bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Computer Fraud
Authors: Jovašević Dragan
Published: February 2025

On the basis of adopted international documents of universal and regional character, the largest number of countries, including the Republic of Serbia, in their national legislation know more computer (computer) crimes that protect various digital databases. The perpetrators of these specific criminal offenses are prescribed criminal liability and punishability of natural and legal persons. In addition to specific computer crimes, in modern conditions, many old classic crimes (theft, fraud, forgery) gain a new dimension with a greater degree of severity and danger when committed using computers or computer systems. Since this is a crime where there is usually no temporal and spatial connection between the perpetrator and his act of execution and the caused consequences, ie the injured person, modern legislation also knows special evidentiary actions in the procedure of detecting and proving these crimes. This paper talks about the concept and characteristics of computer fraud as a form of computer crime in international and national criminal law..
Detection and Suppression of the Criminal Offense of Abuse in Relation to Public Procurement
Authors: Rakočević Velimir , Rakočević Aleksandra
Published: February 2025

The criminal offence of abuse in connection with public procurement belongs to the newer criminal offences against payment transactions and business operations with elements of corruption. According to positive regulations, the state is obliged to open a tender for its own needs and the needs of companies in its majority ownership for the purpose of procurement of goods, provision of services and implementation of public works above a certain monetary amount, which would guarantee transparency and legality. However, in practice, it has been shown that public procurement is in the zone of high risk of violating the law and good practices. A very complex public procurement procedure and an increasingly pronounced conflict of interest between public office holders and the business community, as well as other important factors, have caused a large number of abuses in this area. Recognizing the dangers of this criminal phenomenon, in December 2023, Montenegro criminalized abuse in connection with public procurement in the group of criminal offences against payment transactions and business operations. The Criminal Code foresees seven forms of this delict. Being of the first form includes the submission of an offer based on false data or an illegal agreement with other bidders or the undertaking of another illegal action by the perpetrator with the intention of influencing the decision of the public procurement authority. The second form includes the execution of all three forms of the criminal offence of abuse of official position by the perpetrator who violates the laws in this area, causing damage to public funds. If the perpetrator adjusts the terms of the public procurement to a certain entity or enters into a contract with a bidder whose offer is in contradiction with the terms of the tender documentation, he commits the third form of this tort. The fourth form includes types of abuse of official position by the perpetrator who gives, takes over or contracts jobs for his activity or the activity of a person in relation to which there is a conflict of interest. A more serious form of this delict exists if it was committed in connection with public procurement whose value exceeds the amount of one hundred thousand euros. A special form is prescribed if the act was committed to the detriment of the financial interests of the EU. The privileged form is prescribed in paragraph 7 of Article 272c and provides for the possibility of exemption from punishment for the perpetrator who voluntarily reveals that the offer is based on false data or on an illegal agreement with other bidders or the perpetrator has taken other actions with the intention of influencing the decision-making of the contracting authority before that the public procurement contract is concluded. The methodology for detecting this criminal offense is based on the investigative and operational practice of the police and the State Prosecutor’s Office in reconnaissance and investigation.
The Criminal Offense of Possession and Enabling the Enjoyment of Narcotic Drugs in the Criminal Law of Bosnia and Herzegovina - Criminal Procedure and Criminal (Nouns) Aspect
Authors: Karović Sadmir , Simović Marina M.
Published: February 2025

In this paper, the authors focused on the concept, that is, the objective-subjective conception of the criminal offense of possession and enabling the enjoyment of narcotic drugs in the criminal law of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a special emphasis on the detection and proof of this criminal offense. When considering the definition of the concept and abuse of narcotic drugs, the general social context was taken into account in order to properly understand the criminal law (substantive) and criminal procedural nature of this incrimination. In the criminal law (substantive) context, this criminal offense is specific for the reason that the legislator prescribed the actions of incitement and assistance, which are, by their nature, the actions of complicity, in this case, that is, in the case of this criminal offense - as independent actions. In addition, an analysis of the legal text and a brief comparative review is made. According to the above, the paper points out uneven or different legal solutions in the entity criminal laws and the law of Brčko District of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the discovery phase, the complexity of gathering the initial information that indicates the existence of grounds for suspicion as a substantive legal condition for initiating and conducting an investigation, was emphasized. With regard to the implementation of certain criminal procedural actions, an update of the collection of necessary evidence, as well as the burden of proving this criminal offense and guilt, has been given.
Franchising as a Business Model and Impact on Market Competition
Authors: Bogojević Aleksandar
Published: February 2025

