bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Hoard of Late Bosporan Staters from the Sixth-Century Fire Layer in Phanagoria
Authors: Abramzon Mikhail , Ostapenko Sergey
Published: July 2024

The paper discusses a hoard of Late Bosporan staters found in the sixth-century fire layer in Phanagoria. A purse with 82 coins was hidden in the neck of a Pontic Opaiţ B–1b amphora. The hoard contains staters of Thothorses, Rhadamsades, and Rhescuporis VI, as well as a Panticapaean tetrachalkos of Asander’s time. The conflagration layer is associated with the report of Procopius of Caesarea (Procop. Caes. De bell. VIII.5.28) on the destruction of Phanagoria and Kepoi. The date of the disaster in Phanagoria and the concealment of the hoard is determined by two main circumstances. The first one is the discovery of Justinian I’s solidus of the 545–565 Group together with Late Bosporan staters in a nearby building which met its end in the same fire. The second circumstance is the date of Procopius’ completing Book VIII of his ‘History of the Wars’, i.e. 554 AD. Therefore, Phanagoria and Kepoi were destroyed neither before 545, nor after 554 AD. Accordingly, the hoard’s concealment dates between 545 and 554 AD.
Non-Muslims’ Rights in the Jurisprudential Approach of a Contemporary Shīʿī cleric: Ayatollah Yūsef Ṣāneʿī’s View
Authors: Akbar Ali
Published: July 2024

This article explores the approach of contemporary Shīʿī Iranian cleric Ayatollah Yūsef Ṣāneʿī to the rights of non-Muslims. It addresses his ideas with regard to three key issues: 1) the notion of the ritual impurity (najāsat) of non-Muslims and interfaith marriage; 2) the inheritance of a Muslim and a non-Muslim; and 3) the retaliation (qiṣāṣ) and the blood money of a Muslim and a non-Muslim. The article demonstrates that Ṣāneʿī, as a reformist Shīʿī scholar, uses a variety of methods to challenge traditional Shīʿī jurisprudential rulings about people of other faiths, arguing that their rights should be enhanced considerably. Ṣāneʿī’s ideas, as will be argued, represent a significant break with dominant Shīʿī views concerning the rights of people of other faiths. His ideas have the potential to eliminate some of the inequalities between Muslims and non-Muslims prescribed in traditional jurisprudential literature, and to increase social relationships between Muslims and people of other faiths.
Apulian New Christians in Venetian Dalmatia
Authors: Sadovski Lena
Published: July 2024

This article’s subject is the migration of Apulian New Christians to Venetian Dalmatia in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth century. These New Christians were the descendants of Jews who had converted to Christianity at the end of the thirteenth century but who continued to constitute a group distinct from the rest of society until many had to flee Apulia due to growing repressions at the turn to the sixteenth century. Based on archival material from Zadar, Split, and Venice, this paper studies the Venetian ruled town of Split as an example of how close and multifaceted the contacts between Apulian New Christians and Venetian Dalmatia were, ranging from grain trade to permanent settlement. Although Venice tried to expel all New Christians from its territories, including Dalmatia, in the 1490s, they appear to have been tolerated in Split. How this was possible and how the Apulian New Christians integrated themselves into the local society is studied in this article.
The “Milan Euchologion”: Reconstructing an Unknown Fourth-Century Anaphora and Its Post-Anaphoral Prayers
Authors: Mihálykó Ágnes , Chase Nathan
Published: July 2024

Four fragmentary Egyptian papyrus sheets containing liturgical texts housed at the Catholic University of Milan were published by Giuseppe Ghedini in 1933 and subsequently known as the Milan Euchologion. While reportedly lost, a single photograph of the papyri preserved in Harold Idris Bell’s papers in the British Library allows for a reassessment of the arrangement and contents of the papyri. Based on a new analysis of the fragments, it is clear that they preserve the end of an anaphora (fruits of communion, intercession, and doxology), a prayer of fraction, and a prayer of thanksgiving after communion and that they date to the second half of the fourth century. This places them among the earliest material witnesses to the anaphora and the post-anaphoral part of the Eucharist.
Considerations of (Non)-Application of Immunity of State Officials from Foreign Jurisdiction in Cases of International and Transnational Crimes
Authors: Zabyelina Yuliya
Published: July 2024

This article examines the scope and limitations of jurisdictional immunities afforded to high-ranking state officials accused of international and transnational crimes in foreign courts, including international courts. It discusses how international law balances the immunities granted to facilitate international relations and uphold state sovereignty against the need to address serious crimes that threaten the international community as a whole. The analysis delves into key legal debates and landmark cases shaping the understanding of these immunities. A focal point of the analysis is the work of the International Law Commission (ilc) on the topic of Immunity of State Officials from Foreign Criminal Jurisdiction, particularly Draft Article 7. It is argued that ilc’s Draft Article 7, while explicitly clarifying the application of immunity in international crime cases, also provides valuable insights into the scope of immunity for transnational crimes. Transnational crimes, like corruption, are fundamentally private acts carried out for personal gain, regardless of whether they are committed by someone in an official capacity or utilizing the resources and instrumentalities of the state. Therefore, these acts cannot be considered official and do not trigger the application of immunity ratione materiae. By highlighting the implications of Draft Article 7, the article contributes to the broader understanding of how international law can reconcile the need for state officials to perform their duties without fear of foreign prosecution with the necessity of holding them accountable for serious crimes. It suggests a more restrictive approach to immunity, particularly concerning transnational crimes, thereby enhancing the potential for legal accountability for offending state officials.
The Normative Framework Behind the (Non-)Recognition of Children Born of War in International Criminal Law
Authors: Stotz Lina
Published: July 2024

