bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of Malassezia species in the pathogenesis of skin diseases
Authors:   University of Pécs Medical School Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Oncodermatology, Szlávicz Eszter , Keresztes Dorottya , Horváth Szabina , Németh Viktória , Csoma Zsanett , Gyulai Rolland , Lengyel Zsuzsanna
Published: February 2025

Members of the Malassezia genus are lipophilic fungi that
are closely adapted to the milieu of skin areas rich in sebaceous glands. They are the most important fungal elements
of the adult skin microbiome, with colonization starting
immediately after birth. In recent years, their role in the
pathogenesis of many skin diseases has been suggested,
however, data regarding their actual function in etiology
of each disease are contradictory. In our report, we would
like to present the complex immunological mechanisms associated with colonization of Malassezia species, as well
as aspects related to integrity of skin barrier. In addition to
the common skin lesions (pityriasis versicolor, Malassezia
folliculitis, benign cephalic pustulosis), we cover in detail
the roles of Malassezia species in chronic inflammatory
skin diseases, paying special attention to the pathogenesis
of seborrheic dermatitis.
Joel Márquez: «La IA no es una amenaza para nuestro trabajo; puede ser una gran aliada» (y II)
Authors: Grela Yago
Published: February 2025

Joel Márquez cuenta con una larga experiencia en el ámbito de la comunicación estratégica gracias a su paso por agencias como Kardumen - Simpatía Digital, CDM World Agency o Hill + Knowlton Strategies, y por haber liderado la comunicación nacional de la aerolínea Vueling. En la actualidad es el director de la oficina de Barcelona de la agencia LF Channel.
The influence of the compensation character of personal insurance on the legal regulation of accumulation
Authors: Glintić Mirjana
Published: February 2025

Die Autorin analysiert den Entschädigungscharakter bestimmter Arten von Personenversicherungen, die den Zweck haben, den Schaden, den aus dem Versicherungsfall stammt, zu ersetzen. Dieses Merkmal bestimmter Personenversicherungen wird im Gesetz über Schuldverhältnisse der Republika Srpska nicht anerkannt, was die Kumulation des Anspruchs auf die Versicherungssumme und des Schadensersatzanspruchs bei allen Personenversicherungen ermöglicht, auch wenn deren Zweck der Schadensersatz ist. Positive rechtliche und rechtsvergleichende Analysen weisen auf die Notwendigkeit einer Änderung der bestehenden Gesetzgebung im Bereich Versicherungsrechts hin, da die bestehende Lösung nicht mit den Grundprinzipien des Zivilrechts im Einklang steht und zu einer rechtlich ungerechtfertigten Bereicherung führen kann. Abschließend weist die Autorin auf mögliche gesetzgeberische Eingriffsrichtungen hin, die eine Angleichung der rechtlichen Lösungen an die Rechtswirklichkeit gewährleisten würden. Schlüsselwörter: Versicherungsvertrag, Personenversicherung, Kumulation, Summenversicherung, Schadenversicherung.
Study of Multiscale Entropy Model to Evaluate the Cognitive Behavior of Healthy Elderly People Based on Resting State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: 张夫一  , 葛曼玲  , 郭志彤  , 谢冲  , 杨泽坤  , 宋子博
Published: February 2025

At present, resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rfMRI) has provided an efficient, rapid and advanced technology for brain function detection. Entropy can capture the dynamic characteristics of neural signals and might be used as a quantitative evaluation parameter. However, there are some problems remain solved yet, such as the entropy model computing with a fixed scale, and whether the entropy model could evaluate the cognitive performance. These problems will affect the accuracy of detection. Therefore, the multi-scale entropy model combined with a machine learning method is proposed here to investigate the relationship between complexity derived from
Capsaicin acts as a novel NRF2 agonist to suppress ethanol induced gastric mucosa oxidative damage by directly disrupting the KEAP1-NRF2 interaction
Authors: Gao Xiaoning , Guo WuYan , Liu Peiyuan , Yuwen Mingyue , Liu Zixiang , Tan Ruyang , Liu Kairui , Yang Zhiru , Ba Junli , Bai Xue , Shama Shiti , Tang Cong , Miao Kai , Pei Haozhi , Liu Liren , Zhu Cheng , Wang Tao , Zhang Bo , Kang Jun
Published: February 2025