There are different business models of business entities. When starting your own business, it is necessary to have an elaborate business strategy in which business entities must count on what popularity their products or services will have. Successful business depends on a number of factors, the most important of which are the possibility of entering the market and the degree of competitiveness of business entities operating in that market. Regardless of the business strategy, business entities that operate independently take a greater risk of possible business failure. Business entities that are independently starting business, already at the beginning, are faced with problems of entering the market. The problems are mainly related to the existence of administrative barriers, high taxes, difficulties in financing, the strength of competition, and the time needed to develop a business and build its own market position. There is a business model that can reduce the risk of independent business, while being profitable and bring business success to an economic entity that opts for this type of business. It is about franchising as a business model that refers to running your own business under the name of a well-known brand. The paper will show and explain what franchising is, its emergence and development, the basic characteristics and types of franchising, the franchising agreement, the prohibited agreements and exemptions from the prohibition in competition law, and with that, franchising as a restrictive vertical agreement and the impact it has on market competition.
Legal Remedies of the Injured Party in the Criminal Proceedings of the Republic of Srpska
Authors: Janković Radenko
Published: February 2025

Until the reform of criminal prosecution laws in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2003 from the decisions of the Public Prosecutor not to take or drop criminal prosecution, which he was dissatisfied with, the injured party could be protected by taking over the prosecution. The reform accepted the prosecutorial investigation. The concept of the injured party as a subsidiary prosecutor was abandoned and we received a complaint as a new legal remedy against the public prosecutor’s orders not to implement and suspend the investigation. Amendments to the Law on Criminal Proceedings of the Republic of Srpska from 2021, the position of the injured party in criminal proceedings has been significantly changed and improved. The institute of the injured party was restored as a prosecutor, although in a very limited variant. The complaint against the order of non-investigation and suspension of the investigation is regulated in more detail, and some new significantly different solutions have been accepted. Three-fold decision-making was accepted by introducing objections as an intermediate stage and a new legal remedy. An objective deadline for filing a complaint was also prescribed, and the decision-making was transferred to the Chief Prosecutor. The possibility of submitting a complaint has been expanded even when the prosecutor drops the confirmed indictment. The injured party received two new types of complaints that he can file due to the duration of the proceedings. Despite the best intentions of the legislator in regulating the new position of the injured party in criminal proceedings, serious failures were made. Consideration of this issue should contribute to a better understanding of the position of the injured party in the criminal proceedings of the Republic of Srpska and the legal means at his disposal, their more regular application, as well as new legal solutions that will better suit our conditions, practical needs and theoretical settings, which will eliminate the observed omissions.
Mechanism that regulates the mutual inhibition controls functional switch of UNC-13
Authors: Liu Haowen , Li Lei , Wang Jiafan , Hu Jiayi , Xia Jingyao , Ma Cong , Kang Lijun , Hu Zhitao
Published: February 2025

Munc13 plays a crucial role in short-term synaptic plasticity by regulating synaptic vesicle (SV) exocytosis and neurotransmitter release at the presynaptic terminals. However, the intricate mechanisms governing these processes have remained elusive due to the presence of multiple functional domains within Munc13, each playing distinct roles in neurotransmitter release. Here we report a coordinated mechanism in the
C. elegans
Munc13 homolog UNC-13 that controls the functional switch of UNC-13 during synaptic transmission. Mutations disrupting the interactions of C1 and C2B with diacylglycerol (DAG) and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP
2
) on the plasma membrane induced the gain-of-function state of UNC-13L, the long UNC-13 isoform, resulting in enhanced SV release. Concurrent mutations in both domains counteracted this enhancement, highlighting the functional interdependence of C1 and C2B. Intriguingly, the individual C1 and C2B domains exhibited significantly stronger facilitation of SV release compared to the presence of both domains, supporting a mutual inhibition of C1 and C2B under basal conditions. Moreover, the N-terminal C2A and X domains exhibited opposite regulation on the functional switch of UNC-13L. Furthermore, we identified the polybasic motif in the C2B domain that facilitates SV release. Finally, we found that disruption of C1 and C2B membrane interaction in UNC-13S, the short isoform, leads to functional switch between gain-of-function and loss-of-function. Collectively, our findings provide a novel mechanism for SV exocytosis wherein UNC-13 undergoes functional switches through the coordination of its major domains, thereby regulating synaptic transmission and short-term synaptic plasticity.
First Draft of the First World History
Authors: Kamola Stefan
Published: February 2025

Rashīd al-Dīn Ṭabīb (d. 1318) has been called the “first world historian” because of how foreign historical sources are treated in the second volume of his Jāmiʿ al-tawārīkh. New manuscript materials have shown, however, that his contemporary courtier and historian, ʿAbd Allāh Qāshānī, is likely the real author of much of the Jāmiʿ. This article advances the discussion about the creation of Jāmiʿ al-tawārīkh by describing and analyzing an alternate version of Rashīd al-Dīn’s introduction to the collection. This alternate introduction, preserved in a single manuscript in Munich, suggests that Rashīd al-Dīn initially had a very different purpose in mind for his world history than what has come down to us, envisioning it not as an ecumenical description of the world but as a programmatic argument for his patrons’ sovereign legitimacy. Examining this alternate introduction forces us to rethink Rashīd al-Dīn’s historiographical motive. It also helps answer open questions about the structure of Jāmiʿ al-tawārīkh, its production, and how Qāshānī’s text came to be included in it.
Two Early Biographical Accounts of Atiśa Preserved in Tangut Sources
Authors: Ma Zhouyang
Published: February 2025

