bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Social-Legal insight into Child Marriage and Islam under Covid-19 Pandemic in Nigeria
Authors:   Babcock University School of Law and Security Studies, Ilisan-remo, Ogun state, Roland-Otaru Comfort , Aderibigbe Titilayo ,   Babcock University School of Law and Security Studies, Ilisan-remo, Ogun state.
Published: January 2024

Islam is a regulative dogma that guides adherents. There is respect for children under Islam; however, female children are discriminated against on issues concerning marriage. All children, regardless of gender, deserve the protection of their fundamental human right as stipulated in various international, regional and domestic laws against child marriage. COVID-19 pandemic has acerbated forced into early marriage impinging rights of female-children to attain their fullest potential. The fusion of basic Islamic principles and traditional practice of under-aged marriages prevents their protection under the Penal Code in comparison with recently enacted Child Rights Act (CRA). While there is no express prohibition in Islam against child marriage, female children have right of marriage refusal in principle (talaq). However, patriarchy, innocence, parental domination, COVID-19 induced poverty, often makes that choice non-existence. Child marriage is illegal in federal and southern states, the illegality becomes ineffective due to refusal of most northern states to adopt the CRA or abide by international and regional conventions that protect early children's marriages. Using doctrinal methodology, the paper begins with the historical concept of child marriage in Islam within the current socio-political situation of abduction of female children and educational backwardness of most northern Nigerian states. The philosophy of Islamic and socio-cultural attitudes to child marriage follows, then an examination of extant laws on child marriage and how COVID-19 has impacted their rights. In conclusion, there is need to protect female children through educational access, legislative reform, sensitization, preventing socio-religious practices to optimize meaningful development in Northern Nigeria. Keywords: Islam, Child's Rights Act, Penal Code, Human rights instruments, COVID-19.
BENCHMARKING CORPORATE GOVERNANCE PROVISIONS UNDER NIGERIAN COMPANY LAW
Authors:   Babcock University School of Law and Security Studies, Ilisan-remo, Ogun state., Sodipo Bankole , Ekundayo Veronica ,   Babcock University School of Law and Security Studies, Ilisan-remo, Ogun state.
Published: January 2024

Good corporate governance practices have remained a mandatory prerequisite for proper regulations of companies. In a competitive global economy, an adequate regulatory framework to facilitate accountability, disclosure, and good business practices are indispensable. Consequently, company legislations are constantly evolving by incorporating internationally recognized corporate governance best practices. The objective of this study, therefore, is to determine the extent to which Nigerian Company law aligns with current global trends in corporate governance by benchmarking its provisions with the Company law of the United Kingdom (UK) and Ghana. To achieve the aforementioned objective, the doctrinal research approach was adopted to enable a critical content analysis of relevant laws. In addition, a comparative method was deployed to highlight the similarities and differences in the aforementioned laws. At the end of the study, we found that the provisions of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020 (the principal company law legislation in Nigeria) is similar in several respects to that of the UK and Ghana and also align with international best practices. We, therefore, conclude that the challenge to effective corporate governance in Nigeria is not due to the unavailability of laws or its inadequacy, but the need for effective enforcement. Keywords: Corporate Governance, Companies, Global Best Practices, Benchmarking
Influence of Resource Availability on Library Patronage by Undergraduates in Private Universities in Lagos State, Nigeria
Authors:   Department of Information Resources Management, Babcock University Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, Unegbu Vincent , Michael Juliana ,   Department of Information Resources Management, Babcock University Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State
Published: January 2024

Library patronage is a measure of user satisfaction. The study examined library patronage of undergraduates in private universities in Lagos State, Nigeria. The study employed survey design and questionnaire was used for the data collection. The population of the study comprised 5,616 undergraduates. Three hundred and sixty-five (365) respondents were sampled based on Research Advisor’s Table for determining sample size. The collected data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings revealed that undergraduates in private universities often patronized the university libraries in Lagos State, Nigeria. Subject specific materials (x̅= 2.52) were mostly consulted, followed by project and dissertations (x̅=2.44) and reference materials (x̅=2.18). The finding also revealed that resource availability had a significant influence on library patronage of undergraduates (R2= 0.073, t(300) = 4.873, p < 0.05). The study recommended that the library management should take proactive measures to improve library resources underutilized by the students under study. Keywords: Library patronage, private university, resource availability, undergraduates.
Formulasi Sabun Padat Susu Kambing Dengan Ekstrak Minyak Atsiri Bunga Cengkeh (Syzigium aromaticum L.)
Authors: Ranova Riki , Afriani Deasy , Hilmarni
Published: January 2024

Bunga cengkeh merupakan salah satu bahan alam yang digunakan sebagai antiseptik karena mengandung tanin, saponin, flavanoid, dan asam fenol. Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk mengetahui pengaruh ekstrak minyak atsiri bunga cengkeh terhadap standar kualitas sabun padat susu kambing etawa. Ekstrak minyak atsiri bunga cengkeh yang digunakan berdasarkan 3 variabel jumlah perendaman serbuk bunga cengkeh. Parameter evaluasi fisik sediaan yang diteliti adalah uji organoleptik, uji kadar air, uji pH dan uji stabilitas busa yang dilakukan selama 2 minggu. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa susu kambing etawa dan ekstrak minyak bunga cengkeh stabil dalam pengujian organoleptik, serta memenuhi standar pH dan stabilitas busa sabun padat.
Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles of bio-active phytochemicals with anti-bacterial activity from callus cultures of bitter gourd, Momordica charantia L.
Authors:   Department of Genetics, Dr, ALMPGIBMS, University of Madras (Taramani Campus), Chennai-600113, IYER R INDIRA , SOWMYA H , YASHWANTHI R POOJA , SELVARAJU C , SANTHIYA ST
Published: January 2024