Excessive drinking poses serious health risks and is closely associated with oxidative damage. The KEAP1-NRF2-ARE axis serves as the primary antioxidant system. However, the existing small molecule inhibitors are all covalently bound to KEAP1, meaning that once bound, they are not easily dissociated, while continuous inhibition of KEAP1 exhibits severe side effects. In this study, BLI, CETSA, Pull-down, Co-IP and HDX-MS assay analysis were conducted to detect the KEAP1 binding behavior of natural product, capsaicin (CAP), both
in vitro
and in GES-1 cells. The ethanol-induced acute gastric mucosal damage rat model was also established to determine the therapeutic effect of CAP. We demonstrated that CAP ameliorated mitochondrial damage, facilitated the nuclear translocation of NRF2, thereby promoting the expression of downstream antioxidant response elements, HO-1, Trx, GSS and NQO1 in GES-1 cells. Subsequently, CAP could directly bind to KEAP1 and inhibit the interaction between KEAP1 and NRF2. While in the KEAP1-knockout 293T cells, CAP failed to activate NRF2 expression. It was also found that CAP non-covalently bound to Kelch domain and allosterically regulated three regions of KEAP1:L342-L355, D394-G423 and N482-N495. To enhance drug solubility and delivery efficiency, we designed IR-Dye800 modified albumin coated CAP nanoparticle. The nanoparticles significantly alleviated the gastric mucosal inflammation and activated the NRF2 downstream genes
in vivo
. Finally, we further verified our hypothesis in Nfe2l2-knockout mice. Our work provided new insights that CAP is a safe and novel NRF2 agonist by allosterically regulating KEAP1, which may contribute to the development of lead drugs for oxidative stress-related illness, e.g. aging, cancer, neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases.
Effort Drives Saccade Selection
Authors: Koevoet Damian , Van Zantwijk Laura , Naber Marnix , Mathôt Sebastiaan , Van der Stigchel Stefan , Strauch Christoph
Published: February 2025

What determines where to move the eyes? We recently showed that pupil size, a well-established marker of effort, also reflects the effort associated with making a saccade (’saccade costs’). Here we demonstrate saccade costs to critically drive saccade selection: when choosing between any two saccade directions, the least costly direction was consistently preferred. Strikingly, this principle even held during search in natural scenes in two additional experiments. When increasing cognitive demand experimentally through an auditory counting task, participants made fewer saccades and especially cut costly directions. This suggests that the eye-movement system and other cognitive operations consume similar resources that are flexibly allocated among each other as cognitive demand changes. Together, we argue that eye-movement behavior is tuned to adaptively minimize saccade-inherent effort.
Adventitial fibroblasts direct smooth muscle cell-state transition in pulmonary vascular disease
Authors: Crnkovic Slaven , Thekkekara Puthenparampil Helene , Mulch Shirin , Biasin Valentina , Radic Nemanja , Wilhelm Jochen , Bartkuhn Marek , Bonyadi Rad Ehsan , Wawrzen Alicja , Matzer Ingrid , Mitra Ankita , Leib Ryan , Nagy Bence M , Sahu-Osen Anita , Valzano Francesco , Bordag Natalie , Evermann Matthias , Hoetzenecker Konrad , Olschewski Andrea , Ljubojevic-Holzer Senka , Wygrecka Malgorzata , Stenmark Kurt , Marsh Leigh M , de Jesus Perez Vinicio , Kwapiszewska Grazyna
Published: February 2025

Pulmonary vascular remodeling is a progressive pathological process characterized by functional alterations within pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMC) and adventitial fibroblasts (PAAF). Mechanisms driving the transition to a diseased phenotype remain elusive. Utilizing a combination of transcriptomic and proteomic profiling, along with phenotyping of source-matched cells from healthy controls and individuals with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH), our investigation uncovered that while PASMC and PAAF retained their original cellular identities, they acquired distinct disease-associated states. Though both cell types exhibited reduced mitochondrial content and hyperpolarization, IPAH-PASMC displayed heightened glycosaminoglycan production and downregulation of contractile machinery, contrasting a hyperproliferative phenotype of IPAH-PAAF. We investigated the involvement of cellular crosstalk in regulating cell state dynamics and identified pentraxin-3 and hepatocyte growth factor as potential modulators of PASMC phenotypic transition orchestrated by PAAF. Our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of pulmonary vascular mesenchyme dynamics in disease pathogenesis.
An optimal peer selection for peer-to-peer video content distribution using fuzzy linear programming approach
Authors: Anandaraj M. , S. Naganandhini
Published: February 2025

