bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
VACINA: SUA RELAÇÃO ENTRE A SAÚDE E A EDUCAÇÃO BÁSICA
Authors: De Oliveira Nicoly Marinalva Bland’s Silva , De Brito Richard Alves , De Oliveira Silvyellen Bianca Sales Cavalcanti , Da Silva Wyllamys Fernandes , Da Silva Amanda Karollayne , De Araújo Gilmara Ferreira , Pereira Ana Maria Sotero , Ferreira Ubirany Lopes
Published: February 2025

A pesquisa teve por objetivo promover ações de conscientização e entendimento aos estudantes do ensino médio de uma Escola Estadual no Municipio de Nazaré da Mata - PE sobre a importância das vacinas na prevenção de doenças, por meio da combinação de uma palestra didática e uma atividade lúdica, com o principal intuito de consolidar o conhecimento adquirido e incentivar práticas de saúde baseadas em evidências cientificas. Para o procedimento metodológico, adotou se a pesquisa ação dividido em cinco etapas e essas etapas foram dispostas em 3 momentos diferentes. O percentual geral de acertos na atividade lúdica foi de 66%. A partir da análise dos resultados obtidos antes e após a palestra verificou-se que o tempo e a competição são antagonistas no rendimento dos discentes, mesmo que, os resultados posteriores, de maneira geral, tenham sido significativos. A metodologia utilizada permitiu que, apesar dos desafios propostos pelo quiz, os alunos interagissem positivamente com a abordagem. Isso contribuiu significativamente para a compreensão dos conteúdos abordados e foi eficaz na construção da relação entre ensino e aprendizagem.
RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS: INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
Authors: Feitosa Neto Alcides , Caracas Ana Katherine Silveira Pereira , de Oliveira André Luiz Barros , Almeida Antonio Werbiton Marinho , de Souza Elayne Cristina Costa , de Oliveira Joaquim Caldas Rolim , Vidal Luiz Sérgio Nocrato , Barbosa Márcio Carneiro , Gomes Rickardo Léo Ramos , Caracas Neto Roberto Augusto , Chaves Wangler Luiz Silva , Felix Willy de Souza
Published: February 2025

The growing demand for sustainable energy sources has driven the transition to renewable energy, integrating economic development and environmental preservation. In this context, innovative strategies are essential to strengthen the competitiveness of the energy sector by promoting efficiency, innovation, and sustainability. This study adopts a qualitative approach, which is crucial for deepening analyses in the field of renewable energy and economic competitiveness. To conduct this research, two fundamental methodological procedures were employed: a literature review and documentary research. The general objective of this study is to analyze how renewable energy can enhance economic competitiveness through innovative strategies that promote sustainability and socioeconomic development. The analysis of public policies revealed that well-structured government incentives are essential for fostering investments and ensuring the expansion of renewable energy participation in the global energy matrix.
Электронное правительство в Республике Беларусь - 2017
Authors: электронных услуг Национальный центр
Published: February 2025

Современное информационное общество ждёт от правительства простого, комфортного, быстрого и эффективного взаимодействия с гражданами и бизнесом. Такое взаимодействие может обеспечить электронное правительство – система государственного управления, основанная на автоматизации управленческих процессов в масштабах страны. К системному формированию электронного правительства на общегосударственном уровне в Беларуси приступили в 2003 году, в 2012 году был определен ряд государственных информационных систем и инфраструктурных решений, обеспечивающих возможность автоматизированного электронного взаимодействия всех участников информационного обмена – госаппарата, населения и бизнеса. С этих пор и по настоящее время идет процесс планомерного перевода государственных информационных систем на работу в единой взаимосвязанной инфраструктуре. Сегодня в Республике Беларусь создано электронное правительство, уровень развития которого позволяет обеспечить автоматизацию управленческих процессов, существенное повышение эффективности государственного управления, простое, комфортное и быстрое взаимодействие с гражданами и бизнесом. Основное внимание в ближайшей перспективе необходимо уделять вопросу дальнейшего увеличения объема государственных электронных услуг, поскольку повышение уровня информатизации в сфере работы с гражданами и организациями является одним из основополагающих принципов при дебюрократизации государственного аппарата.
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION IN SMALL AND VERY SMALL STATES: HOW DOES SMALLNESS AFFECT GOVERNANCE?
Authors: Everest-Phillips Max , Henry Samuel
Published: February 2025

How far does the capacity of public administration differ according to a country’s size? This paper examines the differences between small and very small states for insights in miniature into the capacity constraints in all states with weak governance. Smallness is only one dimension of statehood. But the challenges that ‘micro-states’ face appear particularly difficult and intractable. ‘Extreme’ smallness creates exacerbated and disproportionate resource constraints. Achieving public service delivery of the SDGs will therefore differ between small and very small states.
Analysis of Farmers' Digital Applications (Apps) for Availing Agriculture-Related Information Services
Authors: Hossain Mohammad Sahadat , Mahmud Manik , Rahman Mohammad Mahbubur , Simul Sarmin Akter , Billah Md. Masum
Published: February 2025