Momordica charantia (bitter gourd), an anti-diabetic plant species, is a rich source of several bioactive molecules. In the present study the callus cultures of M. charantia were established in vitro and the presence of therapeutic compounds including lignans was detected in them. Rapid synthesis of silver nanoparticles by such calli was achieved. These nanoparticles as well as the ethanolic extract of the callus cultures exhibited strong anti-bacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. In addition the silver nanoparticles were also found active against drug-resistant strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This is the first report of synthesis of silver nanoparticles from callus cultures of Momordica charantia.
Bidens biternata (Lour.) Merr. and Sheriff. – A wild leafy vegetable with significant antioxidant potential
Authors:   Department of Botany, University College, Kerala, India, PRADEESH S , NAIR ARCHANA G , MINI I , SWAPNA TS
Published: January 2024

The antioxidant potential of Bidens biternata (Family- Asteraceae), a wild leafy vegetable used by Paniya, Chetti and Kattunaayika tribes of Waynadu District of Kerala were investigated. Different antioxidants properties like DPPH (1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging, and TBA (Thiobarbituric acid) free radical scavenging abilities were analyzed. Non-enzymatic antioxidants like total phenols, carotenoids, lycopene, proanthocyanidins, flavonoids, flavonols, total polyphenol (TP), proline and enzymatic antioxidants like glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione S transferase (GST), ascorbate oxidase (EC 1.10.3.3), polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and lipoperoxides (LPX) were also measured. The obtained data suggest that B. biternata has tremendous potential to destroy the free radicals that damage the cells.
A simple and reliable method for the determination of tetralone-4-O- ß -D-glucopyranoside and 4-hydroxy- α -tetralone in three species of Ammannia by reversed-phase HPLC
Authors:   Medicinal Chemistry Department, 2Analytical Chemistry Department, Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, P.O.- CIMAP, Lucknow–226015, India, UPADHYAY HARISH C , VERMA RAM K , SRIVASTAVA SANTOSH K
Published: January 2024

The species of genus Ammannia have proven medicinal efficacies, being frequently used in traditional Chinese and Indian systems of medicine. The compounds 4-hydroxy-α-tetralone and its glucoside have been identified as the major bioactive constituents in Ammannia species. A rapid, reliable and reproducible reversed-phase HPLC method was developed for the determination of tetralone-4-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside (1) and 4-hydroxy- α - tetralone (2) in three species of Ammannia namely, A. coccinea, A. verticillata and A. tenuis is repoted here. The chromatographic separation of compounds was performed on a Waters Spherisorb ODS2 (250 X 4.6 mm i.d., 10μm) column by one step gradient elution with 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in water and methanol at a flow rate of 0.4 mL/min, a column temperature at 25±20C and ultra-violet (UV) detection at λ 254 nm. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 0.30 and 0.47 μg/mL for analyte 1 and 1.01 and 1.33 μg/mL for analyte 2, respectively. Satisfactory results with respect to linearity (r2 > 0.999), repeatability (relative standard deviation, RSDd<1.23%) and recovery (96.8-100.8%) were obtained with this method. The developed method was successfully applied for the quantification of these two analytes (1 & 2) in seven different samples of the investigated three Ammannia species.
Correlation and path analysis of somaclones of ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.)
Authors:   Corresponding author’s present address: Department of Pomology and Floriculture, College of Horticulture, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur, Kerala 680656, PAUL RESMI ,   E-mail: resmi_jayee@rediffmail .com, SHYLAJA MR
Published: January 2024

Correlation and path analys is of rhizome yiel d-contributing characters were carried out in 82 somaclones of ginger cv. Rio-de-Janei ro regenerated i n vi tro vi a adventiti ous shoot bud organogenesis. The results revealed that the analyzed characters such as height of pseudostem, number of tillers/ plant, number of leaves/ tiller, leaf length, leaf breath, leaf area, number of primary, secondary and terti ary fingers, length and girth of primary and secondary fingers, inter nodal length of primary and secondary fingers, thickness of inner core of rhizome and rhizome yield have positive correlation with crop yield. Direct selection based on leaf area, length and girth of primary fingers, number of tillers/ plant, thickness of inner core of rhizome and number of leaves/ tiller could be taken as good selection criteria to isolated high yielding genotypes of this medicinal herb.
Standardization of drying and extraction techniques for better colchicine recovery from Gloriosa superba
Authors:   Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Rajasthan, Jaipur, India, KESHORE VINEET , RAN A D , GUPTA GAURAV , NARKHEDE SS , GOUR VINOD SINGH
Published: January 2024