This article traces the normative development in international criminal law on children born of war (cbow—i.e., children born in the context of an armed conflict to one parent who belongs to a local community and one parent who is an opposing combatant, fighter or peacekeeper). In a historical cross-contextual approach, primary and secondary sources, and particularly jurisprudence of international criminal courts from 1945 to today, are interpreted in reference to political psychologist Inger Skjelbæk’s epistemology conceptualising conflict-related sexual and reproductive violence as carrying essentialist, structuralist and socio-constructivist implications. The analysis traces how cbow as a group of victimised but underacknowledged war-affected children have come to be understood in international justice. The findings point to avenues for normative refinement that would facilitate a more coherent and unbiased integration of their interests into the practice of international courts.
The Influence of Diplomatic and Foreign Policy Considerations in the Making of Migration and Asylum Policy in Morocco
Authors: Benjelloun Sara
Published: July 2024

Can the management of transnational migration and asylum be used as an instrument of foreign policy? From labour market needs to legal issues, electoral pressure, and financial and commercial interests, the scholarly literature on the drivers of migration policy in both the North and the South has focused primarily on domestic factors. The case of Morocco offers a useful additional perspective. The security-orientated and restrictive policy toward transmigrants applied in the 2000s gave way, in 2013, to a new approach that was much more welcoming and mindful of migrant integration. Since Morocco’s independence in 1956, asylum management has been driven exclusively by security and political objectives. Although it has never had a national asylum system, Morocco has officially taken the initiative to establish a system that complies with its international commitments in asylum. By taking a Moroccan perspective on the situation, this article examines the management of migration and asylum by a country of the Global South with a multifaceted migration profile (as a country that is simultaneously one of emigration, transit, and immigration). It shows that Morocco’s change in migration policy is a reflection of its evolving foreign policy.
The Elusive “Collectivised Refugee Protection”: The Case of the EU-Egypt Migration Cooperation
Authors: El-Sayed
Published: July 2024

This paper departs from a deductive premise seeking to apply the theory of “collectivised system of refugee responsibility” to the EU-Egypt migration arrangements. In its basic form, the theory proffers the funding and oversight of the wealthy North to assert protection, and integration of refugees in southern countries. At face value, the design and structure of the EU-Egypt migration arrangements appear to reflect this formula: EU funding in return for Egyptian principled accommodation of refugees. A profounder analysis of these deals, nevertheless, discerns the emergence of an alternative linguistic and legal discourse that priorities security and control over the humanitarian cause. Practice, as well, demonstrates that neither the EU is willing to undertake any refugees’ oversight roles, nor Egypt is vying for EU funding. To the contrary, Egypt’s generous funding of EU commercial interests and ruthless crackdown on refugees represent Egypt’s basic offerings to appease the EU and garner its political support.
Totem
Authors: Strijdom Johannes
Published: July 2024

Although the term “totem” constituted a key term in classical theories of religion, it has not played a notable role in the recent material turn in the study of religion. This essay offers a critical reconsideration of the term by comparing its function in Durkheim’s sociology of religion with David Chidester’s postcolonial analysis of its function in religion and Religious Studies from a South African location. The comparison not only highlights problematic uses of the term in its history, but also sheds light on the question whether the term might be rehabilitated for use in the study of material religion. In assessing the term’s genealogy as well as its possible use in the study of material religion, the ethical question is of paramount importance: informed by critical theories of race, class and gender, which values may serve in our assessment?
An Exceptional Retrocession: the Establishment of the Macau SAR from a Political Perspective
Authors: Mendes Carmen Amado , Steenhagen Pedro
Published: July 2024

In late 1999, Macau became a Special Administrative Region (SAR) under the administration of the People’s Republic of China and the “one country, two systems” principle, following a different, unique path compared to former Portuguese colonies. In light of such a reality, this paper uses postcolonial theory to situate the political debate involving the SAR’s establishment. Furthermore, it suggests that the two main factors that explain Macau’s potential exceptionalism in the Lusophone world, when it comes to decolonisation processes, are the retrocession concept and the Macanese political structure, which, in turn, helped to guarantee smooth repatriation proceedings.
The Independence of Brazil and Its Historiography
Authors: Cariello Rafael , Pereira Thales Zamberlan
Published: July 2024