While the extant Tibetan biographies of Atiśa Dīpaṃkaraśrījñāna (982–1054) are abundant, most of the datable ones were completed three hundred years after Atiśa’s death. However, two Tangut manuscripts offer early biographical accounts of Atiśa as they were written in the Tangut State (1038–1227). Centering around Atiśa’s life at Vikramaśīla and his journey to Tibet, the narratives within the Tangut texts both resonate with and diverge from the more conventional accounts found in sources like the Extensive Biography (Rnam thar rgyas pa) and the Well-Known Biography (Rnam thar yongs grags). As a result, these Tangut sources emerge as invaluable resources for studying the biographical tradition of Atiśa, as well as the dissemination of his life story in the unique context of the Tangut State during the rise of Tibetan Buddhism therein. This article introduces and translates two Tangut biographical accounts along with relevant Tibetan textual materials. Its aim is not only to present these new sources but also to utilize them to examine the development of Atiśa’s biographical tradition. Furthermore, it demonstrates how Tibetan and Tangut studies can be methodologically integrated.
Review of Messianism and Sociopolitical Revolution in Medieval Islam
Authors: Yücesoy Hayettin
Published: February 2025

Messianism and Sociopolitical Revolution in Medieval Islam. By Said Amir Arjomand. University of California Press, 2022. Pp. xii + 359. $95, £80 (cloth and ebook).
Strategies for Managing Odontogenic Infections in Expectant Mothers: A Narrative Review
Authors: Rupani Abhishek , Kumar Raj , Yadav Priya , Singh Garima , Shah Stuti Ketan
Published: February 2025

Odontogenic infections, which originate from dental issues, can spread to fascial spaces in the head and neck, posing serious health risks. In pregnant patients, these infections are particularly challenging due to pregnancy-related physiological changes and the need to protect both the mother and the foetus. This narrative review elaborates on strategies for managing these infections in pregnant patients, highlighting the importance of a multidisciplinary approach involving Dental Professionals, Obstetricians, and Anaesthesiologists. Pregnancy induces changes such as altered immune function and increased vascularity, which can worsen the severity of infections and complicate treatment. The article discusses how these changes affect infection progression and treatment, stressing the need for early diagnosis to prevent severe complications like airway obstruction. Management strategies must balance effective infection control with foetal safety. This involves the careful selection of antibiotics, avoiding those that are contraindicated in pregnancy, and considering minimally invasive surgical techniques and local anaesthesia. Imaging is also addressed, with a preference for low-radiation methods or alternatives like ultrasound to reduce foetal exposure while ensuring accurate diagnosis. The article emphasises the importance of personalised treatment plans based on the stage of pregnancy, infection severity, and patient health. Close monitoring and follow-up care are crucial to managing potential complications during treatment. In conclusion, managing odontogenic infections in pregnant patients requires a careful, multidisciplinary approach to prioritise the health of both mother and foetus. The article offers a comprehensive overview of best practices, advocating for early intervention and tailored management to effectively safeguard both lives.
A Case of Atypical Actinomycosis: A Diagnostic Conundrum in Lower Limb Pathology
Authors: Goel Somya , Shinde Raju , Vaidya Khushbu , Jivani Ashish
Published: February 2025

Actinomycosis is a rare bacterial infection known for its chronic, indolent course and diverse clinical presentations. Diagnosis can be more challenging without sinus formation, as there may be fewer visible signs to suggest actinomycosis. Actinomycosis typically lacks specific radiologic findings and presents with indolent and non specific symptoms. The present is a case of a 35- year-old female with no associated co-morbidities. Over 1.5 years, she developed a progressively enlarging swelling over her left lateral malleolus, accompanied by pain exacerbated by walking. The absence of classic inflammatory signs, draining sinus tracts, or localised tenderness negates the suspicion of an infective etiology. Radiological investigations revealed a soft-tissue tumour, prompting an excisional biopsy. Histopathological analysis confirmed the diagnosis of actinomycosis, highlighting the importance of recognising rare entities with unusual clinical presentations. The present case underscores the diagnostic challenge posed by atypical presentations of actinomycosis and emphasises the necessity of maintaining a broad differential diagnosis to ensure timely recognition and appropriate management of this elusive condition.
Agency and Representation of Female Characters in Selected African Literary Texts: A Study of Agency in Selected Texts of African Literature
Authors: Nyairo Rex
Published: February 2025