Gloriosa superba is an important medicinal plant that is used in the treatment of diseases like gout, arthritis, cancer and act as anthelmintic, antimitotic and antiabortive agent. It’s tuber is a major source of colchicine for the pharmaceutical industries and requires drying before extraction. The accelerated artificial drying technique using microwave vacuum oven was evaluated with other methods of extraction & purification for colchicine by performing High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). It was observed that the recovery of colchicine from extracts prepared by Soxhlet method were greater than that of sonication. Likewise, colchicine content in extract of microwave vacuum dried tuber was greater as compared to the hot air oven dried tuber. This study is useful for pharmaceutical industries for extracting colchicine using accelerated drying techniques economically and in less time consuming manner.
Variation in root yield and ephedrine content of Bala (Sida cordifolia Linn.) at differential harvesting under open and shaded situation
Authors:   Agricultural Research Station, Kerala Agricultural University, Mannuthy P.O., Thrissur, Kerala-680656, AMMANATH LATHA , VAZHEPARAMBIL RADHAKRISHNAN
Published: January 2024

A field experiment was conducted under rainfed condition to study the effect of light intensity on yield and quality of Sida cordifolia and to find out the optimum stage of harvest for higher root yield and quality. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with three replications. There were nine treatments comprising of stages of harvest from six months after planting to fourteen months after planting at monthly intervals. The experiment on stage of harvest was repeated under direct sunlight and shaded situation to study the effect of shade. Observations on growth characters, yield attributes, fresh and dry yields were recorded. The results indicated that vigorous plants and higher fresh and dry root yields were observed under open compared to shaded condition. Under shaded situation, the plants took more time for dry matter accumulation and higher root yield was noticed at twelve months after planting and the yield was very low compared to that under open situation. With respect to ephedrine yield also, higher yield was noticed under hundred per cent sunlight. The maximum root yield and ephedrine content were recorded at eight months after planting and further delay in harvesting showed a sharp decline in both root yield and ephedrine content. The results indicated that Sida cordiflia cannot tolerate shade and the optimum stage of harvest is eight months after planting.
Identification of Sampiri Birds Colonies Roosting Tree Species in Karakelang Island Talaud Islands North Sulawesi
Authors: Diah Diah Irawati Dwi Arini
Published: January 2024

The aims of this study was to identify the species and describe the morpohology of roosting tree used by sampiri colonies. The research was conducted form February to May 2014. Direct observation and recording morphology characteristic of the roosting tree were used as methodology. Data were analyzed descriptively and qualitatively and then displayed in the form of images and tables. There were six sampiri colonies  using different roost trees. The roost trees were gehe (Pometia corriacea Radkl), binsar (Ficus variegata Blume), lawean (Sterculia sp.), dominated by gehe.
Survival Rate, Growth and Seedling Quality Index of Baringtonia Asiatica Kurz Stump Due to Length Variation of Stems and Roots
Authors: Suryawan Ady Suryawan , Margaretta Margaretta Christita , Endro Endro Subiandono
Published: January 2024

There are 14805.14 ha of North Sulawesi coastal ecosystems  that has been damaged. Baringtonia asiatica Kurz (Keben) is one type of coastal plants that can be used to protect  coastal areas . Unfortunately, the propagation technique of Keben was not widely studied. This study aims to determine the characters of seedlings produced from the stumps of seed germination. The research used Complete Random Design with nine treatments, consisting of combination betwen three levels of  root length (0 cm, 5 cm and 10 cm), and three levels of the stems length (5 cm, 15 cm and 30 cm). Parameters for analysis include percent of success, growth and quality index. The results show that root length and stem length factors significantly affect the height and robustness value.  Treatment of root length of 10 cm and 5 cm rods allegedly produces the most excellent quality with the survival rates 93%, height 10.3 cm, diameter 1.08 cm, robustness value  2.03 and index of seed quality 1.35. Based on regulation of land rehabilitation, the height of 10 weeks stump have not qualified yet.
Carbon Stock Dinamics of Gmelina (Gmellina arborea Roxb.) based Agroforestry in Private Forest, Tasikmalaya and Banjar District, West Java
Authors: Siarudin Mohamad Siarudin , Yonky Yonky Indrajaya
Published: January 2024

This research aims at measuring carbon (C) stock of gmelina (Gmelina arborea Roxb.) agroforestry system and its carbon diynamics due to several harvesting rotations. Observation was conducted during March – October 2014, on 17 plots in private forest, located in Tasikmalaya and Banjar District, West Java Province. The C-stock measurement followed Rapid Carbon Stock Appraisal Method (RaCSA) with some additional analysis. The dynamic of C-stock was measured based on biological rotation, technical rotation-1 (harvesting at tree diameter of 15 cm) and technical rotation-2 (harvesting at tree diameter of 20 cm). The result of the study shows that average of C-stock in gmelina agroforest stand is 170 ton/ha, consisted of 64 ton/ha above ground C and 106 ton/ha below ground C. Biological rotation (8 years) results in maximum C-stock of 15 ton/ha  at harvesting time, while the time averaged-C stock is 7 ton/ha/year.Technical rotation-1(14 years) and technical rotation-2 (24 years) result in maximum C-stock of 23 ton/ha and 28 ton/ha respectively, while the time averaged-C-stock are 12 ton/ha/year and 18 ton/ha/year respectively.
Ordenes politikk
Authors: Krefting Ellen
Published: January 2024

