bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inclusive diet of Balanites aegyptiaca Del defatted protein meal and protein concentrate on organ weight and diabetic conditioned Liver of Wister Albino rat
Authors: Friday Ogori Akama
Published: November 2024

The study was on the In-vivo anti-oxidant influence of the Aduwa protein-inclusive diet on organ weight and anti-oxidant capability. Five albino rats were assigned to one of 4 treatment groups. Group 1 served as control; groups 2, 3, 4 and 5 were orally treated with 35 mg STZ/kg/ BW for 14 days and diet made of Aduwa meal and protein concentrate was introduced to groups 4 and 5. Results showed that DAM significantly attenuated TBARS, regenerated liver cells and kidneys, increased catalase activity, and enhanced feed intake levels. The endogenous anti-oxidant such as GST, GPx, SOD, and the level of reduced GSH in rat liver and kidney weight gain were enhanced when APC was supplemented in the group diet. APC diet influenced oxidative stress in rats' livers through free radical scavenging capability. DAM and APC diet samples could significantly potentiate liver cellular integrity and regeneration, as well as excellent ingredients in food processing and as pharmaceutical incipient.
Exploring party-issue linkages as an indicator of issue ownership in election news coverage
Authors: Blach-Ørsten Mark , Kæmsgaard Eberholst Mads
Published: November 2024

Research on issue ownership has placed political parties at the centre of studies. Recent research argues that this focus should be expanded. First, researchers have found that the salience of different political issues is affected by events exogenous to political parties, such as real-world events and societal trends. Second, researchers have pointed to the news media as an additional arena for issue ownership competition and maintenance, making the concept of party–issue linkages in election coverage an additional topic of study. This article contributes to election research by exploring party–issue linkage as an indicator of issue ownership for both political parties and political leaders in the two most recent national Danish elections. Both elections were affected by societal trends and real-world events. Based on large-scale content analysis and using descriptive statistics, we find a clear shift in media saliences from 2019 to 2022. We also find changes in party–issue linkage for both political parties and specific political leaders, especially regarding the most salient issues of the elections.
Uwarunkowania regulacyjne handlu algorytmicznego z perspektywy rynku energii w Polsce
Authors:   HAWRANEK Kancelaria Radców Prawnych Spółka Partnerska, Hawranek Paweł , Michalski Dariusz ,   Akademia Techniczno-Humanistycznej w Bielsku Białej, Borkowski Daniel ,   Radca prawny
Published: November 2024

Postępująca integracja rynku energii w Europie oraz rozwój OZE przyczyniają się do wzrostu kompleksowości handlu, zmienności cen oraz szybkości zawierania transakcji. Stwarza to oczywiście zarówno ryzyko, jak i szanse dla przedsiębiorstw handlujących na tym rynku. Szczególnie istotna jest kompleksowość rynku z perspektywy zarówno integracji regionalnych rynków w Europie, jak i przesunięcia się zmienności i płynności na rynek spot i dnia bieżącego. Wymaga to nowego podejścia do handlu, gdzie szybkość składania zleceń oraz analizy powstających opcji handlu, przy zapewnieniu zabezpieczenia się przed ryzykiem staje się kluczowa dla sukcesu działalności tradingowej. HA wspiera wykorzystanie powstających szans, pozwalając handlować praktycznie stale w godzinach funkcjonowania rynków, rozpatrując wiele różnych wariantów decyzyjnych w tym samym czasie, znacznie szybciej niż są w stanie traderzy. Ponadto, HA umożliwia także zarządzanie wysoką liczbą transakcji równocześnie i efektywniejsze zarządzanie pozycjami, ponieważ komputery mogą szybko analizować wszystkie dostępne dane w czasie rzeczywistym, biorąc pod uwagę sytuację na wszystkich dostępnych dla HA rynkach, rozpatrując możliwości, trendy i potencjalne ryzyko na rynkach energii na całym świecie w ciągu kilku sekund. Komputer może natychmiast generować transakcje w oparciu o te analizy, generując zyski z prędkością i częstotliwością niemożliwą do osiągnięcia przez traderów. Jednak techniki handlu algorytmicznego (HA) i handlu algorytmicznego wysokiej częstotliwości (HFT) wprowadzają szereg dodatkowych uwarunkowań regulacyjnych nie tylko ex ante – wymagających zbadania warunków prawnych prowadzenia handlu HA i HFT, lecz także ex post – obowiązków regulacyjnych związanych z zawieranymi transakcjami w ramach HA i HFT, które ramowo zostały przedstawione w artykule.
Le peintre d’enseignes de 1830 à 1870, un précurseur des arts appliqués au Québec ?
Authors: Bodo Carla
Published: November 2024

L’Encyclopédie canadienne (1842) souligne l’importance des peintres d’enseignes entre 1820 et 1860, essentiels à la ville moderne, mais souvent négligés. La pratique de la peinture d’enseignes, remontant au Moyen Âge et évoluant jusqu’au xixe siècle, a joué un rôle crucial dans la communication visuelle urbaine. Reconnu comme un artisan qualifié, le peintre d’enseignes devait acquérir des compétences artistiques élevées, le distinguant du simple peintre en bâtiment. La transmission des connaissances se faisait de maître à apprenti, souvent au sein des familles à Montréal et Québec. Bien que ce travail ne soit pas revendiqué comme un art, il exigeait des techniques complexes, telles que la dorure et l’imitation de textures. Cet article vise à éclairer l’histoire des peintres d’enseignes, que nous considérons comme les précurseurs des arts appliqués au Québec.
Sielovadinė kelionė taikos link: Vokietijos krikščioniško pagalbos centro veikla neformalaus ugdymo kontekste
Authors: Dievaitis Povilas , Lukaševičius Artūras
Published: November 2024