This study examined how each female character's sense of self contributes to the formation of agency. It makes the case that women's agreement and collusion in their own subordination are implied everywhere feminist intellectuals embrace male hegemony as the all-powerful ruling principle of androcentric power systems. In a solely library-based study, three novels written by African authors were analyzed utilizing a feminist theoretical framework which affected women literature who were lacked empowerment. Given their superior comprehension of social relationships due to their insider-outsider social location, oppressed people are charged with building their own revolution. This theory's concept of epistemic advantage was highly important to this undertaking. In the findings, the study's conclusions highlight two main categories of feminine reactions to patriarchal authority. The non-agentive female characters who are effectively victims of dominance relationships and their agentive counterparts who overcome the same strong pressures are the two types of femininity that are discussed in Chapter 2. According to chapter three, actors must use their own free will, willpower, and dedication to pursue the ideal of agency, which is neither inherent nor granted. In accordance to the study's findings in chapter four, women's traditionally undervalued selfhood offers both enabling and limiting opportunities for the exercise of situated agency that can transcend systemic barriers to humanist ideals. It also confirms that an actor's level of success is determined by their own volition and active participation. The study comes to the conclusion that any social justice initiative that aims to achieve significant and long-lasting results in support of women's empowerment and liberation must leverage women's sense of self and raise their motivation in the involvement of literature.
Determinants of Banks and Financial System Efficiency in Nigeria: A Stochastic Frontier Approach (SFA)
Authors: Ige Peter Abiodun , Omoregie Osaretin Kayode , Olofin Sodik Adejonwo
Published: February 2025

This study adopts the relatively novel stochastic frontier analysis approach in examining cost efficiency and its determinants in the Nigerian banking sector, focusing on the dual effects of bank specific factors and macroeconomic variables. Data were sourced from the annual reports of sixteen Nigerian commercial banks over a 13-year period, spanning from 2006 to 2018. The results show that Nigeria banks are generally cost-efficient with asset quality and regulatory quality enhancing the efficiency, while inflation and financial capital undermines it. The efficiency score measures how efficient banks are in the combination of labour, capital, and financial capital to produce an optimal combination of deposits collection and loans creation. The banks are estimated to be efficient at 82 percent given their strategy of transforming deposits into short- and long-term loans, with macroeconomic stability contributing significantly to banks and financial system efficiency.
Evaluating the Pathogenic Effects of Three Cuticle-Degrading Enzymes from Beauveria bassiana on Various Life Stages of Bactrocera zonata
Authors: Sanaullah  , Javed Aneeqa , Muzafar Ghazala , Ehsan Habiba , Fatima Sehar , Jamal Saniya , Asad Zohaib , Qayyum Muhammad Behraz , Atif Muhammad , Naz Effat
Published: February 2025

Background: This study focused on managing Bactrocera zonata, an invasive Tephritid fruit fly that attacks a variety of fruits, by applying cuticle degrading enzymes (CDE) extracted from Beauveria bassiana, a phytopathogenic agent for the biological control of insect pests, as confirmed by SDS-PAGE analysis.
Methodology: Proteases, lipases, and chitinases were among the cuticle-degrading enzymes with varying molecular weights of 19–47 kDa, 32 kDa, and 49.47 kDa, respectively. The crude enzymes that were extracted and employed at doses of 1.5, 3, 5, 7, and 10µL were applied to larvae, pupae, and adults.
Results: At 10µL/mL, the death rates for larvae and adults were found to be 78.50±2.10% and 80±2.15%, respectively. Lower amounts (1.5µL/mL) resulted in a mortality rate of 13.33±1.92%, with control coming in second. The treated insects showed a low proportion of adult emergence (10±2.63%) from pupae, while the untreated group of insects showed a greater percentage (65.0±5.77%) of adult emergence.
Conclusion: The outcome demonstrated that concentration affected both adult emergence from pupae and mortality. Consequently, the pathogenicity of B. bassiana mycelium against B. zonata was increased by the addition of CDE.
Acute Toxicity of Mancozeb (fungicide) on Juvenile Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio var. communis)
Authors: Mir Snowber , Abubakr Adnan , Amin Adnan , Bhat Bilal Ahmad , Shah Tasaduq Hussain , Bhat Farooz Ahmad , Parvaiz Azifa , Nafhat-ul-Arab
Published: February 2025

Pesticides, particularly fungicides like Mancozeb (MZ), are extensively used in agriculture for controlling fungal pathogens, but their persistence in environmental systems poses significant risks to aquatic ecosystems. This study investigates the acute toxicity of Mancozeb on juvenile common carp (Cyprinus carpio var. communis) by assessing its effects through a 96-hour static bioassay. The study determined the median lethal concentration (LC50) values of Mancozeb at 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours. Water quality parameters during the bioassay remained stable, ensuring the reliability of the toxicity test. Results indicated that the LC50 values for Mancozeb decreased with increased exposure time, with values of 16.940, 13.615, 9.886, and 8.764 ppm at 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours, respectively, highlighting a concentration-dependent increase in fish mortality. The findings suggest that Mancozeb exhibits moderate toxicity to juvenile common carp with increased mortality over prolonged exposure. The study bridges the knowledge gap regarding the ecological impact of Mancozeb, emphasizing the importance of safe pesticide practices to mitigate risks to aquatic biodiversity and human consumers reliant on fisheries.
Isolation and Characterisation of Docosanoic Acid, Quercetin and Vitexin from Dennettia tripetala Bak. f. Root and Stem Bark and their In-vivo Anti-inflammatory and Analgesic Activities
Authors: John Enema, Onojah , Francis Umoh, Uwemedimo , Francis Umoh, Uwemedimo , Johnson Ekarika, C. , Doudin Khalid, , Imoh Johnny, I.
Published: February 2025

