection on the transitional financial market of the Republic of Serbia. The main objective is to gather empirical evidence about the investment portfolio performance with special attention to the decision making process. The methodology in the research implies the usage of the appropriate portfolio optimization methods. The research results stress the significance of efficient portfolio selection in contemporary business conditions. It can be concluded that it is necessary to examine the volatility of the portfolio assets and thus enabling the efficient portfolio selection, which is especially challenging on transitional markets.
PENGARUH AKLIMATISASI KADAR GARAM TERHADAP NILAI KEMATIAN DAN TINGKAH LAKU IKAN GUPPY (POECILIA RETICULATA) SEBAGAI PENGGANTI UMPAN IKAN CAKALANG (Katsuwonus Pelamis)
Authors: Lubis Muhammad Zainuddin , Pujiyati Sri 
Published: April 2017

Aklimatisasi merupakan suatu upaya penyesuaian fisiologis atau adaptasi dari suatu organisme terhadap suatu lingkungan baru yang akan dimasukinya. Penelitian ini mengamati proses aklimatisasi kadar garam pada ikan guppy (Poecilia reticulata). Proses aklimatisasi kadar garam pada ikan Guppy yang dilakukan selama 14 hari dengan menaikkan 720 gram per hari. Kadar garam terukur adalah 30%. Ikan Guppy (Poecilia reticulata) memiliki ukuran tubuh ± 5 cm, corak warna tubuh dan sirip yang sangat cemerlang dan memiliki harga yang sangat ekonomis sehingga dapat menarik perhatian Ikan Cakalang (Katsuwonus pelamis). Awal proses aklimatisasi ikan Guppy berjumlah 65 ekor dengan berat rata-rata 1,1 gram dan panjang total yaitu 2,5 cm. Selama 8 hari pengamatan (18%), ikan mampu beradaptasi dengan lingkungannya, namun setelah hari ke 8 ikan ada yang mengalami kematian 0,02 % - 0,05%, namun secara total sampai akhir pengamatan, kematian ikan relatif lebih kecil yaitu 0,13 % (9 ekor). Hasil uji coba ikan yang dilakukan pada perairan Pulau Pramuka Kepulauan Seribu menunjukkan ikan dapat berenang dengan baik dan selalu berada di permukaan air tanpa perubahan yang terlihat yang sangat signifikan.
UJI COBA PENANGKAPAN PADA RUMPON PORTABLE DI PERAIRAN PALABUHANRATU
Authors: Yusfiandayani Roza , Jaya Indra , Baskoro Mulyono S. 
Published: April 2017

Rumpon yang biasa digunakan oleh nelayan dan pengusaha di seluruh Indonesia adalah rumpon yang dipasang menetap di suatu perairan, sehingga tidak dapat dipindah-pindah ke perairan lain. Sejauh ini di Indonesia belum pernah dilakukan penelitian tentang efektivitas dan efisiensi rumpon yang dapat dibawa kemana-mana dan mudah dipindahkan (portable) untuk menangkap ikan tuna dan cakalang. Oleh karena itu diperlukan penelitian tentang rumpon portable untuk menangkap ikan tuna dan cakalang. Penelitian ini diharapkan dapat memperkuat Sistem Inovasi Nasional dengan adanya rumpon portable yang memudahkan nelayan dalam operasi penangkapan ikan.Uji coba penangkapan di rumpon portable dilakukan dengan experimental fishing menggunakan alat tangkap pancing tonda dan pancing gajrut. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah mengetahui komposisi dan jumlah ikan yang berkumpul di rumpon portable serta mengetahui isi perut ikan dan plankton yang terdapat di perairan.
BIOMIMETICS AS PROBLEM-SOLVING, CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION TOOL
Authors: Eggermont Marjan 
Published: April 2017

Engineering sketching, as taught in our first-year design course, exists somewhere between writing and formal drawing as a means of formulating ideas. In our third year of teaching engineering sketching assignments were given several additional components: the visualization of engineering concepts, sustainable product design and biomimetics. This was done for a number of reasons: Students were given the opportunity to integrate knowledge from other first year engineering courses; Students were challenged to think spatially, socially and philosophically (but not always in that order); Students who were not necessarily strong artists felt they could make up for this in the ‘additional component’ category; First year students seem to have a great interest in the study of structural biology as it applies to engineering design. Now in our fifth year, this paper discusses biomimetics, the abstraction of good design from nature, the transfer of technological ideas from nature to artificial applications, and the resulting student projects.
ENGINEERING PORTFOLIOS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO: DEVELOPING SKILLS FOR COMMUNICATION,PROFESSIONALISM AND LIFE-LONG LEARNING
Authors: Ambidge Chris , Chong Alan , Kinnear Penny , Tihanyi Deborah , Wilkinson Lydia 
Published: April 2017

In 2005, the University of Toronto’s Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry Department (CHE), in collaboration with the Engineering Communication Program (ECP), piloted a communications portfolio for second-year students. Over the past seven years the communication portfolio has been expanded into the third-year CHE requirements, adapted for use in the Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department(MIE) and next year will be used within the Civil Engineering Department. Through a discussion of the CHE and MIE portfolios we compare two different portfolio models and explain how this model has been adapted to its newest context in Civil Engineering at the University of Toronto. Through this approach we aim to show the usefulness of this portfolio model in supporting student development in communication, professionalism and life-long learning, three of the CEAB graduate attributes.