This article reviews the main historiographical explanations for Brazil’s 1822 independence from Portugal while presenting a new interpretation of the country’s emancipation process. While previous interpretations emphasized the role of elites in the independence movement, new quantitative evidence sheds light on the profound impact of the Portuguese Empire’s fiscal turmoil, marked by excessive expenditures and inflation, which triggered generalized discontent in both Brazil and Portugal. Political unrest ensued, leading to demands for constitutional change and the end of absolutism. The differing effects of the fiscal crisis in Europe and South America ignited a unified call for reform. Political emancipation therefore occurred in a two-stage process: a liberal revolution followed by constitutional conflict, resulting in Brazil’s independence.
An Assessment of the Impact of Corporate-Driven Foreign Land Investments on Selected Human Rights in Mozambique
Authors: Mahadew Bhavna
Published: July 2024

This article focuses on the impact of land investments in Mozambique. It examines the effects these land investments are having on local people’ access to food and sustenance, culture, land and water, and political engagement in some Mozambican provinces and areas. The next section critically evaluates whether human rights related to the aspects are being violated, as well as Mozambique’s legal obligations under both local and international law. The main goals are to alert the academic community to the negative impacts that land grab and investments have on local populations in Mozambique and to explain how these activities can be effectively stopped by using the normative framework now in place on human rights. It argues that foreign companies and investors in Mozambique are causing significant negative impacts on local communities, including livelihood, food, culture, land, and political participation. These issues are already protected by human rights law, and effective protection by the state could help combat land grabbing. Mozambique’s judiciary, civil society, and human rights institutions should work together to prevent local communities from being harmed.
Why Name Popularity is a Good Test of Historicity
Authors: van de Weghe Luuk , Wilson Jason
Published: July 2024

Are name statistics in the Gospels and Acts a good test of historicity? Kamil Gregor and Brian Blais, in a recent article of the jshj, argue that the sample of name occurrences in the Gospels and Acts is too small to be determinative and that several statistical anomalies weigh against a positive verdict. Unfortunately, their conclusions result directly from improper testing and questionable data selection. Chi-squared goodness-of-fit testing establishes that name occurrences in the Gospels and Acts fit into their historical context at least as well as those in the works of Josephus. Additionally, they fit better than occurrences derived from ancient fictional sources and occurrences from modern, well-researched historical novels.
Effect of leash walking on weight loss and assessment of hair cortisol in overweight dogs
Authors: Kim K. , Song B. , Kim D. , Kim D.H. , Lee H.J. , Kim G.
Published: July 2024

Obesity results from excessive body fat accumulation. Leash-walking is a practical way to increase activity in treating obesity; however, limited studies have focused on the frequency and duration of dog leash-walking. There is few research reporting on whether initiating exercise or increasing physical activity in obese dogs can induce stress. Therefore, the present study conducted a clinical trial of the leash-walking effect on weight management and identified the relationship between stress and weight management. Thirty-one dogs participated in a 4-week weight management and were divided into four groups according to their leash-walking frequency and duration. Low walking group (LW): approximately 30 min, 3 times per week; Group 1: approximately 60 min, 3 times per week; Group 2: approximately 30 min, 5 to 7 times per week; Group 3: approximately 60 min, 5 to 7 times per week. Body weight and hair cortisol concentrations of participated dogs were also evaluated. There were significant () differences in the weight loss rate between the Group 2 (−1.08 ± 0.34%/week) and Group 3 (−1.26 ± 0.54%/week) compared to the LW (−0.13 ± 0.49%/week). However, there was an increasing tendency of hair cortisol concentration in Group 1 (0.15 ± 0.10 μg/dl to 0.20 ± 0.19 μg/dl) and Group 3 (0.19 ± 0.19 μg/dl to 0.45 ± 0.76 μg/dl) which are approximately 60 min of leash-walking duration groups. The results of this study suggest that it is more efficient to increase leash-walking frequency than duration for weight loss. However, suddenly increasing leash-walking may be a stress-inducing factor during weight management in overweight dogs. Therefore, it is important to start weight management with appropriate frequency and manageable duration of leash-walking and gradually increase the leash-walking times step by step.
Coalition Governments and the Quest for Accountability in Kenya
Authors: Etyang Oita
Published: July 2024

The role of coalition governments in promoting accountability has gained traction among scholars recently, especially in Africa. Whilst coalition governments are formed for different reasons – office-seeking and policy-oriented motives, these motives often influence how the coalition governments propagate and inculcate the principles of good governance while in government. In Kenya, three coalition governments emerged between 2002–2017. The emergence of these three coalition governments followed a prolonged struggle on the part of the citizens both within and outside the country with the goal of restoring good governance. The central argument of this paper is that, whilst coalition governments initiated a raft of reforms – institutional, legal and policy aimed at promoting accountability in government, very little was achieved to this end. Accountability challenges, including corruption, human rights abuses, elite impunity and state capture, remained endemic in government institutions. In some cases, service provision deteriorated. Given this scenario, this paper argues that there is a need to go beyond enacting good laws and policies. The focus should be on implementation and enforcement. In the long run, this will guarantee sustainable accountability in government institutions. Secondly, a constituency of like-minded citizens should continue agitating for accountability as part of the broader national interest and holding coalition governments accountable.
Emperor Menelik’s Attempts of Decentralized Governance
Authors: Alene Niguse M.
Published: July 2024