Straipsnyje pristatoma krikščioniško pagalbos centro (Help Center e. V. Christliches Lebenszentrum, toliau – PC), esančio Vokietijos evangelikų krikščioniško gyvenimo pagalbos bendrijoje (toliau – ACL, vok. Arbeitsgemeinschaft Christlicher Lebenshilfen), susikūrimo istorija, koncepcija, sielovados etapai neformalaus ugdymo kontekste. PC svečiai (18–26 metų jaunuoliai) yra patekę į kritinę gyvenimo situaciją, jų vertybių sistema yra sutrikdyta ir vieni su gyvenimo iššūkiais susitvarkyti jie negali. Sielovados kelionėje siekiama jauniems žmonėms padėti suprasti jų problemas, pažinti save pačius ir atrasti gyvenimo prasmę. Tai vidinės raidos procesas, keičiantis požiūrį į gyvenimo vertybes. Krikščioniškoji pasaulėžiūra per šią unikalią patirties prizmę ne tik veikia asmeninį augimą ir asmens pasikeitimą, bet ir lemia santykio su savimi ir kitais transformaciją. Jauni žmonės, pasirinkę šią kelionę, dažnai susiduria su mokslo ir tikėjimo priešprieša. Mokslo ir tikėjimo dialogas sielovadoje leidžia pažvelgti į šias dvi sritis kaip į viena kitą papildančias, o ne konkuruojančias. PC siūlomas kelias skatina žmones derinti kritinį mąstymą su dvasiniu augimu ir padeda spręsti gyvenimo sunkumus. Siekiama parodyti, kad galima sukurti sąlygas konstruktyviam ir atviram dialogui, o sielovada, kaip vidinės kelionės ir paieškos procesas, yra viena iš priemonių, skatinančių žmones ieškoti stabilumo. PC padeda jauniems žmonėms atrasti save kaip vertingus bendruomenės narius ir sugrįžti į visuomenę su nauja krikščioniška pasaulėžiūra ir vertybėmis. PC sielovada laikoma neformaliu ugdymu, kuriame galima reflektuoti ir skatinti įsisąmoninti vertybes. Šis krikščioniškas PC nėra susijęs su oficialiomis švietimo institucijomis ir išsilaiko iš aukų.
The Problem of Internal Security of Interwar European Empires in the US Expert Discourse
Authors: Nesterov Dmitrii Aleksandrovich
Published: November 2024

The subject of the study is the foreign policy expertise of the United States of America in the interwar period on the problem of the development of national liberation movements on the outskirts of European empires and methods of fighting them. This perspective allows us to take a new look at the problems of ensuring the internal security of global empires, their position in the Versailles-Washington system of international relations, the prospects for the development of colonial possessions and mandated territories, as well as the specifics of relations of empires with each other and with the United States (for the first time actively intervened in the conflict on European territory and in the construction of a new configuration of international relations). And also to determine the place and role of foreign policy expertise, its main characteristics and features in the analysis of colonial conflicts and methods of their resolution. The article uses such methods of historical research as problem-analytical, synchronic, comparative-historical and methods of system analysis. The main conclusions of the conducted research are that there was no unanimity among experts and in relation to the future of colonial systems. The obviousness of the collapse of the “old order” in metropolis-colony relations forced experts to look for possible options to minimize this process. Here the concepts of “civilizational mission” of empires were expressed, which were characterized by undoubted racism towards colonial peoples, the purpose of which was “Europeanization” of local elites with the subsequent transfer of powers to manage the former colonies. In addition, US think tanks and expert organizations of the interwar period played a leading role in the formation of the so-called “special relations” between the United States and Great Britain.
The PERMA+4 Positive Functioning at Work Scale: Spanish Adaptation and Validation
Authors: García-Selva Adrián , Neipp Marie-Carmen , Solanes-Puchol Ángel , Martín-del-Río Beatriz , Donaldson Stewart I.
Published: November 2024

Background::
Donaldson & Donaldson (2021b) developed a scale to assess Positive Functioning at Work, adding four new blocks to strengthen the original PERMA framework in the workplace. The aim of the present study was to validate this scale in a Spanish sample.

Method::
698 Spanish workers participated, 59% were women and 41% were men, 71.6% were employees and 71.2% belonged to the basic worker level.

Results::
Confirmatory Factor Analysis showed a good fit of the nine-factor model (χ/df = 2.441; RMSEA = .056, 90% IC (.049, .063); SRMR =. 062; CFI = .926; TLI = .916), the bifactor model (χ/df = 1.703; RMSEA = .044, 90% CI [.037, .050]; SRMR = .050; CFI = .959; TLI = .952) and the ESEM model (χ/df = 1.736; RMSEA = .041, 90% CI [.033, .049]; SRMR = .017; CFI = .976; TLI = .942). The adapted scale also demonstrated good internal consistency, with a Cronbach’s α of .90 for the scale, and evidence of discriminant, criterion, predictive, and incremental validity with other well-being and performance measures, as well as measurement invariance across educational levels.