The problem of peer selection in peer-to-peer (P2P) video content distribution network is significant to solve since it affects the performance and efficiency of the network widely. In this article, a novel framework is introduced that uses fuzzy linear programming (FLP) to address the inherent uncertainties in peer selection. The primary motivation for the use of FLP lies in its capability to handle the imprecision and vagueness that are characteristic of dynamic P2P environments. Factors such as peer reliability, bandwidth, and proximity are often uncertain in this environment. By using fuzzy logic, the proposed framework models these criteria as fuzzy sets and then integrates uncertainty into the decision-making process. FLP is then applied to optimize peer selection, improving download speed, reducing download time, and enhancing peer reliability. The proposed method is evaluated and analyzed using extensive simulation with SciPy. The result reveals that proposed technique works better compared to some of the traditional methods in terms of download time, download speed and also reliability measure. It also exhibits approximately 20% of increase in download speed as well as a 15% decrease in download time compared to traditional approaches. It leads to faster content retrieval and enhanced the efficiency in content distribution. Also, in selection of reliable peers for content distribution, there is a notable 20% of increase in peer reliability with result of enhanced robustness. The proposed method provides efficient and robust solution to the problem of peer selection. It can be implemented in a broad range of P2P content distribution networks.
Adaptive machine learning approaches utilizing soft decision-making via intuitionistic fuzzy parameterized intuitionistic fuzzy soft matrices
Authors: Memiş Samet , Şola Erduran Ferhan , Aydoğan Hivda
Published: February 2025

The exponential data growth generated by technological advancements presents significant challenges in analysis and decision-making, necessitating innovative and robust methodologies. Machine learning has emerged as a transformative tool to address these challenges, especially in scenarios requiring precision and adaptability. This study introduces two novel adaptive machine learning approaches, i.e., AIFPIFSC1 and AIFPIFSC2. These methods leverage the modeling ability of intuitionistic fuzzy parameterized intuitionistic fuzzy soft matrices (ifpifs-matrices). This state-of-the-art framework enhances the classification task in machine learning by employing soft decision-making through ifpifs-matrices. The proposed approaches are rigorously evaluated against leading fuzzy/soft-based classifiers using 15 widely recognized University of California, Irvine datasets, including accuracy and robustness, across six performance metrics. Statistical analyses conducted using Friedman and Nemenyi tests further substantiate the reliability and superiority of the proposed approaches. The results consistently demonstrate that these approaches outperform their counterparts, highlighting their potential for solving complex classification problems. This study contributes to the field by offering adaptable and effective solutions for modern data analysis challenges, paving the way for future advancements in machine learning and decision-making systems.
Review of History and Memory in the Abbasid Caliphate: Writing the Past in Medieval Arabic Literature
Authors: Naaman Erez
Published: February 2025

History and Memory in the Abbasid Caliphate: Writing the Past in Medieval Arabic Literature. By Letizia Osti. Early and Medieval Islamic World. iIB. Tauris, 2022. Pp. xiii + 183. $115.
Review of The Stage in the Temple: Ritual Opera in Village Shanxi
Authors: Wang Mengxiao
Published: February 2025

The Stage in the Temple: Ritual Opera in Village Shanxi. By David Johnson. Institute of East Asian Studies, University of California, BerKeLey, 2022. Pp. vi + 190. $25 (paper); $24.95 (ebook).
Effectiveness of Tranexamic Acid to Prevent Blood Loss in Patients Undergoing Hip Arthroplasty: A Randomised Controlled Study
Authors: Ravichandran Arun Karthik , Kalirajan Rajavel , Nambiraj Gowthaman , Kanthan Sabari Vaasan Lakshmi , Raju Madhan , Tiwary Tathagath , Ravi Saravanan , Yuvaraj Aravindhan Krishnasamy
Published: February 2025

Introduction: The safe and efficient Intravenous (i.v.) administration of Tranexamic Acid (TXA) has been shown to reduce blood loss and transfusion requirements following total hip replacement. However, its effectiveness in hip arthroplasty for femoral neck fractures remains a subject of debate to date.