Krisoker Digital Thikana (Farmer’s Digital Platform) is an on-line and off-line based application to provide different agriculture-related services to farmers. There are many pictures and videos of different plant diseases along with symptoms, prevention and treatment available in Krisoker Digital Thikana. The study is conducted through the use of a quantitative method to evaluate the newly introduced application in the agricultural sector from the TCV (Time, Cost and Visit) perspective comparing it to the manual agriculture-related services provided to farmers. In comparison to the previous procedure, the average time has been reduced by 68% by using the Krisoker Digital Thikana electronic for agriculture-related services. Similarly, the average cost has been reduced by 96% by getting services through the Krisoker Digital Thikana. Since time and cost have been reduced through the use of the new procedure, visits have also been reduced by 27%. It is also observed that 30% of the service recipients have been very satisfied with using the new procedure while 66% are not satisfied. Besides, 4% of the respondents have been moderately satisfied on the using the Krisoker Digital Thikana. Nevertheless, farmers are now availed to get modern agriculture-related services from Krisoker Digital Thikana though there are still some challenges, as a considerable number of farmers is still not aware of the application. Hence, an awareness raising campaign should be launched to inform farmers about this revolutionary and innovative service.
Policy Making and Implementation in Times of Crisis from a Public Governance Perspective: The cases of Cyprus, Greece, Ireland and Portugal
Authors: Liverakos Panos
Published: February 2025

This article considers the role and contribution of the governance systems and institutional structures in the four countries of interest and how these systems and structures responded to the most recent economic and financial crisis. It first presents briefly the type and mix of policies these countries adopted and implemented in their attempt to alleviate the adverse effects of the economic and financial crisis of 2008. It then assesses whether the quality of governance systems and institutional structures played a role in the degree to which the mix of policies adopted and implemented were successful. It appears that the policy responses to the crisis may have been strongly influenced by the state of sophistication of institutional structures and quality of governance systems in place at the start, and throughout the crisis.
Civil service training policy in China and Algeria: What Benefits Algeria can derive from the Chinese experience?
Authors: Dahar Tayeb Toufik , Zhangquan Yu
Published: February 2025

Despite the distance between them, China and Algeria are very close strategically, politically, and economically, as they developed relations that extended to important periods and milestones in the history of the two countries. This comparative study seeks to explore the issue of civil service training as a new area for convergence, exchange of lessons and intensification of cooperation between the two countries. Although the two countries are currently linked with a comprehensive strategic partnership and bilateral cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, the economic and political aspects have always received the greatest focus in cooperation activities. This is in contrast with issues related to civil service and the training of leaders and civil servants, which only received interest in the most recent few years. The authors draw upon broad experience, as both are academics and practitioners in the field of civil service training as well as in capacity building cooperation activities between the two counties.Keywords: civil service training, research, and consultation, cooperation between Algeria and China
Book Review
Authors: Kim Pan Suk
Published: February 2025

Review of the book "Public Service Evolution in the 15 Post-Soviet Countries: Diversity in Transformation", Edited by Alikhan Baimenov and Panos Liverakos (Singapore: Palgrave Macmillan, 2022), 579 pp., ISBN: 9789811624612, https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-16-2462-9
Concept Vector Of Eurasian State Building
Authors: Turin Eugeniy
Published: February 2025

This article deals with the conceptual guidelines of Eurasian nation building. The author, on the basis of the theory of Eurasianism and metaphysical methodology, considers the history of the ideology of civilizational integration of peoples and cultures, analyzes the modernintegration potential of post-Soviet states, shows the objective  consequences of new approaches to Eurasian nation-building and proves the need for a new, Eurasian state-managerial elite. According to the author, innovation at specialized universities training and retraining civil servants across Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan is of particular importance in forming the new Eurasian statehood and its managerial elite.
Public Sector performance in a time of flux
Authors: Dormer Rodney
Published: February 2025

This paper discusses recent research into performance measurement and management practices within a range of New Zealand’s public service agencies that has revealed six criteria by which organisational performance is defined and directed, namely: economy, efficiency, effectiveness, equity, organisational capital and public capital. However, the research also showed that the emphasis placed on each of these criteria varied significantly between the formal model of external accountability concerned with the management of the public service and the models in use within individual agencies. While the former places significant emphasis on ex-ante specification and ex-post measurement of performance the latter also employs a more substantive rationality and value-based criteria.
Mongolia's National Academy of Governance: By Way of Introduction
Authors: Ganbold Enhkbayar
Published: February 2025

The National Academy of Governance (NAOG) was founded in 1924. The institution finds its roots in the formulation and maintenance of Mongolia’s state independence by serving as Mongolia’s first higher education institution. Since then the name and the status of the Academy have been changed several times. Every change led the Academy and its community to new creative development, opportunities and success. The recent change was made in 2012, as it became the National Academy of Governance by the Cabinet Secretariat of the Mongolian Government.
The Concept of Professionalism in the Public Human Resources Management in Russia: Evolution and Implementation
Authors: Bogdan Nadezhda , Boyko Eugene , Bushuyeva Irina
Published: February 2025