Conclusions::
This scale provides a comprehensive measurement tool that can help in the design of workplace programs and interventions.
Giftedness and Family Well-being: The Role of Emotional Intelligence, Perceived Social Support and Stress
Authors: Casino-García Ana M. , Llinares-Insa Lucía I. , Guillén-Martín Verónica M. , Ibáñez-García Alba
Published: November 2024

Background::
Families of gifted students may have poorer well-being due to difficulties in parenting. Emotional intelligence could help parents manage negative emotions and improve their self-esteem, and perceived social support and stress could mediate this relationship. The objective of this study was to analyze these variables by testing a mediation model in parents of gifted children and parents in general.

Method: :
Questionnaires assessing emotional intelligence, stress, perceived social support, affect and self-esteem were administered to 245 parents (135 had gifted children). Descriptive analyses were performed, mean differences were calculated, and structural equation models (SEMs) were developed and tested.

Results: :
Compared with parents in general, the parents of the gifted students reported more negative experiences (Cohen's = 0.75; < .01) and less social support from their friends (Cohen's = 1.54; < .01). Social support and stress partially mediated the relationship between emotional intelligence and well-being. For parents of gifted students, there was partial mediation of social support through positive affect.

Conclusions: :
Providing families with tools to promote their emotional intelligence and conducting awareness campaigns focused on understanding and supporting gifted groups will contribute to parents’ well-being.
Chromatin endogenous cleavage provides a global view of yeast RNA polymerase II transcription kinetics
Authors: VanBelzen Jake , Sakelaris Bennet , Brickner Donna G , Marcou Nikita , Riecke Hermann , Mangan Niall M , Brickner Jason H
Published: November 2024

Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP-seq) is the most common approach to observe global binding of proteins to DNA in vivo. The occupancy of transcription factors (TFs) from ChIP-seq agrees well with an alternative method, chromatin endogenous cleavage (ChEC-seq2). However, ChIP-seq and ChEC-seq2 reveal strikingly different patterns of enrichment of yeast RNA polymerase II (RNAPII). We hypothesized that this reflects distinct populations of RNAPII, some of which are captured by ChIP-seq and some of which are captured by ChEC-seq2. RNAPII association with enhancers and promoters - predicted from biochemical studies - is detected well by ChEC-seq2 but not by ChIP-seq. Enhancer/promoter-bound RNAPII correlates with transcription levels and matches predicted occupancy based on published rates of enhancer recruitment, preinitiation assembly, initiation, elongation, and termination. The occupancy from ChEC-seq2 allowed us to develop a stochastic model for global kinetics of RNAPII transcription which captured both the ChEC-seq2 data and changes upon chemical-genetic perturbations to transcription. Finally, RNAPII ChEC-seq2 and kinetic modeling suggests that a mutation in the Gcn4 transcription factor that blocks interaction with the NPC destabilizes promoter-associated RNAPII without altering its recruitment to the enhancer.
Unifying networks of a rhythm
Authors: Alavash Mohsen
Published: November 2024

Combining electrophysiological, anatomical and functional brain maps reveals networks of beta neural activity that align with dopamine uptake.
Whole-brain in situ mapping of neuronal activation in Drosophila during social behaviors and optogenetic stimulation
Authors: Watanabe Kiichi , Chiu Hui , Anderson David J
Published: November 2024

Monitoring neuronal activity at single-cell resolution in freely moving Drosophila engaged in social behaviors is challenging because of their small size and lack of transparency. Extant methods, such as Flyception, are highly invasive. Whole-brain calcium imaging in head-fixed, walking flies is feasible but the animals cannot perform the consummatory phases of social behaviors like aggression or mating under these conditions. This has left open the fundamental question of whether neurons identified as functionally important for such behaviors using loss- or gain-of-function screens are actually active during the natural performance of such behaviors, and if so during which phase(s). Here, we perform brain-wide mapping of active cells expressing the Immediate Early Gene hr38 using a high-sensitivity/low background fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) amplification method called HCR-3.0. Using double-labeling for hr38 mRNA and for GFP, we describe the activity of several classes of aggression-promoting neurons during courtship and aggression, including P1a cells, an intensively studied population of male-specific interneurons. Using HI-FISH in combination with optogenetic activation of aggression-promoting neurons (opto-HI-FISH), we identify candidate downstream functional targets of these cells in a brain-wide, unbiased manner. Finally, we compare the activity of P1a neurons during sequential performance of courtship and aggression, using intronic vs. exonic hr38 probes to differentiate newly synthesized nuclear transcripts from cytoplasmic transcripts synthesized at an earlier time. These data provide evidence suggesting that different subsets of P1a neurons may be active during courtship vs. aggression. HI-FISH and associated methods may help to fill an important lacuna in the armamentarium of tools for neural circuit analysis in Drosophila.
Using large language models for extracting and pre-annotating texts on mental health from noisy data in a low-resource language
Authors: Koltcov Sergei , Surkov Anton , Koltsova Olessia , Ignatenko Vera
Published: November 2024