Dennettia tripetala Baker f. (Annonaceae) is widely used in African traditional medicine for managing diabetes, inflammation, pain, and other ailments due to its diverse phytochemical composition. This study aimed to isolate and characterize bioactive compounds from the root and stem bark of D. tripetala and evaluate their anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties through in vivo models. The plant materials were extracted using 70% aqueous methanol, and the extracts were partitioned into n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol fractions. Compounds were isolated through open-column chromatography and thin layer chromatography and characterized using 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and FTIR spectroscopy. Ethical approval was obtained from the University of Uyo Health Research Ethics Committee for animal studies. Anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated using egg albumin and xylene-induced oedema models, while analgesic activity was assessed using formalin-induced paw licking and hot plate tests, respectively. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, with significance level set at p<0.05.  The dichloromethane and ethyl acetate fractions exhibited the highest anti-inflammatory activity, with the root extract at 447 mg/kg significantly inhibiting egg albumin-induced oedema by 81% at 5 hours, compared to 77% for aspirin. In the xylene-induced oedema model, the root extract at 670 mg/kg achieved 76% inhibition, comparable to the standard drug. Analgesic effects were most pronounced in the formalin test, where the root extract reduced paw licking duration by 85% in the late phase. Isolated compounds, including quercetin, vitexin, and docosanoic - nonacosyl ester acid were carried out using spectroscopic methods. These findings validate the traditional use of D. tripetala and highlight its potential as a source of natural therapeutic agents.
Effect of Pre-sowing Seed Treatment on Seed Germination and Seedling Vigour in Natural Dye-yielding Species Blue Gold (Indigofera tinctoria L.)
Authors: S Vennila , K.Kumaran  , Mathivanan M. , M.Kathiravan  , S.Manivasakan  , Krishnaveni A , S.Kala
Published: February 2025

The emerging demand of natural indigo dye due to the environmental and sociological concerns imparted by the synthetic dye helps in leveraging the conventional natural indigo dye production process in many developing countries, including India. Despite having remarkable global market potential, the high price of natural indigo dye impedes its extensive commercialization. But the seeds of the indigo species are very small and possess a hard seed coat. Therefore, in the present study, pre sowing seed treatment for indigo to assess the germination percentage in nursery level were carried out. The various pre sowing treatments viz., acid scarification, hot water, cold water and mechanical scarifier were carried out to break the dormancy of the seeds. About 1gm of seeds were subjected to either acid scarification viz., 50% conc.H2SO4, 75% conc.H2SO4  and 100% conc. H2SO4 (seeds are subjected to treated at the time various interval of Quick dip,10 min,15 min), Hot water treatment (seeds are placed in boiled water in a water bath at various temperature (60°c, 80°c and 100°c) at various time interval (6 hr, 12 hr and 24 hr) and leaving them until the water cooled, Cold water treatment (seeds are placed in cold water at various time interval viz., 24 hr, 48 hr, 72 hrs) and mechanical scarification viz., rubbing the seeds between sandpaper at various time interval 5 min,10 min and 15 min.  Among the various pre sowing treatments, the best results were obtained when the seeds are subjected to Mechanical scarification. About 80% of the seeds germinated, higher dry matter production (0.07 g) depicted that the seedlings, with higher biomass in terms of shoot length (4.36 cm), root length (2.71 cm) and vigour index (566.4) when they are given a pre-sown treatment of sandpaper 15 min (T25). The results suggested that it could be possible to break dormancy and produce seedlings of Indigofera tinctoria on large scale.
Analysis of Signalized Traffic Control Systems in Uyo Metropolis
Authors: Eshiet Young Israel , Udofia Kingsley Monday , Akpan Ndifreke James
Published: February 2025

In Nigeria's largest cities, particularly in Uyo metropolis, traffic congestion is a critical issue. This paper examines the delays in traffic flow at sixteen signalized intersections in the metropolis for over three days during peak hours. Traffic data were extracted from aerial videos for each signalized intersection using drones. Performance indicators were computed to evaluate traffic characteristics. The Akçelik time-dependent model was used to determine the delay for under-saturated and over-saturated traffic conditions as well the uniform, random, and overflow components of delays and queues at all signalized junctions. This overcomes the limitations of existing works which implemented models that do not account for the effects of variable traffic demand and time periods of analysis, and considered three and eight intersections only. Findings show that the intersections that suffer continuous oversaturation for any day during these peak hours have overall average delay values of 814 and 1216 seconds respectively, and the highest average delay value of 1822 seconds was experienced at the intersection of Oron Road and Udo Umana Street. These values are significant to the efficiency of key major roads in the city, and they indicate a crucial metric in transportation engineering through which traffic engineers are able to optimize signal timings at intersections and implement various traffic management approaches to reduce congestion and enhance traffic flow.
Ethiopia's Nutritional Challenge: Recognizing Obesity as a Form of Malnutrition
Authors: Zeleke Dagnechew Degefu , Shiferaw Dawit Damte , Pulluri Surender Reddy
Published: February 2025