This article presents an analysis of the evolution and implementation of the concept of professionalism in the public human resources management in Russia. By reviewing legal regulations and human resources management practices in the civil service and by analysing theoretical sources, the authors have identified trends in the development of professionalism in public human resources management. The article’s conclusions can be of interest, and value, to academicians and practitioners in the area of public human resources management in Russia and other countries.
Развитие Творческих Способностей у Государственных Служащих для Общества, Основанного на Знаниях: Пример Южной Кореи
Authors: Джи Ю Янг
Published: February 2025

Развитие человеческих ресурсов является одним из ключевых факторов,содействовавших национальному развитию Южной Кореи. Будучи ведущим институтом по подготовке руководителей государственныхучреждений в Корее, COTI должен предоставлять соответствующие обучающие программы, помогающие реагировать на стремительные глобальные изменения. Поскольку разработка политики представляет собой деятельность по созданию знаний, критическое мышление и творческий подход имеют фундаментальное значение для развития профессиональных навыков государственных служащих. В настоящей статье представлены опыт и размышления автора в качестве президента COTI об обучении государственных служащих в Корее, особое внимание уделено развитию навыков критического мышления и творчества.
ПРАВОВОЕ РЕГУЛИРОВАНИЕ АНТИКОРРУПЦИОННОЙ ОЦЕНКИ ДЕЯТЕЛЬНОСТИ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫХ СЛУЖАЩИХ В РОССИЙСКОЙ ФЕДЕРАЦИИ
Authors: Миннигулова Динара
Published: February 2025

Коррупция как комплексное явление, присущее современному государственному управлению большинства стран мира, являетсяодним из факторов, негативно влияющих на эффективность государственной власти. По мнению автора, для предотвращения актов коррупции и минимизации их последствий на государственной службе требуется внедрить особую систему оценки эффективности профессиональной деятельности государственных служащих и увязать ее с общей системой оценки их деятельности, с размером денежного содержания и т. п. В статье представлен подробный анализ современного российского законодательства относительно антикоррупционной оценки деятельности государственных служащих и предложены пути дальнейшего совершенствования законодательной базы России в данном управленческом кластере.
Development of Creative Civil Servants for a Knowledge-Based Society: the Case of South Korea
Authors: Je Yoo Young
Published: February 2025

Human resources development is a crucial factor among the many that have contributed to the national development of South Korea. As the premier public sector training institute in Korea responsible for enhancing the capabilities of public sector executives, COTI needs to provide appropriate education programs to cope with rapid changes in the global environment. As policymaking is a knowledge creation activity, critical thinking and creativity are fundamental to building government officials’ competence. This article presents author’s experience and thoughts, as the COTI’s president, about the education for civil servants in Korea with a focus on the development of critical thinking and creativity.
Основной курс и опыт административных реформ в Китае
Authors: Лицюнь Вей
Published: February 2025

Административные реформы – важная часть политических реформ, важная часть реформ и развития Китая. Административные реформы включают эволюцию административной структуры власти, регулирование административной организации, административных систем управления, инновации административных средств и т.д. Через 40 лет после того как начались попытки Китая к реформам, кажется что административные реформы достигли большого прогресса. Как бы то ни было, это подтверждается путем изучения великого курса и ценного опыта административных реформ в Китае. Кроме того, изучение и исследование ключевых вопросов, направленных для непрерывного продвижения реформ, может иметь большое значение для глубокого понимания великих достижений реформ и открытий, непрерывного углубления реформ административных систем и скоординированное продвижение макета стратегии «Четыре комплексных шага».
Implementation of the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) as a Quality Management Instrument in the public sector of the FYR of Macedonia
Authors: Jahija Jahi , Arsovska Marija Nikoloska
Published: February 2025

This paper is a result of the conducted analysis and study on the process of implementation and the future activities for wider usage of CAF model in public institutions in the FYR of Macedonia. The country has established strong legal and institutional framework for implementation of CAF model. Significant number of institutions in the country have introduced CAF, and national pool of CAF facilitators/trainers and practitioners has been established for further expansion of the model. CAF is perceived as very useful instrument for improving public services in the FYR of Macedonia. In order for more public institutions to introduce the CAF model, a national roadmap for promotion and wider usage of CAF needs to be adopted, more promotional events should be organized and the Ministry of Information Society and Administration should work on building the capacity and the knowledge of the top management in the public sector for the benefits of CAF.
CONTROL DE LA ACTIVIDAD SEXUAL DE LOS CAPRINOS SIN HORMONAS EXÓGENAS: USO DEL FOTOPERIODO, EFECTO MACHO Y NUTRICIÓN
Authors: Delgadillo Jose Alberto , Duarte Gerardo , Flores Jose Alfredo , Vielma Jesus , Hernandez Horacio , Fitz-Rodriguez Gonzalo , Bedos Marie , Fernandez Ilda Graciela , Muñoz-Gutierrez Minerva , Retana-Marquez Maria Del Socorro , Keller Matthieu
Published: February 2025