Recent advancements in large language models (LLMs) have opened new possibilities for developing conversational agents (CAs) in various subfields of mental healthcare. However, this progress is hindered by limited access to high-quality training data, often due to privacy concerns and high annotation costs for low-resource languages. A potential solution is to create human-AI annotation systems that utilize extensive public domain user-to-user and user-to-professional discussions on social media. These discussions, however, are extremely noisy, necessitating the adaptation of LLMs for fully automatic cleaning and pre-classification to reduce human annotation effort. To date, research on LLM-based annotation in the mental health domain is extremely scarce. In this article, we explore the potential of zero-shot classification using four LLMs to select and pre-classify texts into topics representing psychiatric disorders, in order to facilitate the future development of CAs for disorder-specific counseling. We use 64,404 Russian-language texts from online discussion threads labeled with seven most commonly discussed disorders: depression, neurosis, paranoia, anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and borderline personality disorder. Our research shows that while preliminary data filtering using zero-shot technology slightly improves classification, LLM fine-tuning makes a far larger contribution to its quality. Both standard and natural language inference (NLI) modes of fine-tuning increase classification accuracy by more than three times compared to non-fine-tuned training with preliminarily filtered data. Although NLI fine-tuning achieves slightly higher accuracy (0.64) than the standard approach, it is six times slower, indicating a need for further experimentation with NLI hypothesis engineering. Additionally, we demonstrate that lemmatization does not affect classification quality and that multilingual models using texts in their original language perform slightly better than English-only models using automatically translated texts. Finally, we introduce our dataset and model as the first openly available Russian-language resource for developing conversational agents in the domain of mental health counseling.
Normalized group activations based feature extraction technique using heterogeneous data for Alzheimer’s disease classification
Authors: Vaithianathan Krishnakumar , Pernabas Julian Benadit , Parthiban Latha , Rashid Mamoon , Alshamrani Sultan S. ,   for the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: November 2024

Several deep learning networks are developed to identify the complex atrophic patterns of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Among various activation functions used in deep neural networks, the rectifier linear unit is the most used one. Even though these functions are analyzed individually, group activations and their interpretations are still not explored for neuroimaging analysis. In this study, a unique feature extraction technique based on normalized group activations that can be applied to both structural MRI and resting-state-fMRI (rs-fMRI) is proposed. This method is split into two phases: multi-trait condensed feature extraction networks and regional association networks. The initial phase involves extracting features from various brain regions using different multi-layered convolutional networks. Then, multiple regional association networks with normalized group activations for all the regional pairs are trained and the output of these networks is given as input to a classifier. To provide an unbiased estimate, an automated diagnosis system equipped with the proposed feature extraction is designed and analyzed on multi-cohort Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) data to predict multi-stages of AD. This system is also trained/tested on heterogeneous features such as non-transformed features, curvelets, wavelets, shearlets, textures, and scattering operators. Baseline scans of 185 rs-fMRIs and 1442 MRIs from ADNI-1, ADNI-2, and ADNI-GO datasets are used for validation. For MCI (mild cognitive impairment) classifications, there is an increase of 1–4% in performance. The outcome demonstrates the good discriminatory behaviour of the proposed features and its efficiency on rs-fMRI time-series and MRI data to classify multiple stages of AD.
Expression of CK7, CK19 and p16 in HPV-mediated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Yan Qizhang , Chen Pengning , Chen Xinyu , Chen Guanxi , Luo Lin , Ruan Ping , Yu Dahai , Zeng Xiaojuan , Zhou Mengyu
Published: November 2024

Background

The incidence of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) mediated by human papilloma virus (HPV) has been steadily increasing worldwide. The specific pathogenesis of HPV-mediated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) usually induces carcinogenesis in the oropharynx and the roles of CK7, CK19 and p16 in the carcinogenesis mechanism of HPV-mediated OPSCC still remain uncertain.

Methods

We collected case data and paraffin samples of 69 cases of OPSCC and 40 cases of OSCC from July 2009 to December 2021. Immunohistochemistry was performed on serial paraffin sections from all cases to analyze the expression patterns of CK7, CK19, and p16. HPV-mediated (p16+) and non-HPV-mediated OPSCC were differentiated based on p16 expression. Three to six fields were selected from each case for observation of the expression intensity, localization, and interrelationship of the three proteins.

Results

In both cancerous nests and pericancerous normal epithelium of OPSCC, various expression combinations of CK7, CK19 and p16 were observed, including CK7+CK19+p16+, CK7−CK19+p16+, and CK7+CK19+p16−, while no expression of CK7+CK19−p16+ was found. The expression of CK7 with CK19, CK7 with p16, and CK19 with p16 all showed consistency in OPSCC (P < 0.05) while only the expression of CK7 and CK19 demonstrated consistency in OSCC (P < 0.05). The positive rates and H-scores for CK7/CK19 in HPV-mediated (p16+) OPSCC were significantly higher than those in non-HPV-mediated OPSCC and OSCC (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

These results suggest that CK7, CK19 and p16 may relate to HPV-mediated OPSCC. The interaction of CK7, CK19 and p16 may affect the development of HPV-mediated OPSCC.
Evaluación del valor predictivo de diferentes marcadores moleculares
branquiales de esmoltificación en salmón del Atlántico (Salmo salar) por medio
de PCR en tiempo real
Authors:   , Berrazueta Jaramillo Kimberly Daniela
Published: November 2024