Emperor Menelik’s expansion was by and large a reunification process. After the first expansion, Ethiopia was parcelized due to internal and external factors, which resulted Menelik’s reunification process. After the reunification process, Menelik’s governance structure followed a decentralized system. This article looks into the evidences whereby the policies and actions of the emperor attest this. In this regard, the imperial authority was exercised through the annual collection of tribute rather than by means of direct intervention in local administration. Emperor Menelik pursued a policy of peacemaking even with the objectors against him and letting them remain on power. Menelik’s policy of tolerance and reconciliation was also demonstrated in the North-east Shoa area. The Emperor also allowed provincial governors to form their own local authorities. As a result, the article concludes that the policies and actions of the emperor was tantamount to the devolution dimension of decentralization and therefore analogous to a federal system.
Why Institutions Matter for Eco Currency
Authors: Ntongho Rachael A.
Published: July 2024

This paper analyses the feasibility of Eco currency to be introduced in fifteen West African states based on political, legal, social, and cultural factors. It aims to examine the core institutions underpinning the creation of the Eco currency and how they can best be designed to achieve the objectives of the single currency. The paper utilises a normative approach to analyse the institutions of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to decipher the strengths of these institutions in creating and sustaining the single currency. Most studies on Eco currency have analysed the feasibility of Eco based on economic considerations. While economic factors are pertinent to creating a single currency, this paper highlights the importance of effective political, legal, and socio-cultural institutions to harness economic considerations for the common currency to be successful launched. This paper postulates that only effective and well-designed institutions can lead to a successful launch of the Eco currency.
Touching the Soul
Authors: Serrano Elena
Published: July 2024

Exploring music’s influence on the physiological model developed by the Benedictine natural philosopher Benito J. Feijoo (1676–1764), this article aims to contribute to ongoing conversations about the role of intersensory, affectional, and gender experiences in the production of knowledge. One of the most influential writers in the Hispanic world, Feijoo sought to explain how the impressions of the external world captured by the senses could come to provoke “passions” or “movements of the soul,” what today we call “emotions.” The article suggests that Feijoo’s deep knowledge of the nature of sound, his observations and readings about music’s influence on mood and health, and above all, the intense feelings that music aroused in him influenced his view on the physiology of emotions.
The Effect of Economic Ties on Digital Diplomacy
Authors: Villegas Cruz Angel M.
Published: July 2024

The article examines how economic ties between host and guest countries affect the emotional valence in the social media content published by digital diplomats. Strong economic ties will lead digital diplomats to adopt a positive tone because such ties raise the potential costs of verbal aggressiveness online. A positive emotional valence on social media also serves to cultivate good public perceptions of the guest and its economic activities. To evaluate these claims, the article analyses 53,601 original tweets published by 88 Chinese diplomatic missions on Twitter from 2014 to 2020. It finds that economic ties have a strong positive effect on the tone adopted by digital diplomats. As the host’s trade dependence on China increases, Chinese diplomatic missions are more likely to adopt a positive tone on Twitter, especially when talking about politics and business. This research contributes to the study of how countries use social media to conduct diplomacy.
Being Realistic about Anti-realism
Authors: Ankersmit Frank
Published: July 2024

In this criticism of Mitrović argument about realism it is pointed out 1): that Mitrović is unaware of how the medieval debate between realists and nominalists about the existence of universals complicates his position, 2) similarly, he is unaware of how the debate on the so-called ‘essentially contested concepts’ (W.B. Gallie) complicates his position, 3) when taking up the issue of holism and individualism he mistakenly assumes that what has been said about it in the context of the social sciences can also be applied to the writing of history, 4) the debate on the legal person or corporation since Innocent IV further complicates the issue. Finally, I explain why and how one can be a realist in philosophy of history, though on the basis of arguments entirely different from those proposed by Mitrović.
The Ten Commandments in Old Frisian: Their Form and Content
Authors: Cataldi Claudio
Published: July 2024

This study discusses the relationship amongst the five surviving versions of the Ten Commandments in Old Frisian, which are collectively preserved in eight manuscripts and in one incunable. These versions do not follow the Vulgate text verbatim, but rather include interferences from other texts. As the author intends to show, the compiler of the version of the Ten Commandments in the First Rüstring Manuscript aimed to produce a comprehensive list of precepts by including the Great Commandment, and had a source close to Honorius’s De decem plagis Aegypti spiritualiter at their disposal. The text in Haet is Riocht? may have influenced the vernacular rendition of the Mosaic Law preserved in Codex Aysma. Lastly, the versions preserved in the First and Second Hunsingo Manuscripts and one of the two versions attested by Codex Unia seem to be independent translations of a single Latin text, which survives in Unia.
The Words for “Blue” in Old Frisian
Authors: Giliberto Concetta
Published: July 2024