Some breed of goats originating or adapted to subtropical latitudes display large seasonal variations of their sexual and/or reproductive activity. This seasonality causes a seasonality of milk, cheese and meat production. To solve this problem it is necessary to have a deep knowledge of the annual sexual activity of animals and to identify the environmental factor controlling the timing of the annual reproductive cycle. In this review we will describe our approach to develop sustainable techniques to control reproductive activity in goats from subtropical Mexico: 1) The characteristics of the annual breeding season in both male and female goats were determined; 2) Photoperiod was identified as the major environmental factor controlling the timing of the annual breeding season; 3) Photoperiod treatments were used to stimulate the sexual activity of bucks during the non-breeding season; 4) Male goats rendered sexually active were used to induce and synchronize the estrous behavior and ovulatory activity of anestrous does in confined or grazing conditions by the male effect; 5) We determined that nutritional supplementation during the male effect improves the reproductive response of females exposed to the sexually active males. These results constitute an original manner to control the reproductive activity of goats using photoperiod, the male effect and nutrition.
EFECTOS NEUROENDOCRINOS DE INSULINA, IGF-I Y LEPTINA SOBRE LA SECRECIÓN DE HORMONA LIBERADORA DE GONADOTROPINAS (GnRH)
Authors: Guzman Sanchez Adrian , Rosales-Torres Ana Maria , Gutierrez Aguilar Carlos Guillermo
Published: February 2025

Animal energy balance greatly determines his reproductive success. In the majority of mammals, under a negative energy balance, there is a decrease in the synthesis of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) which reduces the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. When the energy balance is improved, the hypothalamus reacts to this change and reestablishes the secretion of GnRH. Insulin, the insulin growth factor I (IGF-I) and leptin seem to be the main messengers that signal the hypothalamus on the animal energy balance. It has been seen that the peripheral concentrations of these hormones under positive or negative energy states are associated with changes in GnRH secretion. This review shows how IGF-I acts directly on GnRH neurons affecting its synthesis and secretion, whereas that insulin and leptin act on neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARC), which synapses with GnRH neurons in the medial preoptic zone.  Both insulin and leptin decrease the expression of neuropeptide Y (NPY) and therefore the negative effect of NPY on GnRH secretion. On the other hand insulin and leptin stimulating the synthesis of galanin-like peptide (GALP) and proopiomelanocortin (POMC).  Both GALP, as well as the POMC metabolites (mainly the melanocyte stimulating hormone) increase the synthesis of GnRH. Finally, leptin increases the expression of kisspeptin in ARC neurons.  Kisspeptin has a positive effect on the synthesis and secretion of GnRH.
The Historiography of Legal Maxims from al-Shaybānī to al-Karkhī
Authors: Şahin Muhammed
Published: February 2025

This article examines the origins of legal maxims (qawāʿid fiqhiyya, and uṣūl in early jusrists’ expression) in the early period between al-Shaybānī (d. 189/805) and al-Karkhī (d. 340/952), focusing specifically on the early de-velopment of these maxims before the fourth century AH. The article demonstrates that legal maxims were articulated in early forms as early as the second century, particularly in al-Jāmiʿ al-Kabīr by Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan al-Shaybānī. The finding is consistent with the methodology of subse-quent commentators on the same work, indicating a considerably earlier phase than the Uṣūl of al-Karkhī. The study further explores the varied ex-pressions of legal maxims during this early period, as reflected in the availa-ble early Ḥanafī tradition sources. The article identifies al-Jāmiʿ al-Kabīr as the foundational work for the independent development of legal maxims in this formative period, highlighting the evolution of their articulation prior to al-Karkhī’s contributions. It argues that the roots of these principles can be traced back to al-Shaybānī’s work, culminating in the formulations of al-Karkhī’s generation. This perspective is consistent with the functional role of legal maxims within the Ḥanafī school and reflects the specific nature of Is-lamic jurisprudence (fiqh). By shedding light on the second and third centu-ries AH, this article contributes to a deeper understanding of these periods, which have previously been addressed only in a general sense.
Fostering Patriotism: Implementing National Character Strengthening in Distance Learning at MAN 13 Jakarta
Authors: Suryani Evi
Published: February 2025

This study aims to explore the implementation of patriotic character education in distance learning at Madrasah Aliyah Negeri (MAN) 13 Jakarta. In the current era of globalization, the influx of foreign cultures through various media platforms has raised concerns about the erosion of national identity among Indonesian youth. Patriotic character, defined as a deep love and respect for the homeland, is considered crucial to instill in young generations to strengthen their national identity and resilience. This research investigates how MAN 13 Jakarta integrates patriotic values into its remote learning curriculum, focusing on strategies such as singing national and regional songs at the beginning and end of classes, as well as discussing traditional Indonesian cuisines to foster a sense of pride and belonging. Through qualitative methods, including observations and interviews, this study highlights the importance of embedding patriotic character education in distance learning to cultivate conscious awareness of national values. The findings suggest that such practices not only enhance students' love for their country but also serve as a foundation for developing other essential national character traits. This research contributes to the broader discourse on character education in the digital age, offering insights into effective strategies for nurturing patriotism in a virtual learning environment.
Studi Semiotika Roland Barthes Pada Cover Novel The Principles Of Power Karya Dion Yulianto
Authors: Siti Rahmadani Riva , Wiryany Detya , Meltareza Ridma
Published: February 2025