El salmón del Atlántico (Salmo salar) es clave para la economía chilena,
posicionándose al país como el segundo productor mundial después de Noruega. La
esmoltificación, el proceso de adaptación del salmón de agua dulce a salada es
crucial para el éxito productivo en acuicultura. Este proyecto evaluó las
isoformas de Na⁺/K⁺-ATPasa (NKAα1a y NKAα1b) y sus correlaciones con los niveles
plasmáticos de electrolitos en peces sometidos a esmoltificación inducida por
fotoperiodo, con el fin de identificar marcadores moleculares predictivos para
mejorar la transferencia al mar.Se tomaron muestras de 8 peces, cada ocho días,
a lo largo de siete tiempos, se evaluó la expresión génica mediante PCR en
tiempo real y se cuantificaron electrolitos plasmáticos. Los resultados muestran
un aumento significativo de la actividad de NKA desde el tiempo T2, lo que
refleja una mayor capacidad osmorreguladora. La expresión de NKAα1b aumentó
significativamente en los peces transferidos a agua salada, mientras que la
expresión de NKAα1a disminuyó, lo que sugiere una adaptación en la
osmorregulación. Los niveles de Na⁺ y Cl⁻ fluctuaron durante el proceso,
indicando su importancia en la adaptación osmótica.En conclusión, este estudio
propone un Smolt Índex que integra las expresiones de NKAα1a y NKAα1b, los
niveles de electrolitos y la actividad de la ATPasa para predecir la capacidad
del smolt de adaptarse al medio marino, optimizando así la selección y el manejo
de los peces en la fase de transición, mejorando la eficiencia. productivo y
reduciendo pérdidas en la salmonicultura.
A Historical Analysis of the Role of the Ancient Synagogue, and its Implication for the Contemporary Church
Authors: Silas Dogara Turrang
Published: November 2024

In this article, the importance, origin and function of the synagogue are surveyed using a historical analysis. Studies have shown that the origin of the synagogue is shrouded in mystery and may never be fully known. However, the synagogue was clearly a well-known institution in both Palestine and the Diaspora in the 1st century and the intertestamental period. The importance and function of the ancient synagogue are surveyed and classified into social and religious functions. The article argues that these functions have important implication for the Nigerian Church, since the church is understood to have taken over some of the activities of the synagogue.
Keywords: Ancient Synagogue, Treasury, Place of refuge, Communal worship, Place of manumission, Charity
Ownership Structure, Agency Costs, Board Independence and Corporate Risk among Firms Listed at the Nairobi Securities Exchange, Kenya
Authors: Ooko Joab
Published: November 2024

This study explored how ownership structure influences corporate risk in firms listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange, with agency costs acting as a mediator and board independence as a moderator. Guided by agency theory and supported by mean variance-portfolio theory, stewardship theory, and resource dependence theory, the research adopted a positivist approach and employed a causal survey design to investigate the relationships between ownership structure, agency costs, board independence, and corporate risk. Panel data from 61 firms over an 11-year period (2011-2021) was analyzed. Panel data regression analysis was employed.
The findings revealed that foreign ownership, government ownership, and diffuse ownership were negatively correlated with corporate risk, while managerial ownership showed a positive relationship with risk. However, managerial, corporate, and diffuse ownership had insignificant effects on corporate risk. Agency costs had a minimal mediating effect, but board independence significantly influenced the relationship between ownership structure and corporate risk.
The study recommends that policymakers and regulators enforce limits on managerial ownership to prevent excessive control, encourage a broader distribution of shareholders, increase corporate and foreign ownership to reduce risk, and improve risk management frameworks for government-owned firms. Corporate managers should maintain a balanced board mix of independent and non-independent directors, establish conflict-of-interest policies, foster open communication, ensure that independent directors have a significant role in decision-making, and regularly review board composition. Additionally, managers should implement systems to monitor employee behavior, promote clear communication regarding company objectives, and offer performance-based incentives to reduce agency costs.
In conclusion, the study highlights the complex interplay between ownership structure, agency costs, and board independence in shaping corporate risk, with practical implications for firms seeking to manage and reduce their risk exposure.
Economic Benefits of NPK and Organic Amendments on Green Gram Yield
Authors: Mahapatra Subham , Singh Surbhi , Mishra Malay
Published: November 2024