Aim: To evaluate the effects of TXA in patients undergoing hip arthroplasty to prevent blood loss.

Materials and Methods: The present prospective, doubleblinded, randomised controlled study was conducted in in the Department of Orthopaedics, SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Institute (a tertiary care facility), Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, India, between August 2023 and January 2024. Study involved 138 participants with hip fractures classified into a TXA group (group A) and a placebo group (group B). The selected participants were monitored for blood loss, haemoglobin levels and blood transfusion volume. Statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 21.0, with t-tests and chisquare tests employed to compare participant characteristics.

Results: In the present study, 69 of the 138 individuals received TXA in the interventional group, while 69 received a placebo in the control group. The mean±Standard Deviation (SD) age was 44.6±17.6 years in the interventional group and 48.5±16.4 years in the control group. Postoperatively, the interventional group exhibited a smaller decline in haemoglobin levels (12 g/dL vs. 11.0 g/dL). TXA significantly reduced transfusion volume (p-value <0.001). Additionally, blood loss was lower in patients receiving TXA (p-value <0.001).

Conclusion: Treatment for hip fractures with TXA showed a tendency towards reduced blood loss and transfusions, as well as, a shortened total duration of surgery among the study participants. This indicates that TXA is safe and efficient in minimising blood loss during surgery.
Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy of Nuclear Matrix Protein 22 versus Urine Cytology for Detecting Bladder Cancer keeping Cystoscopy and Biopsy as Gold Standard: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Kumar Santosh , Mehra Kunal , Suhas Neeraj
Published: February 2025

Introduction: Bladder cancer is a common urological malignancy that requires early and accurate detection for effective treatment and improved patient outcomes. Traditional urine cytology is effective for high-grade tumours but has limited sensitivity for lowgrade cancers.

Aim: To compare the sensitivity and specificity of the Nuclear Matrix Protein 22 (NMP22) test and urine cytology for bladder cancer detection, using cystoscopy and biopsy as the gold standard.

Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional validation study was conducted at the Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India from August 2023 to August 2024, involving 42 patients with Transitional Cell Carcinoma (TCC). Urine samples were analysed using ALERE NMP22® and cytology, with cystoscopy and biopsy serving as the gold standard for diagnosing bladder cancer. Contingency tables were created to calculate sensitivity, specificity, Positive Predictive Value (PPV), Negative Predictive Value (NPV), and diagnostic accuracy of NMP22 and urine cytology, using cystoscopy/biopsy as the gold standard.

Results: The mean age of the study population was 56 years, with the mean age among males and females being 58.5 years and 51.3 years, respectively. NMP22 outperformed urine cytology in diagnosing bladder cancer, with a sensitivity of 76.32% (32/42) versus 31.58% (13/41), and both tests had 100% specificity and PPV. NMP22’s NPV was 30.77%, compared to 13.33% for cytology. Overall accuracy for NMP22 was 78.57% (33/42), while the accuracy for cytology was 38.10% (16/42).

Conclusion: The NMP22 is more sensitive than urine cytology for detecting bladder cancer. While cytology remains valuable for its specificity and confirmatory role, NMP22 offers a superior diagnostic option, particularly for the early detection of aggressive tumours. Future research should explore combining NMP22 with other diagnostic methods to further enhance early detection and improve patient outcomes.
Sistema agroalimentar brasileiro: breves considerações sobre a política agrícola para a agricultura camponesa e o agronegócio
Authors: Esteves de Oliveira de Jesus Sidinei , Pizzio Alex
Published: February 2025