Anmeldelse af Jonas Ross Kjærgård: Reimagining Society in Eighteenth-Century French Literature. Happiness and Human Rights. New York: Routledge, 2018, 221 sider.
Collaborative Problem Solving and Literacy Practices
Authors: Jawhar Sabria Salama , Amir Alia , Huq Rizwan-ul , Stewart Simon
Published: January 2024

Online video gaming has developed from a hobby to a ubiquitous, social and leisure phenomenon. Roblox, a free-to-play, online sandbox platform has thrived in this time, with a substantial global userbase, where the majority of Roblox users are under 16 years old. Using video recorded data from single case, this study examines the ways in which two preteen players collaboratively participate, solve problems, and share strategies during a pre-gaming interaction. The analysis highlights the affordances of this form of online play for social and language learning. Using Multimodal Conversation Analysis, this study explores how participants leverage cooperative learning strategies including mutual scaffolding techniques and fluidity of epistemic participation that includes material ecology, knowledge exchange, joint problem solving, instructing, and help-seeking. The analysis elucidates a relationship between these pre-gaming activities and participants’ utilization of resources for learning related to language, technology, literacy, and teamwork.
Les séquences préfabriquées et leur rôle dans la communication orale en français Lx
Authors: Arvidsson Klara , Forsberg Lundell Fanny
Published: January 2024

L’apprentissage des unités polylexicales constitue un véritable défi dans le développement d’une langue additionnelle (Lx). Toutefois, la compétence communicative à l’oral repose en large partie sur la connaissance et l’utilisation de celles-ci. Ainsi, il est essentiel de les inclure dans l’enseignement de la communication orale. L’objectif de cet article est de faire le pont entre la recherche et l’enseignement de ces unités polylexicales, ici nommées séquences préfabriquées (SP). Dans l’article, nous préciserons les fonctions qu’ont les SP dans la communication orale. Ensuite, nous décrirons le processus d’apprentissage des SP dans une Lx et nous ferons un survol de quelques études qui proposent des méthodes pour faciliter leur apprentissage. Enfin, en nous inspirant de la recherche antérieure, nous proposerons des activités pédagogiques susceptibles d’inspirer les enseignants et de les soutenir dans l’incorporation des SP dans l’enseignement de la communication orale en français Lx.
L’éducation non formelle : un espace d’entre deux au sein de situations sociales complexes pour rendre effectif le droit à l’éducation
Authors: Gasse Stéphanie
Published: January 2024

Inscrite dans le débat sur les conceptions multiformes d’éducation, l’éducation non formelle, un domaine difficile à cerner et à caractériser, trouve son existence au sein d’espaces d’entre-deux désertés par le système institutionnel dominant pour un public marginalisé que le droit à l’éducation n’atteint pas. Au-delà d’une simple négation de la forme, l’auteure montre à travers le contexte spécifique du Mali, le caractère flexible et la capacité d’adaptation dont témoignent les initiatives communautaires entreprises dans le champ de l’éducation non formelle à l’image de l’approche REFLECT, directement inspirée de l’environnement immédiat de l’apprenant qui illustre des modalités de rencontre de l’altérité, de l’autre dans son individualité, à partir duquel on peut (re) penser l’éducation pour les publics exclus et les plus vulnérables.
Quels enseignements tirer de l’étude d’un aléa survenu lors d’une discussion à visée philosophique en contexte scolaire ?
Authors: Saint-Dizier de Almeida Valérie , Vinatier Isabelle , Specogna Antonietta
Published: January 2024

L’article présente l’analyse d’un extrait de Discussion à Visée Philosophique. À travers cette étude de cas, nous montrons les malentendus possibles liés à la dualité de deux « mondes » : celui de l’enseignante qui expérimente les DVP dans sa classe et celui de la chercheure à qui revient la conception de ce type de séance. Le « monde » se définit comme « arrière-plan conceptuel, axiologique et praxique ». La confrontation entre ces mondes interroge par conséquent autant les modalités de leur nécessaire collaboration que les conditions de la construction et de l’usage d’une véritable « genèse professionnelle ».
The Narrative Pursuit of Relational Wisdom
Authors: Skerrett Karen
Published: January 2024

Since the time of Aristotle, wisdom has played a key role in our attempt to understand the positive nature of human behavior. In the past decade, professionals in psychology and related fields have expanded their interest in the empirical and theoretical pursuit of wisdom. The relational dimension of wisdom and its narrative ecology have received less attention. This article integrates previous work on storied approaches to positive functioning in committed partnerships and proposes relational wisdom to be a master virtue of relationship development, one that can be cultivated across the lifespan of the partnership. The aspects of relational wisdom, such as self-reflection, attunement to self and other, the balance of conflicting partner aims, the interpretation of rules and principles in light of the uniqueness of each situation, and the capacity to learn from experience are identified and explored through the analysis of couple stories. Wisdom is seen to evolve through dialogue, and the resulting stories can serve as touchstones to what is most precious and vital in the relationship as well as guides for action through challenges and conflict.
Why Wounded Storytellers Need to be Vulnerable Readers
Authors: Frank Arthur W.
Published: January 2024