The Old Frisian lexicon contains two words for ‘blue’: wēden, related to OE wǣden (MoE woaden arch.), OHG weitīn (MoG waiden arch.), and MLG wêden, with adjectival suffix *-īna stemming from PGmc *waida-, waidina- ‘woad, plant yielding blue dye’. The other one is blāw, a loanword through Middle Dutch or Middle Low German (from French), which is cognate with OE blǣhǣwen, OHG blāo, plāo, and ON blár, from PGmc *blēwa- < IE *bhel- ‘shining’ (cf. Lat. flavus ‘golden yellow’). This article analyses the occurrences of the words wēden and blāw in the Old Frisian text corpus in order to determine and contextualize the various semantic fields covered by these lexemes.
Possessory Remedies in Late Medieval Frisian Law Texts
Authors: Hallebeek Jan , de Jong Hylkje
Published: July 2024

This contribution examines possessory protection in Frisian law texts from the late Middle Ages. These sources show that such protection was an old and fundamental principle. The jurists associated it with the possessory remedies of learned law, i.e., the Roman law interdicts and the canon law actio spolii. In the fifteenth century a certain preference for the latter remedy emerged. There is no trace of French remedies, such as maintenue and complainte, which at the same time were received in other parts of the Low Countries. Compared to the late medieval law texts, early modern law in Friesland was less hybrid. The Roman law of interdicts was predominant. A strong Romanisation must have taken place, while the influence of canon law had ceased.
He niwan geeode þa fyrran Fresan: Geographical Marker or Literary Topos in the Old English Bede?
Authors: Lendinara Patrizia
Published: July 2024

In his Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum, V.10, Bede apparently introduced a two- fold division of Frisia when he called Frisia citerior the region to where Ecgberht sent missionaries. Neither Bede nor the Old English translator of Bede’s work offer a precise identification of the region at issue; moreover, the passage does not mention a possible counterpart, that is, Frisia ulterior. While Bede uses Frisia citerior, the translator refers to fyrran Fresan. An analysis of possible sources does not yield any parallel to Bede’s reference, nor to the use of the term as a geographically identifiable territory. On the other hand, the use of Old English feorr in similar geographical contexts, whether in translations or original texts, vouches for a free and imaginative employment of the comparative fyrran, which was not used as a precise geographical marker. This essay suggests that the mission to Frisia, which was of great importance in both Bede’s narrative and the Lives of missionaries, such as that of Willibrord, had the effect of striking the translator’s imagination. He chose a suggestive term, rich in connotations, rather than supplying a geographical identifiable information.
Friesische Ortsnamen im Utrechter Güterverzeichnis aus dem 10. Jahrhundert
Authors: Quak Arend
Published: July 2024

A well-known list of properties, owned by St. Martin’s church in Utrecht, dates from the early tenth century, although it has survived in younger copies. This source contains mainly place-names from the present-day Dutch provinces of North and South Holland and Utrecht. The coastal dialect there still had North Sea Germanic characteristics. Some of these characteristics seem to have been adapted by the Utrecht scribes, who used an Old Dutch dialect, probably because they recognized elements in the names. However, the personal names in the same source were less tampered with, in all likelihood because they are possibly less transparent and hence interesting to the scribes.
Die mittelalterliche friesische Standesbezeichnung etheling: Adliger oder Freier?
Authors: Vries Oebele
Published: July 2024

This article discusses the meaning of the rarely attested Old Frisian term etheling. Two interpretations have been presented: nobleman, which seems to be the obvious one, versus freeman. After consideration of all attestations extant as well as the previous debate on this question it is inferred that the term etheling represents a nobleman in the older attestations, a freeman in the younger ones. This conclusion has relevance as to the debate on the distinction of social ranks in medieval Frisia.
The associations of pre-pregnancy BMI and gestational weight gain with maternal gut microbiota
Authors: He Y. , Zhang L. , Chen Z. , Chan P.K.S. , Leung T.F. , Tam W.H.
Published: July 2024

Previous studies reporting the association between gut microbiota dysbiosis and maternal obesity were mostly confined at the phylum level or at postpartum period. This study aimed to investigate the dynamic changes in gut microbial communities associated with maternal obesity at different time points of pregnancy. We performed 16S rRNA gene V3-V4 amplicon sequencing on stool samples from 110 women in all three trimesters and 1-month postpartum. Maternal gut microbial communities associated with maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and gestational weight gain (GWG) were explored. The influence of maternal obesity on gut microbiota trajectories was determined based on longitudinal shifts in community clusters across the trimesters. The richness index of alpha diversity decreased with the progression of pregnancy, particularly in women with excessive GWG. The evenness index in 2nd trimester was found inversely associated with GWG. Various taxonomic differences in 1st trimester were associated with excessive GWG, whereas limited taxonomic differences in 2nd and 3rd trimesters were associated with pre-pregnancy BMI or GWG. Meanwhile, the gut microbiota trajectory with especially depleted genus Faecalibacterium in 1st trimester was associated with excessive GWG (adjusted odds ratio 5.7, 95% confidence interval 1.2-28.1). Moreover, the longitudinal abundances of genus Lachnospiraceae ND3007 group across gestations were depleted in women with overweight/obese pre-pregnancy BMI, while genus Bifidobacterium enriched in women with excessive GWG. Our study shows that dysbiosis of the gut microbiota in early pregnancy may have a significant impact on excess GWG. The abundance of the genus Faecalibacterium in 1st trimester may be a potential risk factor.