Objective Ethiopia is facing a growing challenge of malnutrition in two forms: The country has been dealing with undernutrition problems for many years while facing increasing challenges from over-nutrition which includes obesity and related diseases. The research investigates obesity as a developing public health problem by studying its origins and the necessary policy responses and advocacy roles required to tackle it. Methodology: This research is a comprehensive literature review analyzing existing studies, publicly available health data, and policy reports. Results: Recent trends indicate a growing prevalence of obesity, particularly in urban areas, driven by dietary shifts, reduced physical activity, and socio-economic changes. Ethiopia’s National Nutrition Strategy has historically focused on undernutrition, necessitating policy updates to address obesity. Limited funding for obesity-related interventions remains a significant challenge. Research institutions, such as the Ethiopian Public Health Institute, are working to understand the epidemiology of obesity, but more targeted studies are needed. Advocacy efforts by international organizations and community-based programs play a crucial role in raising awareness and promoting dietary diversity and physical activity. Conclusion Ethiopia must implement a multi-sectoral approach to combat both undernutrition and obesity. Increased research funding, policy adaptations, and advocacy initiatives are essential to addressing over-nutrition. By integrating evidence-based strategies and promoting public awareness, Ethiopia can work towards a healthier population.
A Study on Business Performance Parameters of Girijan Cooperative Corporation (GCC) in High Altitude and Tribal Zone in Andhra Pradesh, India
Authors: Rani Seedari Ujwala , Rao M. Srinivasa , Kishore Modem Ravi , Prasad V. Rajendra , Sunanda N. , Kumar M. Suresh , Appalaswamy A. , Naik B.N. Sandeep , Mohan Kadiri
Published: February 2025

Girijan Co-operative Corporation (GCC) majorly procures Minor Forest (MFNP), Agricultural produce (AP) and Horticultural Produce (HP) from the tribal farmers by paying them remunerative prices. The growth over the preceding years 2020-21 to 2021-22 was only 2.44 percent which shows rise over the previous year in a small whisker value. The divisons in HAT Zone contributing more in marketing when compared to other divisons in Andhra Pradesh. The value added products are marked with GCC brand which enhanced the trust of customers and captured the market share in sale of products. Tribal farmers expressed to resume the procurement for Adda leafs and Niger seed which are traditional crops and also opioned to supply of mini expellers for oil processing can on payment basis. Promoting digital marketing outlets for finished products with brand will give opportunity for customers to enjoy pure organic products and increase the growth of GCC business.
Engineering time: inventing the electronic wristwatch
Authors: STEPHENS CARLENE , DENNIS MAGGIE
Published: July 2002

In the late 1960s teams of engineers working independently in Japan, Switzerland and
the United States used newly created electronic components to completely reinvent the
wristwatch. The products these groups developed instigated a global revolution in the watch
industry and gave everyone, whether they needed it or not, access to the split-second accuracy
once available only to scientists and technicians. This radical change in timekeeping technology
was in the vanguard of a dramatic shift from a mechanical to an electronic world and raises
important issues about technological change for scholars interested in late twentieth-century
history. Examining the work of three teams of engineers, this paper offers a comparative approach
to understanding how local differences in culture, economy, business structure and access to
technological knowledge shaped the design of finished products and their acceptance by users.
Euroscepticism and Conservative Electoral Support: How an Asset Became a Liability
Authors: EVANS GEOFFREY
Published: July 2002

This article uses the British Election Panel Study to assess the impact of voters' and party positions vis-à-vis European integration on Conservative electoral support between 1992 and 1996. Over this period levels of public support for European integration declined markedly, so that by 1996 the Conservative party was even closer to aggregate public opinion, when compared with its main competitors, than it had been at the time of the 1992 election. However, an analysis of the proximity between individuals' positions on integration and the positions they then attributed to the parties indicates that Conservative divisions over Europe helped turn this potential electoral asset into a liability, leaving the party further from individual voters' own positions than were either of the other two main political contenders. Moreover, as issue proximity on integration predicts voting even when past vote and proximity on other issues are controlled for, it is likely that the European question will have resulted in electoral costs rather than the benefits it could have produced. One implication of these findings is that if the Conservatives hope to do well on this issue they will need to adopt a consistent Eurosceptic line, but such a strategy is unlikely to be easily maintained.
THE NON-LOCAL CAUCHY PROBLEM FOR SEMILINEAR INTEGRODIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS WITH DEVIATING ARGUMENT
Authors: Balachandran K. , Chandrasekaran M.
Published: July 2002

The aim of this paper is to prove the existence and uniqueness of mild and classical solutions of the non-local Cauchy problem for a semilinear integrodifferential equation with deviating argument. The results are established by using the method of semigroups and the contraction mapping principle. The paper generalizes certain results of Lin and Liu.