The research study titled Economic benefits of application of NPK, fermented organic manures and mycorrhiza on yield and production of green gram (Vigna radiata L.) Var. PDM-139." was conducted during the Zaid season of 2023 at the Central Research Farm, Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Naini Agricultural Institute, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology, and Sciences, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India. The experimental layout followed a 3x3 Randomized Block Design (RBD), incorporating three levels of fermented organic manure (0%, 50%, and 100%), Mycorrhiza (0%, 50%, and 100%), and N, P, K at the Recommended Dose of Fertilizers (RDF). The variety chosen was PDM-139, which was released by the State Variety Release Committee (SVRC) of Uttar Pradesh in 1974. The recorded average yield ranged from 6 to 9 quintals per hectare. The response of total seed yield of green gram recorded as influenced by different levels NPK, fermented organic manure and mycorrhizal inoculation. The seed yield of green gram was found to be increased significantly with the increase in levels of NPK, fermented organic manure and mycorrhizal inoculation. The maximum seed yield was recorded as 16.42 (q ha-1) T9 (NPK@RDF + M2@ 10Kg ha-1 50% + F2@ 50 l ha-1 50%) which was higher than any other treatment combination and the minimum seed yield was recorded as 8.76 (q ha-1) in T1 (control). However, as for the economy of different treatments is concerned, the treatment T9 (NPK@RDF + M2@ 10Kg ha-1 50% + F2@ 50 l ha-1 100%) provide highest net profit of ₹ 68139.13 ha-1 with highest cost benefit ratio is 1:1.605.
Effect of Calcium Sources and Their Mode of Application on Growth and Plant Nutrient Uptake of Two Apple Varieties Grown under High Density Planting System
Authors: Mir Lareb , Reshi Omer , Nazir Shaista , Itoo Hamidullah , Dhekale Bhagyashree , Shahnaz Efath , Hafeez Sabiha , Hussain Syed Mudasir , Kumar Raju , Dar Shahnawaz Rasool
Published: November 2024

Apples grown in Kashmir province are famous globally, but lack of post-harvest storage facilities deteriorate its quality and market acceptability. Calcium deficiency in acid soils deceives apple fruit quality. Calcium helps to reduce the occurrence of physiological disorders; it also plays essential role to improve growth and quality of produce. Modes of calcium application and its different doses on two apple varieties was tested in 3 factorial randomized block design to improve yield and quality at Ambri Apple Research Centre, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir, India in 2022. Foliar application of calcium to apple is most effective method for escalating fruit calcium content and quality. Among sources and their mode of application calcium nitrate foliar application at the rate of 3, 4 and 5 gram per litre of water performed better than foliar application of calcium chloride at the rate of 3, 4 and 5 gram per litre of water in improving fruit nutrients and yield of Golden Delicious than Red Chief Camspur, whereas soil application of calcium nitrate showed least response to improve fruit nutrient and yield in both varieties. Fruit length and fruit diameter improved with each enhanced calcium concentration in both varieties by different calcium sources and their mode of application. The partitioning of nutrients in plant leaves and fruits differed significantly, and in both varieties were dependent on applied calcium rates, calcium sources and their mode of application. Calcium nitrate foliar spray performed better than calcium chloride foliar spray or soil application of calcium nitrate in improving fruit growth and quality. Our study did not find any adversity of dosage in plants whether applied as foliar or to soil. The best results were observed in foliar application of calcium nitrate @ 5 g per lit water for all the parameters in both the varieties.  Results of research evidenced that preharvest calcium sprays increase growth and improved fruit quality that led to reduce deterioration in post-harvest storage.
Evaluation of the Efficacy of Two Adjuvant Chemotherapeutic Regimens against Malignant Canine Mammary Tumours
Authors: Verma Mayank Kumar , Singh Randhir , Shahi Apra , Pal Priyanka , Patel Sumit Kumar , Dubey Amita , Vaish Rakhi , Singh Amit Kumar
Published: November 2024

Surgical excision is the treatment of choice for mammary tumours in dogs, however it alone yields unsatisfactory results in mammary tumours on account of their high rate of recurrence and metastasis in dogs. So, considering to the advantages of different chemotherapeutic drugs the present study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of two adjuvant chemotherapeutic regimens against canine mammary tumours.
This study was conducted on 12 female dogs with a history of mammary tumour irrespective of breed. The animals with carcinoma were randomly divided into two groups containing a minimum of six animals each. In both the groups surgical excision was done followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. In group-I Inj. Doxorubicin and Inj. Paclitaxel while in group-II Inj. Doxorubicin and Inj. Carboplatin were administered intravenously on day 14th, 35th and 56th postoperatively. Haemato-biochemical examination, histopathological examination, radiographic examination and ultrasonographical evaluation were done at different time intervals. On radiographic examination, lung metastasis was not observed in most of the cases. Ultrasonographic findings revealed eight cases were having a malignant lymph node in which two cases were having metastatic lesion in spleen. After chemotherapy, ultrasonography revealed non-reactive lymph nodes and gradual disappearance of metastatic lesion on spleen after second cycle of chemotherapy which was completely disappeared after third cycle of chemotherapy in both the groups. On the basis of different parameters evaluated, it can be concluded that both the drug combinations were equally effective against carcinoma but higher rate of hypersensitivity reaction was seen with paclitaxel.
Anti-oxidant Assessment of Parsonsia straminea (R.Br) F. Muell Stem Bark Crude Extract
Authors: Kemelayefa Ozakieoniso James , Bokolo Bonsome , Awipi Precious
Published: November 2024