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis elemen-elemen semiotika pada cover novel The Principles of Power dengan menggunakan pendekatan semiotika Roland Barthes. Metode yang digunakan meliputi analisis tanda makna denotatif dan konotatif yang terdapat pada elemen visual cover novel tersebut. Data yang dikumpulkan mencakup berbagai macam elemen visual seperti gambar, tipografi, dan warna. Hasil analisis menunjukkan bahwa keterkaitan warna dan gambar pada cover mencerminkan tema utama novel, yaitu jalan cerita. Kesimpulan dari penelitian ini adalah bahwa sebuah cover novel bukan hanya sebagai daya tarik visual, tetapi juga sebagai representasi simbolis dari isi dan tema sebuah novel, yang dapat memberikan pemahaman pembaca tentang karya tersebut. Penelitian ini memberikan kontribusi penting dalam studi semiotika dan analisis visual dalam literatur.
Analisis Media Monitoring terhadap Brand Kahf melalui Tools Brand24 Pada Bulan Desember 2024
Authors: Nabilla Syifa , Hafiar Hanny
Published: February 2025

Saat ini perawatan kulit atau yang biasa dikenal dengan skincare tidak hanya digunakan oleh wanita, namun juga pria. Tren penggunaan skincare  oleh pria menjadi faktor pendukung naiknya tingkat konsumsi skincare di Indonesia. Menyadari hal tersebut, maka banyak perusahaan yang mulai memproduksi skincare khusus untuk pria. Salah satunya yaitu PT Paragon Technology and Innovation yang menciptakan brand Kahf untuk menjawab permasalahan kulit khusus pria. Seiring berjalannya waktu, Kahf semakin populer di kalangan pria sehingga menyebabkan penjualan produk Kahf juga semakin meningkat. Hal tersebut mendorong perlu adanya media monitoring sebagai bentuk usaha pelacakan dan pemantauan insight brand dan produk Kahf di internet. Media monitoring atau yang dikenal juga dengan pemantauan media digunakan sebagai acuan untuk melakukan treatment terhadap media di masa mendatang dan sebagai cara untuk pengambilan keputusan atau kebijakan perusahaan. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode deskriptif kualitatif berjenis netnografi yaitu dengan menggunakan brand24 sebagai media monitoring tools yang dapat mengumpulkan data berbasis segmentasi lini masa. Dalam penelitian ini, peneliti memanfaatkan tools brand24 untuk melihat dan mengetahui sentimen positif, jumlah mention and reach brand Kahf serta produk Kahf yang paling banyak diberitakan pada bulan Desember 2024
Optimized Protocols for the Isolation and Culture of Primary Neurons from Rat Cortex, Hippocampus, Spinal Cord, and Dorsal Root Ganglia
Authors: Davaa Ganchimeg , Kim Do In , Buitrago Jennifer O. , Hong Jin Young
Published: February 2025

Background: The isolation and culture of primary neurons from specific regions of the rat nervous system are fundamental techniques for investigating neuronal function, development, and pathology. These tools allow the exploration of distinct neural populations and their roles in health and disease.Methods: Protocols were optimized for dissection, isolation, and culture of primary neurons from the rat cortex, hippocampus, spinal cord, and dorsal root ganglia. Each methodology was customized to address the unique properties of the respective tissue types, focusing on key steps to enhance neuronal yield and viability whilst minimizing contamination with non-neuronal cells. The protocols incorporate refined enzymatic dissociation techniques, mechanical trituration methods, and specialized culture conditions to support neuronal survival and maturation. Additionally, essential considerations for neuronal culture such as growth medium composition, cell density used for plating, and substrate preparation were addressed.Results: These region-specific methodologies yielded robust and reproducible outcomes, enabling the generation of reliable in vitro models of neurons from both the central and peripheral nervous systems. The optimized procedures effectively increased neuronal viability and purity, making them suitable for a wide range of neuroscience applications.Conclusion: This comprehensive set of protocols represents a valuable resource for researchers working in neuroscience on rats. Practical approaches to isolate and culture neurons from diverse regions of the nervous system in the rat have been described. The methodologies outlined provide a strong foundation for studying neuronal populations and their significance in various physiological and pathological contexts.
Effects of Needling Acupoint SI3 on Pressure Pain Threshold in Healthy Participants
Authors: Wu Xiaoqin , Lim Chi Eung Danforn , Zheng Shuai , Zaslawski Christopher
Published: February 2025