Clinical trial number: NCT03785093 (https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03785093)
Improved diet-based nutritional interventions can improve childhood obesity with the synergistic regulation of gut microbiota
Authors: Zhou M. , Peng C. , Miao Z. , Wang K. , Zhou H. , Li Y. , Xiao G. , Wu X.
Published: July 2024

Childhood obesity is a crucial public health concern worldwide. Dietary intervention is the most common intervention for the treatment of obesity. Therefore, we tested an improved diet-based nutritional interventions to improve the childhood obesity and its gut microbiota. Thirty obese children received a 12-week intervention with the adjust-energy-restricted dietary pattern (A-CRD). Body composition was measured by bioelectrical impedance (Inbody S10) and faecal microbes were profiled by sequencing 16S rRNA. Compared to the NTB group (at 0 week), the NTA group (at 12 weeks) had a significantly greater decrease in body weight, body mass index (BMI) and percent body fat (PBF) (, respectively), whereas skeletal muscle mass (SMM) and fat free mass (FFM) were not statistically significantly different (). The gut microbiota was found significantly different between the NTB and NTA groups based on alpha and beta diversity. Bifidobacterium, Blautia, and Streptococcus was significantly increased, whereas Bacteroides and Megamonas was significantly decreased in the NTA group (, respectively). Meanwhile, NTA group significantly increased the ability to produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs; e.g. acetic acid/total dietary energy) and changed he predictive metabolic functional features of the microbiota communities (, respectively) than the NTB group. In conclusion, A-CRD can significantly improve childhood obesity, and the underlying mechanism may be its effect on gut microbiota and metabolism. Therefore, the diet-based nutrition intervention targeting gut microbiota will be more effective management of body weight and prevention of obesity.

Chinese Clinical Trial Register: ChiCTR2300074571
Probiotics combination effectively improves constipation in pregnancy by modifying the gut microbiota composition
Authors: He X. , Chen W. , Wang Y. , Chen H. , Xu X. , Zhao X. , Zhou D. , Yue M. , Wei J. , Chen T.
Published: July 2024

Constipation during pregnancy can induce serious complications, including miscarriage and preterm labour, while the evidence of probiotics in improving constipation during pregnancy was little. In this study, 29 healthy pregnant women and 65 constipated pregnant women were enrolled to assess the effectiveness of probiotics on constipation during pregnancy. Our results showed that the probiotics were effective in improving the Constipation Severity Scale (CSS) and Bristol Stool Scale (BSS) scores, including increasing defecation frequency, decreasing defecation time, and improving fecal characteristics. 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that the probiotics effectively restored the diversity of intestinal microbiota. At the phylum level, Firmicutes (13.27% vs 57.20%) and Actinobacteria (3.77% vs 12.80%) were increased, while Bacteroidetes (77.82% vs 20.24%) was decreased. At the level of the genus, Faecalibacterium (2.03% vs 10.33%), Bifidobacterium (1.21% vs 8.56%), and Phascolarctobacterium (0.05% vs 2.88%), the beneficial bacteria were increased, while the Bacteroides (29.23% vs 12.28%) and Prevotella (24.32% vs 4.92%) were decreased. In conclusion, these results indicated that probiotics can effectively relieve the constipation symptoms by improving the diversity of intestinal microbiota, regulating the disturbance of microflorae, and restoring the balance of microflorae to exert a stronger moderating effect than diet and lifestyle modification. Our results provided clinical data and a theoretical basis for the exploitation of probiotics in treating constipation during pregnancy.

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR2100052069
Ligilactobacillus salivarius V4II-90 eradicates Group B Streptococcus colonisation during pregnancy: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
Authors: Gálvez A. , Dı́az de Terán E. , Espinosa J.Á. , Pérez-Pedregosa J. , Bartha-Rasero J.L. , del Valle J.G. , Cuerva M.J. , Jiménez E. , Badiola C.
Published: July 2024