The essay examines the interdependences between experience, narration, and dialogue. I begin by reflecting on my early work, The Wounded Storyteller, and progress to my current work on vulnerable reading. Questions raised include the extent to which people can tell stories they call their own, and where people acquire the resources to tell stories. Responses to these issues depend on the distinction between stories as particular, local, and contingent, and narratives as generally available cultural resources. Shared background knowledge of narratives makes specific stories tellable and recognizable. Experience, I argue, is given shape as it is articulated in stories, but it always exceeds what a story can tell.
Dangerous Stories: Narrative Theory and Critique in a Post-Truth World
Authors: Whitehead Jason E.
Published: January 2024

Political and legal scholars use narrative theory to study everything from the framing of policy arguments to the telling of tort tales to the construction of political consciousness. Such scholarship often relies on post-positivist theories that problematize the empirical validity of narratives. But the stories told by many recent movements in American politics—such as Christian nationalism, “the Big Lie,” and Covid-19 conspiracy theories—so distort empirical reality that they endanger liberal norms and values, not to mention human lives. Scholars who ordinarily eschew objective narrative validity may nevertheless want to critique and challenge such stories on empirical grounds. This article investigates the options available to narrative scholars studying these types of stories. First, I survey different approaches to narrative, drawn from philosophy, rhetorical studies, critical feminist theory and critical race theory. Second, I highlight the resources and strategies devised by scholars who use these approaches to analyze other empirically problematic and socially dangerous narratives, especially how they have combined post-positivist commitments with concerns for truth and justice. Finally, I make suggestions for how scholars can better study and critique the political and legal narratives associated with the Trump era.
Ocean bottom-water oxygenation across the Late Miocene–Early Pliocene biogenic bloom
Authors: Gastaldello Maria Elena , Agnini Claudia , Alegret Laia
Published: January 2024

The Late Miocene–Early Pliocene biogenic bloom (ca. 9–3.5 millions of years ago, My) represents a period of globally heightened marine biological productivity. Paleoenvironmental studies across this interval show alternating phases of low-oxygen eutrophic and well-oxygenated oligotrophic conditions. Here, we focus on the bottom water oxygenation changes during the biogenic bloom to assess the validity of the enhanced Benthic Foraminifera Oxygen Index (EBFOI). The index was calculated for three ocean drilling sites: Ocean Drilling Program Site 1085 (southeast Atlantic), and International Ocean Discovery Program sites U1506 (southwest Pacific) and U1488 (equatorial Pacific). The quantitative study of benthic foraminiferal assemblages from Site 1488 allowed us to infer the paleoenvironmental evolution across the biogenic bloom. At this site, we document a shift from stable oxygen concentrations and seasonal input of phytodetritus (8.7–4.3 My) to short-term fluctuations between low oxygen eutrophic conditions and well-oxygenated oligotrophic conditions (4.3–3.0 My). The EBFOI calculated at sites 1085 and U1506 was cross-referenced with the published paleoenvironmental conditions. While the EBFOI proves to be a valuable tool to infer paleoenvironmental changes at the seafloor, it has limitations, as evidenced by comparisons with paleoenvironmental interpretations of Site U1488, where it does not consistently align with inferred oxygen conditions.
Peces y humanos en el Bajo Magdalena durante el Formativo Tardío. Una mirada arqueológica e histórica al sitio de La Galepia (Depresión Momposina, Colombia)
Authors: Gutierrez-Ferro Santiago Enrique
Published: January 2024

This article presents the analysis of a sample of fish bone remains recovered from the La Galepia site, located in the district of Mompós (Department of Bolívar, Caribbean Region of Colombia). This analysis was conducted as part of research designed to evaluate the importance of local freshwater fish in the subsistence and dietary patterns of the site's population during the Late Formative Period (13th to 16th centuries AD). The article summarizes the findings of a preliminary examination of the ichthyoarchaeological remains from La Galepia, based on two methodological stages. The first involved zooarchaeological analysis, through which anatomical and taxonomic identification of the sample was carried out. In the second stage, ichthyoarchaeological data from the site were compared with two lines of evidence: 1) the zooarchaeological record and 2) the historical record of the Momposina Depression and the Lower Magdalena River. By situating the fish assemblage from La Galepia in the regional context, our aim was to interpret possible interactions between humans and fish in this late occupation. It was determined that the assemblage at this site consists of local freshwater species, which were used as food by humans. These results align with trends reported in other riverside occupations in the region, prompting a reconsideration of the role of fish acquisition and consumption within the adaptive strategies of pre-Hispanic populations in the Colombian Caribbean.
Manipulation of ferromagnetic ordering in magnetic semiconductor Li1.05(Zn0.925, Mn0.075)As by In doping
Authors: Xie Ling-Feng , Dong Jin-Ou , Zhao Xue-Qin , Yang Qiao-Lin , Ning Fan-Long ,   Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Quantum Technology and Device, School of Physics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China,   Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China,   State Key Laboratory of Silicon and Advanced Semiconductor Materials, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China,   Science and Technology Innovation Center, Chifeng High-Tech Industrial Development Zone, Chifeng 025250, China
Published: January 2024