Background: There has been a surge in prescribing opioids for pain-related conditions and it has resulted in a prescription "opioid epidemic." It is critical for researchers and clinicians to explore nonpharmacological approaches to manage pain and mitigate the reliance on opioid analgesics. Acupuncture could be an effective therapy to modulate pain. This study examined the effects on regional pressure pain threshold (PPT) following needling of the Small Intestine 3 (SI3 -Houxi) acupoint in healthy participants.Methods: In a randomized, three-arm cross-over design study, 32 healthy participants enrolled between November 2018 and March 2019, received 3 different acupuncture interventions, in different sequences, to the right hand at SI3: (1) SI3 without manual manipulation (SI3m-); (2) SI3 with manual needle manipulation (SI3m+); and (3) sham laser, to assess changes in PPT following the interventions. The mean change in PPT was measured at 10 different regional acupoint sites using an algometer. All PPT scores were reported as a percentage change from the mean preintervention value, the mean of the 3 PPT measurements obtained prior to receiving the intervention.Results: The SI3m+ and SI3m- interventions for the 31 participants (drop out n=1), showed that the postintervention mean % PPT scores were significantly elevated compared to the control (sham laser; p < 0.001). The SI3m+ intervention significantly increased % PPT compared with the SI3m- intervention (p < 0.001).Conclusion: The needling intervention was an important contributor raising regional PPT in healthy participants.
POST COVID-19 PANDEMIC: COMPARATIVE STUDY IN THE VALUE RELEVANCE OF ACCOUNTING INFORMATION BETWEEN LISTED MANUFACTURING FIRMS AND LISTED SERVICE FIRMS IN NIGERIA
Authors: Ngadi Abbas, Abdulrahman , Aliyu Abubakar , Abubakar Abdu,
Published: February 2025

The study investigated the differences in the value relevance of accounting information between the listed service firms and the listed manufacturing firms in Nigeria in the post COVID-19 period. Secondary data was used from the annual reports of the sampled firms and cash craft stock broker website between 2021 and 2023. correlation research design was used. The population of the study included all the seventy-three listed manufacturing firms and twenty three listed service firms in Nigeria as at 31st December, 2023. The sample size was fifty-two firms from the listed manufacturing firms and twenty from the listed service firms; multiple panel regression model was used for the purpose of analysis. Based on the findings of the study, earnings per share and book value of equity reported by listed manufacturing firms determines share price more than the ones reported by the listed service firms. However, divided among the listed service firms should be given preference over dividend reported by the listed manufacturing firms in Nigeria in equity valuation. Additionally, listed manufacturing and financial service firms in Nigeria should work towards increasing their earnings as it determines share price. As well, they should suitably manage their book value, pay dividend to investors from the profit generated and a balance should be strike between cash inflow and out flow from operations to avoid cash shortage or keeping unneeded cash. Moreover, SEC and FRC should maintain their effort in ensuring the integrity of information released by the listed firms in Nigeria.
Goethe, Nietzsche, and Wagner
Authors: Seung T. K.
Published: February 2025

The author reads Goethe's Faust as the first epic written under Spinoza's influence. He shows how its thematic development is governed by Spinoza's pantheistic naturalism. He further contends that Wagner and Nietzsche have tried to surpass their mentor Goethe's work by writing their own Spinozan epics of love and power in The Ring of the Nibelung and Thus Spoke Zarathustra. These Spinozan epics are designed to succeed the Christian epics in the Western literary tradition. Whereas the Christian epics dared to groom human beings for their destiny in the supernatural world, the Spinozan epics try to reinstate humanity as the children of Mother Nature and overcome their alienation from the natural world, which had been dictated by the long reign of Christianity. However, it has been well noted that none of these new epics seems to hang together thematically as a coherent work. By his Spinozan reading, the author not only demonstrates the thematic unity of each of them singly, but further illustrates their thematic relation with each other.
The Struggle for Soviet Jewry in American Politics
Authors: Lazin Fred A.
Published: February 2025

Until 1989 most Soviet Jews wanting to immigrate to the United States left on visas for Israel via Vienna. In Vienna, with the assistance of American aid organizations, thousands of Soviet Jews transferred to Rome and applied for refugee entry into the United States. The Struggle for Soviet Jewry in American Politics examines the conflict between the Israeli government and the organized American Jewish community over the final destination of Soviet Jewish ZmigrZs between 1967 and 1989. A generation after the Holocaust, a battle surrounded the thousands of Soviet Jewish ZmigrZs fleeing persecution by choosing to resettle in the United States instead of Israel. Exploring the changing ethnic identity and politics of the United States, Fred A. Lazin engages history, ethical dilemma, and diplomacy to uncover the events surrounding this conflict. This book is essential reading for students and scholars of public policy, immigration studies, and Jewish history.
To the Islands
Authors: Battersby Paul
Published: February 2025