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is the leading cause of bacterial neonatal sepsis. This study aimed to confirm the effect of Ligilactobacillus salivarius V4II-90 on GBS colonisation during pregnancy. A randomised, multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study was conducted in seven hospitals in Madrid, Spain. The sample was broken down into two groups with 20 participants each (n = 40) in order to show reduced GBS colonisation frequency in the probiotic versus the placebo group. Pregnant participants positive for vaginal-rectal colonisation before or during the 13th week of gestation were randomly assigned to either the placebo or the probiotic group. The probiotic, L. salivarius V4II-90 at 1 × 109 cfu/day was administered for 12 weeks, starting at week 21-23 of gestation. The primary outcome was the percentage of participants with vaginal and/or rectal GBS colonisation at the end of the intervention period (35 weeks of gestation). Secondary outcomes were changes in the microbial composition of vaginal and rectal exudates; premature delivery; premature rupture of membranes; intrapartum antibiotics; new-borns with early or late-onset GBS sepsis; adverse events (AEs); and GBS test results performed at the hospital at week 35 of gestation. Of the 481 participants included, 44 were vaginal-rectal colonised with GBS and randomised. 43 completed the study (20 in the probiotic group and 23 in the placebo group). After intervention, GBS was eradicated in six participants (27%) from the placebo group and in twelve participants (63%) from the probiotic group (). None of the 185 AEs reported were identified as possibly, probably, or definitely related to the investigational product. In conclusion, oral administration of L. salivarius V4II-90 is a safe and successful strategy to significantly decrease the rates of GBS colonisation at the end of pregnancy and, therefore, to reduce the exposure of subjects and their infants to intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis. Trial registered at ClinicalTrials.gov: number NCT03669094
Systematic review: effect of probiotics on antibiotic-induced microbiome disruption
Authors: Łukasik J. , Dierikx T. , Johnston B.C. , de Meij T. , Szajewska H.
Published: July 2024

The effectiveness of probiotics in preventing or reversing antibiotic-induced microbiome disruption remains uncertain, and claims of microbiome restoration to its pre-antibiotic state may be overestimated. In this review, we aimed to assess the efficacy of probiotics in preventing or ameliorating disruptions in microbiome composition and function induced by antibiotic treatment. We searched Medline, Embase, and CENTRAL for randomised controlled and non-randomised trials. Participants were individuals of any age who were on systemic antibiotics with a low risk of baseline dysbiosis. The intervention consisted of probiotics during or after antibiotic treatment, compared to placebo, alternative interventions, or no intervention. Outcomes included microbiome composition and diversity analysed using high-throughput molecular methods, alongside microbial function and resistome assessments. Seven studies, reported in eight papers, were reviewed. One study showed probiotics counteracting antibiotic-induced diversity changes, another showed exacerbation of these changes, and four others showed no effect. Effects on taxa abundance ranged from mitigating dysbiosis to selective modulation, no effect, or delayed recovery. One study observed no impact on the resistome, while another reported an increase in antibiotic resistance genes. In conclusion, heterogeneous results preclude a definitive conclusion on the effectiveness of any specific probiotic in restoring antibiotic-exposed microbiomes. For a clearer understanding, future research should be more standardised and long-term, employing advanced methods, such as 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metagenomic sequencing. These studies should strive to include larger, diverse populations to enhance generalisability and clearly define what constitutes a healthy microbiome. Finally, linking changes in the microbiome to specific clinical outcomes is essential for clinical decision making.

PROSPERO registration number: CRD42023446214.
Women’s Religious Agency and the Positioning of the Mosque: a Case Study of State-Sponsored Female Preaching in Egypt
Authors: Hosni Dina
Published: July 2024

This paper captures women’s religious agency and their bonding with the mosque by taking a snapshot of the discourse and experiences of female preachers, appointed by the Egyptian Ministry of Endowments, who were confronted with the closure of mosques within the outbreak of the covid-19 pandemic. Though these female preachers have managed to perform their preaching roles while being detached from the mosque, their spiritual affinity to the mosque could not escape notice. This paper argues that the detachment of the female preachers from the mosque due to covid-19 offers a novel conceptualization of ‘religious’ agency that could be partially ascribed to their attachment to the mosque, not as a locale for their ‘official’ or ‘semi-official’ affiliation with the state, but as a ‘sacred’ extension of the private space of the home.
Protesting Power-Sharing: Placing the Thawra in Recent Waves of Contentious Politics
Authors: Nagle John
Published: July 2024

This article places the Thawra within recent waves of protest politics in so-called divided societies, particularly the Plenum (Bosnia 2014) and Tishreen (Iraq 2019) protests. It examines the thematic connections between protest waves in relation to contesting consociational power-sharing governance, which has been deployed in Lebanon, Iraq, and Bosnia in the aftermath of civil war or political violence. While protests have addressed a range of issues – corruption, weak and failing public services, and rising unemployment levels – these various strands have been successfully distilled into powerful critiques of the ethnosectarian elites who perpetuate polarization and of the system itself. Towards this, I identify three significant frames developed by protestors in relation to power-sharing: The “People” versus the “Elites”, Trans-sectarian Belonging, and Participatory Citizenship.
“We are the Revolution, Abroad”: Diaspora Protests, Identity Construction, and the Remaking of Citizenship in the 2019 Lebanese Thawra
Authors: Aitken Miriam
Published: July 2024

Diasporas are often viewed as mirrors for their homeland’s politics. The Lebanese diaspora’s involvement in the 2019 Thawra, however, established the diaspora as a locus for autonomous and disruptive political action. Through an analysis of the spatialities of protest, this paper analyses the diaspora’s involvement in the Thawra, its implications for the protest movement, and for the diaspora itself. It argues that diaspora protests gave rise to new tactics and protest repertoires. These mirrored protest activity on the ground, supported protestors in Lebanon, and constituted the diaspora as a locus for contestation and claims-making. Moreover, the diaspora’s mobilization in the Thawra contributed to the consolidation of diasporic identity and the construction of alternative societal imaginaries and conceptions of citizenship that challenge Lebanon’s state-centric and sectarian citizenship regime. This paper thus makes the case for reassessing the autonomous political role of diasporas to gain a fuller understanding of transnational protest dynamics, solidarities, and citizenship beyond the boundaries of the nation-state.
Geminate latency in Djibouti Somali
Authors: Bendjaballah Sabrina , Le Gac David
Published: July 2024