Background:  Parsonsia straminea a member of the Apocynaceae family with ancestral record from Australia especially at the tropical region of New South Wales and Queensland has been scientifically been proven for its anti-seizure, anti-narcoleptic potentials, and traditionally use for seizures and movement disorders management among other unconfirmed claims. However, no record of its antioxidant rating, knowing the crucial physiological role of antioxidant in maintaining health of humans. This study evaluated the anti-oxidant of P. straminea stem bark crude extract (PSE).
Methods: Animals were grouped into six (n=5), they were orally treated with 0.2 ml/kg of distilled water as vehicle (VEH) control, 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1000 mg/kg of PSE for 1 day (acute) and 0.2 ml/kg of distilled water as vehicle (VEH) control, 50, 100, 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg of PSE for 14 days (sub-acute). At the end of the treatments, serum, liver, kidney and brain were surgically removed according to prescribed methods of antioxidant assay protocol for the in vivo: Glutathione (GSH), Catalase (CAT), Supra-oxide Dismutase (SOD), Malonaldehyde (MDA), Myeloperoxidase (MPO) methods of anti-oxidant assessment. Secondary metabolites determination methods of phytochemical determination as well as in vitro: Ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP), Cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC), Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) & Ion chelating were done using crude extract of P.straminea stem bark.
Results: The phytochemical evaluation indicates the presence of terpenoids, saponin, flavonoids, phlobatannins, phenolics, alkaloids, steroids, triterpene, phytosterols, and tannin. The in vitro method related parameters revealed remarkable free radical scavenging abilities in an increasing order while the in vivo also showed significant (P<0.05) increase in GSH, CAT, SOD, and decrease in MDA, MPO when compared with the control.
Conclusion: This study suggested that there is anti-oxidant possibilities of P. straminea stem bark through the in vitro and in vivo models in acute and sub-acute phases of exposure.
Agglomeration
Authors: Mori Tomoya
Published: April 2019

This entry provides a review of selected research on the mechanism, spatial scale, and spatial distribution of economic agglomeration. It starts with a classification of the existing models of agglomeration in terms of the sources of agglomeration force suggested by Starrett's spatial impossibility theorem. It then discusses the tension between economies and diseconomies of agglomeration. Finally, it briefly touches on the measures of agglomeration and dynamic aspect of agglomeration.
Agora
Authors: Lois González Rubén C.
Published: April 2019

In ancient Greek cities it was the central and elevated sector where temples and the more remarkable public spaces of the polis were concentrated. By extension, the agora also meant a place for public debate in the city. The agora was located in a prominent and visible place, so it served to establish the symbolic urban center, to define the most important place of decision‐making in the city. Although the agora appeared with temples and other public buildings, the determining factor was the occupation of its outdoor space, where members of the elite talked and where mass meetings of citizens, which were called assemblies, were held. In this way, the agora reinforces the tradition of Mediterranean urbanism in which squares, patios, and outdoor places are most relevant, and take advantage of the possibilities offered by the high number of hours of sunshine throughout the year.
A
hmedabad/
GIFT
City
Authors: Mathur Navdeep , Mittal Harsh , Rajendra Advaita , Pathak Maulik
Published: April 2019

Ahmedabad is India's seventh largest city, and host to a cluster of some prominent academic and industrial institutions. From its establishment in 1411, its sultans pioneered a legacy of fine architecture in mosques, temples, and traditional neighborhoods. That trend today is exemplified in modernist buildings by Louis Kahn, Le Corbusier, and Charles Correa among others. In the mid‐twentieth century it was a thriving industrial town, but in the fast urbanizing trend of the twenty‐first century it faced an unprecedented challenge with the decline of its textile mills. The fortunes of these mill workers, whose subsequent unemployment turned them into informal workers, became less closely linked to the financial upswing following economic liberalization, which disproportionately benefited the elites. In keeping with the growing disparity, public investment in urban infrastructure and in beautification projects became more salient and politically profitable. This also caused public and private institutional goals to blur at the boundaries, and governance to shift away from visible and transparent institutions, which were accountable to ordinary citizens, to more joint arrangements between private for‐profit institutions and governmental bodies, which were less transparent in their operations. These new institutional forms, for example those in the Sabarmati Riverfront Development Project and the GIFT City, have become instruments of public decision, exerting control over Ahmedabad's budgets, and therefore manifestations of elite capture of public resources.
Arcades Project/Benjamin
Authors: Schiermer Bjørn
Published: April 2019

Walter Benjamin (1892–1940) was a German materialist historian, literary critic, and critical theorist. He counts among the main figures of the (early) Frankfurt School. Benjamin worked on the
Arcades Project
during the last 13 years of his life. The book, which remained unfinished in Benjamin's lifetime, is considered by many to be his major achievement. It encompasses a vast selection of historical materials centered on nineteenth‐century Paris, but also a multitude of theoretical fragments testifying to the many different inspirations coming together in Benjamin's later thought.
Asian Urbanism
Authors: Shin Hyun Bang
Published: April 2019

This entry on Asian urbanism begins by examining how Asian urbanism can be seen as bothactually existingandimagined, taking into consideration the ways in which Asian urbanism has entailed the use of successful Asian cities as reference points for other cities in the Global South on the one hand, and how such referencing practices often entail the rendering of Asian urbanism as imagined models and ideologies that are detached from the realities of the receiving end of the model transfer on the other. The ensuing section examines how Asian urbanism can be situated in the context of state–society relations, with a particular emphasis on the role of the Asian states that exhibited developmental and/or authoritarian orientations in the late twentieth century. The penultimate section explores the sociospatiality of Asian urbanism, summarizing some salient characteristics of Asian urbanism. The entry concludes with an emphasis on the need to avoid Asian exceptionalism, and also to have a pluralistic perspective on Asian urbanism while retaining Asia as a unit of analysis.
Athens
Authors: Maloutas Thomas
Published: April 2019