To the Islands offers a unique perspective on the evolution of economic, social and political interconnections between Australia and its island region spanning two centuries, from the early years of British colonization to the present day. The book advances the argument that globalizing processes are drawing Australia incrementally closer to modern day South East Asia and the wider Asia Pacific. While globalization is a term commonly associated with the twentieth century world, this study traces the history of Australia's regionalisation back to the nineteenth century; to the lived experiences of Australian travelers, tourists, prospectors, mining entrepreneurs in the Netherlands Indies, Malaya and Siam or Thailand as it is known today. To the Islands challenges the orthodox view that Australia's relations with its regional neighbors were insignificant before the outbreak of war in the Pacific in 1941. By the early 1900s, Java was a popular tourist destination for Australians while Malaya and Siam were emerging as major Australian foreign investment destinations. In placing economic and social interactions ahead of political and security concerns in the analysis of Australia's regional relations, the book highlights the role of non-state actors and people-to-people connections in shaping the contours of Australian diplomatic engagement with South East Asia and the South West Pacific. To the Islands is an essential book for advanced students and researchers of the history and politics of the Asia Pacific and Australia.
War, Evacuation, and the Exercise of Power
Authors: Holmes Larry E.
Published: February 2025

War, Evacuation, and the Exercise of Power examines the history of the Pedagogical Institute, located in the USSR's Kirov region from 1941 to 1952. Holmes reveals a tangled and complex relationship of local, regional, and national agencies. While it recognizes the immense strength of the center, it emphasizes a contentious diffusion, although not a confusion, of authority. In so doing, it departs from traditional models of Soviet power with their neatly drawn vertical and horizontal lines of command. It also demonstrates institutional and personal behavior simultaneously consistent with and at odds with a triumphalist wartime narrative.

The Nazi invasion of Soviet-held territory in 1941 set off a massive evacuation eastward that included the relocation in Kirov of the Commissariat of Forest Industry and a large factory under the jurisdiction of the Commissariat of Aviation Industry. By occupying the two main buildings of Kirov's Pedagogical Institute, these commissariats forced the Institute to abandon the provincial capital for a remote rural location, Iaransk. Then and for years thereafter, the Pedagogical Institute portrayed itself as the victim of these commissariats' bad behavior that included the physical destruction of the Institute's buildings and much of its property. In its quest for justice, as it understood it, the Institute had the support of the Commissariat of Education. But that agency was far too weak in comparison with its institutional competitors, the offending commissariats, to provide much help. Of greater significance, the Institute forged a remarkable alliance with governing party and state organs in the city and region of Kirov. A united Kirov compelled the entry into the dispute of the Council of Peoples Commissars of both the Russian Republic and Soviet Union and the party's Central Committee.

In addition to a focus on the exercise of power at the center and periphery, this study also assesses the Institute's wartime exile in Iaransk. The difficulties of life there led to a Soviet version of town vs. gown and provoked the Institute's further resentment of Moscow. They also exacerbated conflict among distinct groups at the Institute as each advanced its own interests and authority. Faculty and administration, ranked and unranked faculty, communists and non-communists, and evacuated instructors and the Institute's own all fought amongst themselves over the relationship of politics and scholarship and over the legitimacy of a highly stratified system of food rationing.
African American Life and Culture in Orange Mound
Authors: Williams Charles
Published: February 2025

African American Life and Culture in Orange Mound is an exploration of the conditions of living for residents of a segregated subdivision in the deep south from 1890 to 1919. It is also a study of contemporary approaches to community building during a time period of racial segregation and polarization. The town of Orange Mound, built by Elzey E. Meacham as an all-black subdivision for “negroes,” represents a unique chapter in American history. There is no other case, neither in the deep South nor in the far West, of such a tremendous effort on the part of African Americans to come together to occupy a carved out space—eventually making it into a black community on the outskirts of Memphis on a former slave plantation.

The significance of “community” continues to be relevant to our ever-evolving understanding of racial and ethnic formations in the South. This ethnography of community, family, and institution in the latter nineteenth and early twentieth-century Shelby County Tennessee reveals the richness and complexity of community building through an investigation of cultural and historic community development, settlement patterns, kinship networks, and sociopolitical, economic, and religious value systems in the historic black community of Orange Mound.

This research is the product of a thorough ethnographic study conducted over a three-year period which involves participation observation, in-depth interviews, textual analysis of family histories, newspapers, census data, and local government and church records. Even though textual analysis was used throughout the text, its intent was to utilize the concepts and categories that were relevant and meaningful to the people of Orange Mound.
Is Jesus Reasonable?
Authors: Prichard Gerald R.
Published: February 2025

Is Jesus Reasonable? questions the logic of Jesus Christ's Words in the Holy Bible. Gerald Prichard, a Bible teacher and Ph.D. scientist, details the answers to this question. Specifically, he compares all of the conditional and procedural statements attributed to Christ to each other, as well as to all of the formal rules of human reasoning. In so doing, this book demonstrates that formal human reasoning can be an applicable method of interpreting these statements, but not generally for logical inferences nor for a few specific passages. Lastly, Dr. Prichard determines the minimal set of human conditions that together imply each of the promises conditioned upon human attitudes or actions. This analysis indicates that individual sacrifice, desire, and perseverance in following Christ's Example and individual humility are the most common human conditions associated with these promises.
Becoming the Arsenal
Authors: Carew Michael G.
Published: February 2025