Our aim in this article is first to contribute to the documentation of the diatopic variation in the realization of Somali geminates, and second to determine whether Djibouti Somali exhibits geminate latency, on a par with Standard Somali (Barillot 2002, Barillot & Ségéral 2005). To this effect, we present the results of two production experiments that were conducted with one Djibouti Somali speaker. Section 1 examines the realization of the contrast /b, d, ɡ/ vs /bb, dd, ɡɡ/ in nouns in Djibouti Somali (Experiment 1-Nouns) in comparison with the previous experiment we conducted on Standard Somali (Bendjaballah & Le Gac 2021). Based on the results of this experiment, Section 2 addresses the question of geminate latency in Djibouti Somali. ‘Latent’ geminates are segments that are phonologically long but whose phonetic duration is short. We examine the acoustic realization of voiced singletons (/b, d, ɡ/), voiced geminates (/bb, dd, ɡɡ/) and voiceless geminates (/tt, kk/) in Djibouti Somali (Experiment 2-Verbs). Section 3 concludes the article, and argues in favour of an extension of geminate latency both in Standard Somali and in Djibouti Somali: geminate latency does not only concern the voiceless stops but also the voiced stops.
Somali particle clusters
Authors: Bendjaballah Sabrina
Published: July 2024

Preverbal elements are famous for triggering several “coalescence rules” in Somali (Saeed 1999: 39). A case at hand is the set of adpositions ú (destination, manner), kú (locative, instrument), ká (source, content) and lá (comitative). The combinations of two adpositions are well documented, and it has long been noticed that some of them are phonologically opaque. Such opaque forms can in principle be analysed along two general lines: i) they are the outputs of a transparent combination of morphemes, and their surface forms is accounted for by positing allomorphy rules, or ii) they are not a combination of two morphemes, but single lexicalized units. The choice between these two options is an empirical question, which I address in this article. I examine the behaviour of opaque forms in a broader context: two-adposition clusters in combination with a pronominal clitic, and with a third adposition. Based on a new empirical basis, I conclude in favour of lexicalization. This result has consequences on the general assumption of a fixed ordering of adpositions in the preverbal domain. Since all combinations of kV́ adpositions surface as syncretic kagá, we have no evidence for assuming that the occurrence of two kV́ adpositions is ordered, and if it is ordered, in which order they appear.
The Ismaʿili Manuscripts in University Library Tübingen
Authors: Klemm Verena
Published: July 2024

The article is written in the framework of provenance research and focuses on the special, mostly precarious situation of Ismaili manuscripts. It sheds light on the history of a group of 42 Ismaili manuscripts, some of them stolen from the famous Hamdani Collection in Surat/Gujarat, India, and the circumstances of their acquisition by the University Library Tübingen between 1970 and 1972. When the manuscripts were acquired, the true origins and disposition of these manuscripts were still completely shrouded in darkness. More than fifty years after these events, I would like to put some pieces of the mosaic together and follow the history of the displaced manuscripts from their place of origin in Surat via Beirut to their final destination, Tübingen. My sources are: Archival material from Tübingen University Archive, dispersed documents, oral and written accounts of contemporary witnesses, further informants—and last not least, the manuscripts themselves.
The Chukchi Influence on Chaplinski Yupik
Authors: Panova Anastasia
Published: July 2024

Chaplinski Yupik (also often referred to as Siberian Yupik), a critically endangered Eskimo language spoken on the Bering coast in the north-eastern Siberia, shows numerous traces of language contact with Chukchi. A striking example is Chaplinski Yupik personal names, a significant part of which have Chukchi origin. In this study Chaplinski Yupik names are analyzed based on the genealogies of Chaplinski Yupik people compiled in 1970–1980s. The article focuses on phonological and grammatical adaptation of Chukchi names in Chaplinski Yupik. The case of personal names clearly reflects the history of Chukchi-Yupik language contact in the area – from an asymmetrical contact situation (the knowledge of Chukchi was common among Yupik speakers but not vice versa) and regarding Chukchi as a more prestigious language to a gradual loss of Chukchi-Yupik bilingualism by the end of the 20th century.
Person indexation in the Manchen dialect of Nyagrong Minyag
Authors: LIU Zhenyang
Published: July 2024

This article describes and analyzes the personal indexation system of the Manchen dialect of Nyagrong Minyag (locally known as məɲâ or məɲâɕkê), a West Rgyalrongic language spoken in Nyagrong county (Chinese Xīnlóng 新龙), Sichuan province, China. The article shows that Manchen presents regular tonal correspondences with Tangut, but that its indexation system is quite innovative, presenting multiple features that have never been found before in other Rgyalrongic languages.