Athens is a Mediterranean metropolis developed following push rather than pull factors. Its weakly developed industry and welfare services are reflected in the haphazard shape of its urban tissue. The low level of social and ethnic segregation corresponds to much higher levels of inequality among social and ethnic groups. The structure and property relations in the bulk of the housing stock, the importance of family networks for residential location choices, and the complete absence of social housing for rent have hindered the translation of social to spatial inequality by nurturing forms of spatial coexistence in vertically segregated areas, by keeping young socially mobile households in working‐class neighborhoods, and by reducing the momentum of gentrification.
Barangay
Authors: Porio Emma , Roque‐Sarmiento Emily
Published: April 2019

Barangay, known asbalangaiduring the precolonial period, is currently the lowest political administrative unit of the Philippine government. Started as a form of village governance by local chieftains known asdatusorrajahs,barangaygovernance struggled through the colonial Spanish period (whenbarangayswere renamedbarrios) and the American era (when they were known as rural councils). In the postcolonial period it struggled with the highly centralized Philippine state, where citizen engagement was quite low or almost nonexistent. The post‐World War II period saw the resurrection of some form of decentralized governance through the enactment of the Barrio Council Law in 1955. During the martial law years (1972–1986), President Marcos mobilized thebarangaycouncils to provide support for his national agenda of social and political reforms through theBagong Lipunan, or the New Society. But in 1992 the enactment of the Local Government Code and the Urban Development and Housing Act made thebarangaya strong foundational base for the deepening of democratization and decentralization of local governance in the twenty‐first century.
Baudrillard, Jean
Authors: Smith Richard G.
Published: April 2019

Jean Baudrillard invented a unique poststructuralist philosophy, an extensive oeuvre of concepts and ideas that are constantly inviting and receiving renewed attention as world events seem to reinforce the prescience and significance of his philosophy and method for understanding and engaging a contemporary world that is driven to extremes. Unfortunately, the contribution Baudrillard's philosophical method might make to the development of a poststructuralist urban theory remains hidden and undeveloped. This entry explains how Baudrillard is currently misunderstood in urban studies and how his contribution to urban theory would not be his writings on cities per se but the application of his philosophy and method to the urban realm.
Bersih
Authors: Khoo Ying Hooi
Published: April 2019

Malaysia's mixed model of authoritarianism and democracy provides a challenging environment for the development of social movements. Therefore, the phenomenon of social movements is critical for the development of democracy in Malaysia. The emergence of the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) and its mass rallies in 2007, 2011, 2012, and 2015 have become a defining aspect of Malaysian politics, at times prompting intense political reactions and consequences. The movement has created a space in which ordinary citizens play a crucial role in participating in the political discourse of the country.
Bilbao
Authors: González Pérez Jesús M.
Published: April 2019

Bilbao, a city in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula, is one of Spain's seven major metropolitan areas. Its urban morphology and evolution have been linked to industrial development. After a few years in the 1980s in which there was a serious urban crisis and environmental degradation, spurred by, among other factors, a downturn in local industry and a complicated process of adapting to the postindustrial period, Bilbao took a chance with an ambitious urban renewal project backed by a strategic plan. Bilbao's Guggenheim Museum is the new urban hallmark of a series of original, clearly postmodern, architectural projects.
Borderland
Authors: Iossifova Deljana
Published: April 2019

Urban borderlands are the sociomaterial spaces in between sociospatially dissimilar, adjacent parts of cities. They can facilitate the social and economic interaction between disparate and otherwise disjointed social groups. This, in turn, can contribute to the emergence of shared understandings and sociospatial identities for these groups. Research on urban borderlands can inform strategies for integration of underprivileged socioeconomic, ethnic, or otherwise marginalized groups.
Burnham, Daniel Hudson
Authors: Ross Eric S.
Published: April 2019

Daniel H. Burnham was an American architect and urban planner. He pioneered modern construction techniques, particularly the steel‐frame and curtain‐wall commercial buildings (skyscrapers) that characterized the Chicago School of architecture, and was one of the most influential figures in the City Beautiful movement. He was responsible for designing Chicago's Columbian Exposition (1893), and for proposing master urban plans for Washington DC (1902), Manila (1905), and Chicago (1909).
City Beautiful Movement
Authors: Freestone Robert
Published: April 2019

The City Beautiful movement was an early‐twentieth‐century planning paradigm strongest in the United States and with its roots in various social and professional impulses aiming to improve the aesthetic qualities of the urban environment. This entry codifies its values, its main constituent elements, the nature of its proponents, and its outcomes both in the United States and internationally. The movement lost steam as professional planning emerged in the 1910s but the importance of beauty had been successfully engrained in the ideals of comprehensive urban planning.
City Builders
Authors: Hoffman Lily M.
Published: April 2019

City builders are the actors who develop the urban built environment. They include public, private, and nonprofit sectors, quasi‐governmental organizations such as local development agencies, and residents. In the immediate postwar period in the USA and Western Europe, national policy sponsored urban renewal of downtown areas to remove “blight.” As globalization and economic restructuring revived demand for cities, neoliberal policies encouraged localities to market city‐owned land in partnership with the private sector. Property‐led development has become the dominant planning strategy for stimulating economic growth. This model raises issues regarding current planning assumptions and practice, the social equity of public–private partnerships, and the impact on cities and residents.