Becoming the Arsenal discusses one of the three signal events that transformed the relationship of government and the private sector in directing the American economy. The first was the Great Depression and the government's New Deal recovery program. The second was the gradual abandonment of the monetary Gold Standard, or the 'floating' of the dollar between 1933 and the 1970s. Third, and least appreciated, was the mobilization of the American economy to confront the threat of the Axis ascendancy in World War II. Becoming the Arsenal places the events of this economic mobilization in its political-economic context and evaluates its performance in terms of prevailing military and political realities. The book is structured in three parts. The first deals with the decision to mobilize in May-June 1940. The second part relates the importance of the World War I experience and the economic diplomatic environment of the late 1930s. The final part examines the shift from a partial mobilization to the commitment to a 'Victory Plan' in the fall of 1941, and achievement of complete mobilization and its consequences, in early 1943.
Igbo Culture and the Christian Missions 1857-1957
Authors: Okwu Augustine S.O.
Published: February 2025

Igbo Culture and the Christian Missions 1857-1957: Conversion in Theory and Practice uses historical perspective to explore strategies and methods of the Protestant and the Roman Catholic missionaries in Igboland and the Igbo response during the mid-nineteenth and mid-twentieth centuries. The subtitle of this book points out the objective, premises, and thrust to the reader. Using oral traditions, primary sources, and the present writer's own life experience both as a Christian convert and a missionary co-partner in the evangelization enterprise, the text examines the missions' programs and missteps, as well as their impact on the people. Appropriate for both specific and generalized audiences, this book will appeal to readers interested in cultural sublimation and in the overall Christianization efforts in Africa.
Animal Minds, Animal Souls, Animal Rights
Authors: Parker James V.
Published: February 2025

Animal Minds, Animal Souls, Animal Rights explores the thinking of philosophers and theologians about controversies concerning animal consciousness and animal rights. The book presents Bernard Lonergan's theory about consciousness and the operations of the mind-a theory about two types of knowing and desiring: one shared by humans and animals, and the other, which depends on the activity of asking questions, possessed by humans alone. The author tests this theory against present-day research with apes, and examines religious claims, historical and current, about animals. Animal Minds, Animal Souls, Animal Rights concludes by laying a philosophical and theological foundation for a contemporary ethic in which humans are obligated to exercise intelligent stewardship and ensure the compassionate treatment of animals.
The Life of an Activist
Authors: Ertll Randy Jurado
Published: February 2025

The Life of an Activist is a non-fiction narrative that describes key steps on how to become and evolve into an effective activist and community leader. The book describes social movements and provides useful advice on how to successfully manage non-profits to accomplish positive social change that truly improves people’s lives.

The author is a lifelong activist who was born in the United States but was deported to El Salvador as a baby. He spent his childhood in El Salvador but moved back to the United States and grew up in South Central Los Angeles during the tumultuous and violent decades of the late 1970s and 1980s. He has also lived and worked in Rochester, Minnesota; Madrid, Spain; Washington, D.C.; and Alexandria, Virginia. In each of these cities, he observed and learned a great deal about social movements and activism.

This book is a must read for anyone who wants to improve their own lives and communities through activism. As Gandhi stated, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” The Life of an Activist: In the Frontlines 24/7 will truly be life-changing and inspirational.
Frog Town
Authors: French Laurence Armand
Published: February 2025

Frog Towndescribes in detail a French Canadian parish that was unique due to the high density of both Acadian and Quebecois settlers that were situated in a Yankee stronghold of Puritan stock. This demography provided for a volatile history that accentuated the inter-ethnic/sectarian conflicts of the time.

In this book, Laurence Armand French discusses the work, language, and social activities of the working-class French Canadians during the changing times that transformed them from French Canadians to Franco Americans. French also articulates the current double-standard of justice within New Hampshire with details of actual cases, presented alongside their circumstances and judicial outcomes, to offer a thorough depiction of the community of Frog Town.
Information Communication Technology (ICT) Integration to Educational Curricula
Authors: Nwokeafor Cosmas Uchenna
Published: February 2025

Information Communication Technology (ICT) Integration to Educational Curricula serves as a standard textbook in graduate and senior level undergraduate classes in colleges and universities to contribute to the existing mass communication and ICT literature. The textbook offers a multi-discipline perspective to students of mass communication and information technology and avails them an opportunity to have a valid research tool with great details to pursue their research and class assignments. It provides an essential platform for appropriate literature in mass communication, political communication, and ICT details with relevance to its integration in Africa educational curricula.

The book can also serve as a supplemental text for courses in mass media effects, politics, and political communications. It includes contributions by scholars and professionals of African extraction with varied research interests on diverse issues relevant to ICT and its significant impact to curricula development and application to Africa as the new African educational system. The chapters cover a wide array of mass communication, diffusion of innovation, and ICT issues of diverse importance that will guide students, government agencies, and professionals in following the imminent and evolving changes resulting from the integration of technology to educational curricula.