Magnetic semiconductors (MSs) that can manipulate both spin degree of freedom and charge degree of freedom have become an important research field in semiconductor spintronics. In recent years, a new series of bulk form MSs, which are iso-structure to the iron-based superconductors were reported. In these new materials, spins and carriers are separately introduced, and can be precisely manipulated. Li(Zn, Mn)As with TC ~50 K is the first bulk MS with spins and charges separated. The Li(Zn, Mn)As has p-type carriers, which is in contradiction with the theoretical calculation results by Mašek et al., who claimed that doping extra Li will induce n-type carriers. So, it is necessary to study the formation reason of hole carriers in Li(Zn, Mn)As and their effect on ferromagnetic ordering. In this work, a series of Li1.05(Zn0.925–y, Mn0.075, Iny)As (y = 0, 0.05, 0.075, 0.1) new materials are successfully synthesized by introducing n-type carriers into the p-type bulk MS Li1.05(Zn0.925, Mn0.075)As through (Zn2+, In3+) substitution. Magnetization measurements reveal that all the samples still maintain a ferromagnetic transition signal similar to MS Li1.05(Zn0.925, Mn0.075)As, and the Curie temperature TC is obviously suppressed with the increase of In-doping concentration. Clear hysteresis loops demonstrate the ferromagnetic ordering state. The resistivity increases gradually with the increase of In-doping concentration. Our results show that the (Zn2+, In3+) substitution successfully introduces n-type carriers into Li1.05(Zn0.925, Mn0.075)As, and the original p-type carriers in Li1.05(Zn0.925, Mn0.075)As, which are partial neutralized, resulting in the decrease of p-type carrier concentrations, which obviously suppresses the ferromagnetic ordering of Li(Zn, Mn)As. It reflects the important roles played by carriers in forming ferromagnetic ordering in MS materials. The fabrication of Li1.05(Zn0.925–y, Mn0.075, Iny)As material gives us a better understanding of the mechanism of ferromagnetic ordering in Li(Zn, Mn)As, and these results will be helpful in searching for more novel magnetic semiconductor materials.
Thermophysical properties and rapid solidification mechanism of liquid Zr60Ni25Al15 alloy under electrostatic levitation condition
Authors: Jin Ying-Jie , Geng De-Lu , Lin Mao-Jie , Hu Liang , Wei Bing-Bo ,   School of Physical Science and Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, China
Published: January 2024

In this study, the thermophysical properties and rapid solidification mechanism of highly undercooled liquid Zr60Ni25Al15 alloy are investigated through the electrostatic levitation technique. The maximum undercooling of this alloy reaches 316 K (0.25TL). Both density and surface tension display a linear relationship with temperature, while viscosity is related to temperature exponentially. When alloy undercooling is less than 259 K, two significant recalescence events are observed during solidification, corresponding to the formation of pseudobinary (Zr6Al2Ni + Zr5Ni4Al) eutectic and ternary (Zr6Al2Ni + Zr5Ni4Al + Zr2Ni) eutectic. The growth velocity of the binary eutectic phase gradually increases with further undercooling and reaches a maximum undercooling value of 259 K. In contrast, once undercooling exceeds 259 K, a single recalescence event occurs, leading to the independent nucleation of all three compound phases from alloy melt and the rapid growth of a ternary anomalous eutectic structure. Notably, the growth velocity of the ternary eutectic phase exhibits a gradual decline with further undercooling. This diminishing trend of the growth velocity suggests that further undercooling might entirely suppress crystal growth dynamically at a threshold of 385 K. With classical nucleation theory and the Kolmogorov-Johnson-Mehl-Avrami (KJMA) model, the onsets of crystallization for the three phases are calculated, thereby constructing a time–temperature-transformation (TTT) diagram. This diagram elucidates the competitive nucleation among the three phases in the undercooled melt. Both theoretical and experimental evidence reveal that Zr6Al2Ni phase is primarily nucleated at lower undercooling levels, whereas under higher cooling condition, it is possible for all three phases to nucleate simultaneously.
Orai-mediated calcium entry determines activity of central dopaminergic neurons by regulation of gene expression
Authors: Mitra Rishav , Richhariya Shlesha , Hasan Gaiti
Published: January 2024

Maturation and fine-tuning of neural circuits frequently require neuromodulatory signals that set the excitability threshold, neuronal connectivity, and synaptic strength. Here, we present a mechanistic study of how neuromodulator-stimulated intracellular Ca2+ signals, through the store-operated Ca2+ channel Orai, regulate intrinsic neuronal properties by control of developmental gene expression in flight-promoting central dopaminergic neurons (fpDANs). The fpDANs receive cholinergic inputs for release of dopamine at a central brain tripartite synapse that sustains flight (Sharma and Hasan, 2020). Cholinergic inputs act on the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor to stimulate intracellular Ca2+ release through the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) localised inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor followed by ER-store depletion and Orai-mediated store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE). Analysis of gene expression in fpDANs followed by genetic, cellular, and molecular studies identified Orai-mediated Ca2+ entry as a key regulator of excitability in fpDANs during circuit maturation. SOCE activates the transcription factor trithorax-like (Trl), which in turn drives expression of a set of genes, including Set2, that encodes a histone 3 lysine 36 methyltransferase (H3K36me3). Set2 function establishes a positive feedback loop, essential for receiving neuromodulatory cholinergic inputs and sustaining SOCE. Chromatin-modifying activity of Set2 changes the epigenetic status of fpDANs and drives expression of key ion channel and signalling genes that determine fpDAN activity. Loss of activity reduces the axonal arborisation of fpDANs within the MB lobe and prevents dopamine release required for the maintenance of long flight.
Heat stress-induced activation of MAPK pathway attenuates Atf1-dependent epigenetic inheritance of heterochromatin in fission yeast
Authors: Sun Li , Liu Libo , Song Chunlin , Wang Yamei , Jin Quan-wen
Published: January 2024