AMS 2000 Mathematics subject classification: Primary 34K05; 34K30
GENETIC VARIATION WITHIN CASSAVA GERMPLASM IN RESPONSE TO POTASSIUM
Authors: EL-SHARKAWY M. A. , CADAVID L. F.
Published: July 2002

As cassava is grown mostly by small resource-limited farmers throughout the tropics on low-fertility soils with little fertilization and, due to the large potassium (K) export in harvested roots, genotypes that tolerate low-K soils and respond to K fertilization are warranted. The objective of this study was to evaluate cassava germplasm and identify such genotypes.

Fourteen cultivars of cassava (Manihot esculenta) selected from the core germplasm at CIAT were grown under rainfed conditions for ten months over five consecutive seasons in Inceptisols either with no K application or with 50, 100 or 200 kg K ha−1 applied annually together with adequate nitrogen and phosphorus. All cultivars responded to K application both in terms of root and shoot biomass with the highest yields obtained by CM 507-37 and M Ven 25 in the absence of K application and at high K levels. These cultivars had the highest adaptation indices to low K and the highest K use efficiency for total biomass production. CM 507-37 had the highest K use efficiency for root production at all K levels. Thus, it is desirable to use this material for breeding cassava which is adapted to low-K soils and is able to respond to fertilizer application. However, because of the high hydrocyanic acid (HCN) content in their roots, these cultivars should be crossed with genotypes that are low in HCN, such as HMC-1 and M Cub 74, in order to select lines with both high K use efficiency and low HCN for fresh cassava consumption. Root HCN contents were significantly reduced by application of K across all cultivars. Application of K fertilizer to low-K soils is warranted to minimize health hazards when fresh cassava is used for human consumption.
LOSSES OF ORGANIC MATTER AND NUTRIENTS BY WATER EROSION IN CASSAVA-BASED CROPPING SYSTEMS
Authors: RUPPENTHAL M. , LEIHNER D. E. , STEINMÜLLER N. , EL SHARKAWY M. A.
Published: July 2002

Erosion trials under natural rainfall were conducted at two locations in the Andean hillsides of south-west Colombia on moderate slopes. Sediment-bound losses of seven cassava (Manihot esculenta) cropping systems per cropping period ranged from 26 to 1726 kg ha−1 for organic matter, 0.9 to 65.5 kg ha−1 for total nitrogen, 0.03 to 2.1 kg ha−1 for exchangeable magnesium, 0.04 to 2.8 kg ha−1 forexchangeable potassium and 0.004 to 0.8 kg ha−1 for Bray-II phosphorus. Runoff water contributed substantially to total available potassium, magnesium and phosphorus losses. Concentrations of soluble phosphorus in runoff water from heavily eroded continuously clean-tilled fallow plots were slightly higher than from cropped and fertilized plots. Enrichment ratios for sediments from these highly aggregated Inceptisols were low. Sand-sized particles were selectively removed by water erosion. The higher proportion of nutrient losses with run-off water in our study stressed the importance of runoff control along with attempts to control soil losses and thus diminish both nutrient losses and surface water eutrophication.
Differences in recombination frequencies during female and male meioses of the sex chromosomes of the medaka, Oryzias latipes
Authors: KONDO MARIKO , NAGAO ERIKO , MITANI HIROSHI , SHIMA AKIHIRO
Published: July 2002

In the medaka, Oryzias latipes, sex is determined chromosomally. The sex chromosomes differ from those of mammals in that the X and Y chromosomes are highly homologous. Using backcross panels for linkage analysis, we mapped 21 sequence tagged site (STS) markers on the sex chromosomes (linkage group 1). The genetic map of the sex chromosome was established using male and female meioses. The genetic length of the sex chromosome was shorter in male than in female meioses. The region where male recombination is suppressed is the region close to the sex-determining gene y, while female recombination was suppressed in both the telomeric regions. The restriction in recombination does not occur uniformly on the sex chromosome, as the genetic map distances of the markers are not proportional in male and female recombination. Thus, this observation seems to support the hypothesis that the heterogeneous sex chromosomes were derived from suppression of recombination between autosomal chromosomes. In two of the markers, Yc-2 and Casp6, which were expressed sequence-tagged (EST) sites, polymorphisms of both X and Y chromosomes were detected. The alleles of the X and Y chromosomes were also detected in O. curvinotus, a species related to the medaka. These markers could be used for genotyping the sex chromosomes in the medaka and other species, and could be used in other studies on sex chromosomes.
Linkage analysis in a full-sib family of an
outbreeding plant species: overview and consequences
for applications
Authors: MALIEPAARD C. , JANSEN J. , VAN OOIJEN J. W.
Published: July 2002

Linkage analysis and map construction using molecular
markers is far more complicated in full-sib
families of outbreeding plant species than in progenies
derived from homozygous parents. Markers
may vary in the number of segregating alleles. One or both
parents may be heterozygous, markers
may be dominant or codominant and usually the linkage
phases of marker pairs are unknown.
Because of these differences, marker pairs provide
different amounts of information for the
estimation of recombination frequencies and the linkage
phases of the markers in the two parents,
and usually these have to be estimated simultaneously.
In this paper we present a complete
overview of all possible configurations of marker pairs
segregating in full-sib families. Maximum
likelihood estimators for the recombination frequency and
LOD score formulas are presented for
all cases. Statistical properties of the estimators are
studied analytically and by simulation. Specific
problems of dominant markers, in particular with respect
to the probability of detecting linkage,
the probability of obtaining zero estimates, and the
ability to distinguish linkage phase
combinations, and consequences for mapping studies in
outbred progenies are discussed.
The effect of background selection at a single locus on
weakly selected, partially linked variants
Authors: STEPHAN WOLFGANG , CHARLESWORTH BRIAN , McVEAN GILEAN
Published: July 2002