Eukaryotic cells are constantly exposed to various environmental stimuli. It remains largely unexplored how environmental cues bring about epigenetic fluctuations and affect heterochromatin stability. In the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, heterochromatic silencing is quite stable at pericentromeres but unstable at the mating-type (mat) locus under chronic heat stress, although both loci are within the major constitutive heterochromatin regions. Here, we found that the compromised gene silencing at the mat locus at elevated temperature is linked to the phosphorylation status of Atf1, a member of the ATF/CREB superfamily. Constitutive activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling disrupts epigenetic maintenance of heterochromatin at the mat locus even under normal temperature. Mechanistically, phosphorylation of Atf1 impairs its interaction with heterochromatin protein Swi6HP1, resulting in lower site-specific Swi6HP1 enrichment. Expression of non-phosphorylatable Atf1, tethering Swi6HP1 to the mat3M-flanking site or absence of the anti-silencing factor Epe1 can largely or partially rescue heat stress-induced defective heterochromatic maintenance at the mat locus.
Resequencing and characterization of the first Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis genome isolated from camel
Authors: Giovanelli Tacconi Gimenez Enrico , Viana Marcus Vinicius Canário , de Jesus Sousa Thiago , Aburjaile Flávia , Brenig Bertram , Silva Artur , Azevedo Vasco
Published: January 2024

Background

Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis is a zoonotic Gram-positive bacterial pathogen known to cause different diseases in many mammals, including lymph node abscesses in camels. Strains from biovars equi and ovis of C. pseudotuberculosis can infect camels. Comparative genomics could help to identify features related to host adaptation, and currently strain Cp162 from biovar equi is the only one from camel with a sequenced genome.

Methods

In this work, we compared the quality of three genome assemblies of strain Cp162 that used data from the DNA sequencing platforms SOLiD v3 Plus, IonTorrent PGM, and Illumina HiSeq 2500 with an optical map and investigate the unique features of this strain. For this purpose, we applied comparative genomic analysis on the different Cp162 genome assembly versions and included other 129 genomes from the same species.

Results

Since the first version of the genome, there was an increase of 88 Kbp and 121 protein-coding sequences, a decrease of pseudogenes from 139 to 53, and two inversions and one rearrangement corrected. We identified 30 virulence genes, none associated to the camel host, and the genes rpob2 and rbpA predicted to confer resistance to rifampin. In comparison to 129 genomes of the same species, strain Cp162 has four genes exclusively present, two of them code transposases and two truncated proteins, and the three exclusively absent genes lysG, NUDIX domain protein, and Hypothetical protein. All 130 genomes had the rifampin resistance genes rpob2 and rbpA. Our results found no unique gene that could be associated with tropism to camel host, and further studies should include more genomes and genome-wide association studies testing for genes and SNPs.
Job Insecurity during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Spain: Urban-Rural Differences
Authors:   Universidad de Granada, Lacomba Juan A. , Lagos Francisco ,   Universidad de Granada, Moro Ana I. ,   Universidad de Granada
Published: January 2024

In a period in which COVID-19 began to spread quickly around the world, and the WHO had just declared a public health emergency of international concern, we examine the impact of these circumstances on perceived job insecurity in Spain. We analyse the role of labor status and place of residence (urban/rural) on these job perceptions. To this end, we conducted a large-scale survey in Spain just before and after the nationwide lockdown was implemented on March 14, 2020, and a law with extraordinary urgent measures to address the economic, labour, and social impact was passed on March 17, 2020 (ERTE in Spanish). Our main results show that rural areas are most sensitive in terms of feelings of job insecurity. In particular, we find that for some groups living in rural areas is related to lower perceived job insecurity. Besides, we observe that, among the non-working population, the feeling of job insecurity reacts more to the implementation of the lockdown and ERTE, with offsetting effects.
Life Satisfaction, Subjective Wealth, and Adaptation to Vulnerability in the Russian Federation during 2002-2019
Authors:   World Bank, IZA, Indiana University and London School of Economics and Political Science, Dang Hai-Anh H , Abanokova Kseniya Abanokova ,   World Bank and National Research University Higher School of Economics, Lokshin Michael M. ,   World BanK
Published: January 2024

We offer the first study on vulnerability adaptation to subjective well-being, using rich panel data over the past two decades for Russia. We found no adaption to vulnerability for life satisfaction and subjective wealth, with longer vulnerability spells associated with more negative subjective welfare. Some evidence indicates that despite little differences between urban and rural areas in life satisfaction, rural areas exhibit a more robust lack of adaptation for subjective wealth, particularly for longer durations of vulnerability. More education generally indicates a stronger lack of adaptation for life satisfaction, but similar levels of adaptation for subjective wealth.
Pengembangan Desain Produk Fesyen dan Interior dengan Memanfaatkan Kain Tenun Pokmas Wastra Sejahtera Desa Penggaron, Kecamatan Mojowarno, Kabupaten Jombang
Authors: Damajanti Maria Nala , Tulistiantoro Lintu , Tedjokoesoemo Purnama Esa Dora
Published: January 2024

Untuk dapat berkontribusi pada industri kreatif secara lebih luas dibutuhkan pengembangan produk tenun agar dapat mengikuti permintaan pasar. Mitra kerja sama pada Program Kemitran Masyarakat (PKM) ini adalah Kelompok Masyarakat (Pokmas) Wastra Sejahtera di Kabupaten Jombang yang menghadapi kendala dalam pengembangan usahanya. Lewat kerja sama dengan Universitas Kristen Petra melalui hibah PKM maka mitra telah mendapatkan sumbangan alat baru untuk pembuatan produk tenun lusi sebagai sebuah sarana pendukung menghasilkan produk tenun baru dan melalui proses pengembangan desain tim PKM telah menghasilkan sejumlah desain tenun baru serta prototipe desain busana dan produk elemen interior yang sekiranya sesuai untuk pasar saat ini. Metode yang digunakan dalam PKM ini adalah Design Thinking, yang dipilih karena fleksibilitasnya dalam mengarahkan pendalaman masalah. Lima tahapan dalam metode ini mengarahkan kerja tim lebih fokus menggali masalah mitra, menemukan kebutuhan mitra dan menemukan solusi bagi mitra kerja sama. Hasil PKM dapat diketahui dari pertama-tama respon mitra yang merasa senang sekaligus bangga bahwa produk buatannya dapat dimanfaatkan lebih jauh. Mitra juga mengharapkan dapat bekerja sama kembali di kemudian hari karena dirasa manfaatnya yang besar. Respon penting berikutnya datang dari masyarakat yang menilai tim PKM telah berhasil mengangkat tenun menjadi lebih dikenal dan bernilai ekonomi tinggi seperti produk wastra lain yang telah dikenal sebelumnya.
The annual cycle of phytoplankton photosynthetic quantum efficiency, pigment composition and optical properties in the western English Channel
Authors: Aiken Jim , Fishwick James , Moore Gerald , Pemberton Katharine
Published: March 2004

Phytoplankton photosynthetic quantum efficiency (PQE), pigments, absorption characteristics, species composition (converted to phytoplankton carbon, Cph) and other variables were measured at an offshore site in the western English Channel throughout 2001, using an opportunistic weekly sampling schedule. The variation of chlorophyll-a (Chla) and other phytoplankton pigments followed the classical seasonal cycle, driven by incident light, patterns of stratification and nutrient availability. Phytoplankton and pigment concentrations were low in the winter, rising to a peak in the spring ‘bloom’, with episodic blooms throughout the summer, an autumn bloom and a decline to the winter minimum. Surface layer Chla and total pigment (Tpig) concentrations were highly correlated for the whole year, yet it was observed that the fraction of Chla in Tpig (Chla/Tpig) was not constant and had a distinct seasonal pattern, low in winter and higher in spring, summer and autumn blooms. Chlorophyll-a/Tpig was linearly correlated with recent ambient light fluxes and maximum PQE (PQEm) throughout most of the year, though more significantly within seasonal periods. Chlorophyll-a and Tpig were both linearly correlated to Cph and the Chla/Cph ratio was significantly correlated with both Chla/Tpig and PQEm. Also the optical absorption ratios, a674/a443 and a674/a490 were significantly correlated with PQE and Chla/Tpig, indicating probable optical signatures for these two parameters. The seasonal cycle of measurements of photosynthetic quantum efficiency provided a bench-mark against which all the photosynthetically-driven seasonal changes of biological properties can be understood, in terms of incident solar radiation and nutrient availability. We conclude that phytoplankton synthesize Chla preferentially to other pigments or carbon compounds in conditions beneficial to growth. The PQEm, the ratios of Chla/Tpig, Chla/Cph and a674/a443 are greater when plants are growing actively. In periods of nutrient sufficiency, PQEm, Chla/Tpig and a674/a443 are all linear functions of the mean total photon flux for the recent few days. Photosynthetically driven changes in Chla synthesis, cause observed changes of Chla/Tpig and Chla/Cph ratios.
Effects of tributyltin on the survival in the caprellid amphipod Caprella danilevskii
Authors: Ohji Madoka , Arai Takaomi , Miyazaki Nobuyuki
Published: March 2004

The caprellid amphipod Caprella danilevskii was exposed to five levels (0, 10, 100, 1000 and 10 000 ng l−1) of tributyltin (TBT) both in the embryonic stage (5 days) and over its whole life history from hatch to death (50 days) to examine the effects of TBT exposure on survival. In both experiments, survival rate decreased drastically as TBT concentrations increased, with a decrease occurring even at 10 ng l−1 in both short- and long-term exposure experiments. Significant differences were found in the survival rate between the control (no control specimens died) and the three concentration groups except 10 000 ng l−1 (all specimens died), regardless of sex. However, the survival rate in response to exposure to TBT has been found to be similar among all combinations of TBT concentration except 10 000 ng l−1, in both sexes. Furthermore, no significant differences were observed in the survival rate in response to exposure to each concentration of TBTCl between sexes. These findings suggest that the risk of survival in response to exposure to TBT between sexes is similar in the caprellids. No sex-specific differences of mortality by TBT exposure were observed in the species although feminization by TBT exposure was found in the caprellids in a previous study. These results all lead to the conclusion that TBT disturbs the mechanism of sex determination during the embryonic stage of the species.