Previous work has shown that genetic diversity at a neutral locus
is affected by background
selection due to recurrent deleterious mutations as though the effective
population size Ne is
reduced by a factor that is calculable from genetic parameters such as
mutation rates, selection
coefficients, and the rates of recombination between sites subject to selection
and the neutral locus.
Given that silent changes at third coding positions are often subject to
weak selection pressures, it
is important to develop similar quantitative predictions of the effects
of background selection on
variation and evolution at weakly selected sites. A diffusion approximation
is derived that
describes the effects of the presence of a single locus subject to mutation
and strongly deleterious
selection on variation and evolution at a partially linked, weakly selected
locus. The results are
validated by computer simulations using the Ito pseudo-sampling method.
We show that both
nucleotide site diversity and rates of molecular evolution at a weakly
selected locus are affected by
background selection as though Ne is reduced
in the same way as for a neutral locus. Heuristic
arguments are presented as to why the change in Ne
for the neutral case also applies with weak
selection. As in the case of a neutral locus, the number of segregating
sites in the population is
poorly predicted from the change in Ne. The
potential significance of the results in relation to the
effects of recombinational environment on molecular variation and evolution
is discussed.
Cambrian–Ordovician boundary age and duration of the lowest Ordovician Tremadoc Series based on U–Pb zircon dates from Avalonian Wales
Authors: LANDING E. , BOWRING S. A. , DAVIDEK K. L. , RUSHTON A. W. A. , FORTEY R. A. , WIMBLEDON W. A. P.
Published: July 2002

Two thin volcaniclastic sandstone beds in the Bryn-llin-fawr road section in North Wales
overlie an apparent sequence boundary within the uppermost Cambrian Acerocare Zone and are overlain
by lowest Ordovician (lower Tremadoc) Rhabdinopora faunas. U–Pb geochronology of zircons
from these sandstones yields a maximum Cambrian–Ordovician boundary age of 489±0.6 Ma. This
age indicates both that the Tremadoc Series (lowest Ordovician) may be shorter in duration than was
previously thought and that the duration of the Middle and Late Cambrian (c. 22 Ma) was much less
than that of the Early Cambrian (c. 33 Ma). Cambrian trilobite zones locally had an average duration
as short as 1 Ma.
Permian volcanism in the Mongolian orogenic zone, northeast China: geochemistry, magma sources and petrogenesis
Authors: ZHU YONGFENG , SUN SHIHUA , GU LIBING , OGASAWARA YOSHIHIDE , JIANG NENG , HONMA HIROJI
Published: July 2002

Lower Permian volcanism was the first magmatic activity to occur after the collision events
in the Mongolian orogenic zone, east China. The Permian volcanic rocks are therefore a key to understanding
the dynamics of the unified continental lithosphere. The volcanic rocks consist of basic and
intermediate rocks. The intermediate rocks with high initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.7051 to 0.7052) and low
εNd values (−0.73 to −3.57) generally overlie the basic rocks in the field. The basic rocks have relatively
low initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.7034 to 0.7051) and high εNd values (2.72 to −0.10). Two parallel Rb–Sr
isochrons give almost the same age, about 270 Ma. One consists of the basic rocks giving an initial
isochron 87Sr/86Sr ratio of 0.7035. The other consists of the intermediate rocks and one sample of
basalt, which give an initial isochron 87Sr/86Sr value of 0.7051. The strong correlations between SiO2
and other major elements suggest that fractional crystallization played an important role in the
magmatic processes. However, fractional crystallization cannot explain the geochemistry of most
incompatible trace elements and Sr–Nd isotope characteristics. The positive correlation between
Th/Nb and (La/Sm)N ratios demonstrates the direct relation between the enrichment of the light rare
earth elements and the contamination of continental sediments. The high contents of large ion lithosphere
elements (LILE) in the Permian volcanic rocks may suggest an additional ‘crust + fluid’ component,
especially in the intermediate rocks, which are highly enriched in Ba (> 400 ppm) relative to
the basic rocks (> 200 ppm). We propose that the subduction slab dropped into depleted mantle and
released fluid, which induced the mantle metasomatism and LILE enrichment. The metasomatized
mantle partially melted and formed the ‘primary’ magma. This primary magma assimilated with the
Proterozoic biotite–quartz schist during its rise, and finally formed the Permian volcanic rocks.
Magma assimilated with the Proterozoic biotite–quartz schist in small amounts could have produced
the basic rocks, while assimilation of larger amounts of magma (because of longer assimilation time)
would generate intermediate rocks.