Este artigo tem como objetivo analisar contradições do sistema agroalimentar brasileiro a partir da Agricultura Familiar Camponesa (AFC). Assim, buscou-se à luz do Novo Institucionalismo e do Capital Social compreender como as instituições se articulam para promover as políticas que orientam a produção familiar camponesa e como a organização social coletiva, regida por normas de reciprocidade para a geração de capital social, possibilita o atendimento aos interesses desse setor. A pesquisa foi desenvolvida a partir da revisão de literatura, pautada numa abordagem qualitativa, a qual se concentrou em publicações que abordam o tema, incluindo boletins, jornais, revistas, artigos, livros, teses e dissertações. Como resultado, constatou-se que no Brasil a política pública-rural privilegia um setor produtivo em detrimento de outro. As instituições, embora tenham o papel de construir políticas públicas que atendam às demandas sociais, fazem-no (quando o fazem) de forma padrão. No caso da agricultura, essas políticas não abarcam a AFC na mesma proporção que contemplam o setor do agronegócio. Contudo, a forma de organização pautada nas normas de confiança e reciprocidade eleva o capital social da AFC e a mantém na luta e resistência em favor do proposito coletivo do setor.
Enhancing the Postharvest Quality of Indian Jujube (Ziziphus mauritiana) Using Aloe Vera Gel and Ascorbic Acid-Based Edible Coatings
Authors: Sarkar Animesh , Sadaf Nafisa , Alam Mahabub , Miah Md. Sumon , Roy Prantik , Rahman Mahbuba
Published: February 2025

Indian jujube (Ziziphus mauritiana) is a highly perishable fruit with significant nutritional and economic value, yet its short shelf life and susceptibility to postharvest losses limit its market potential. Edible coatings have emerged as a promising solution to enhance fruit preservation by reducing moisture loss and maintaining quality during storage. This study aimed to develop aloe vera gel (AG) and ascorbic acid (AA)-based edible coatings and assess their effectiveness in preserving the postharvest quality of Indian jujube. Three coating formulations were prepared: diluted AG (1:3) with 0% AA, 3% AA, and 5% AA. The coated and uncoated fruits were stored for 15 days and evaluated for weight loss, total soluble solids (TSS), pH, titratable acidity (TA), ascorbic acid content, total phenolic content (TPC), and total antioxidant activity. The results indicated that AG+5% AA-coated fruits exhibited the least weight loss (14.69%) by day 15, whereas control samples showed the highest (27.35%). TSS values increased more slowly in coated samples, with AG+5% AA maintaining the lowest increase (11.13° Brix) compared to the control (15.16° Brix). Titratable acidity decreased at a slower rate in coated fruits, with AG+5% AA retaining a TA of 0.58%, while the control dropped to 0.52%. Additionally, coated samples better preserved ascorbic acid content and total phenolic content, with AG+5% AA demonstrating the highest retention. Total antioxidant activity remained significantly higher in coated fruits, further supporting the effectiveness of the coatings in delaying quality degradation. These findings suggest that aloe vera gel and ascorbic acid-based edible coatings effectively reduce postharvest deterioration by minimizing weight loss, preserving physicochemical properties, and enhancing antioxidant retention in Indian jujube. This natural preservation method offers a sustainable approach to extending the shelf life and improving the commercial viability of fresh fruits.
Enhancing Governance and Public Sector Efficiency through Blockchain Technology: A Simulation Study
Authors: Agyeman Atta Yaw
Published: February 2025

Since its inception by Satoshi Nakamoto in 2008, blockchain technology has become a pivotal advancement, primarily due to its decentralized, transparent, and immutable properties. This paper examines the potential of blockchain technology to improve governance and enhance efficiency in the public sector through a simulation-based approach. Focusing on blockchain-enabled voting systems and public records management, the study investigates how security, transparency, and efficiency can be significantly improved. The paper explores current blockchain applications within governance, the challenges facing traditional systems, and the transformative power of blockchain. Through simulation, performance indicators such as security, transparency, and operational efficiency are analyzed, culminating in recommendations for integrating blockchain into public sector frameworks.
Characterization and Comparative Assessment of Ten Advanced Lines of Aus Rice (Oryza sativa)
Authors: Khanam Aliya Adiba , Haque Mokhshedul , Hasan Shah Mohammad Kamrul , Gani S. M. Abdul , Karmoker Ripon Chandra , Haque Md. Imdadul , Morshed Mirza Golam , Syfullah Khalid , Bhuiyan Md. Shahidur Rashid
Published: February 2025

The present study focuses on the characterization and comparative assessment of ten advanced lines of Aus rice (Oryza sativa L.), an ecotype known for its adaptability to adverse environmental conditions. The experiment was conducted at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Bangladesh, during the Aus season of 2017, using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Various agronomic traits, including plant height, panicle length, tiller number, and yield components, were recorded and analyzed to assess genetic variability. Significant genetic diversity was observed among the genotypes, with high heritability estimates for key traits, indicating their potential for selection in breeding programs. Correlation and path coefficient analyses revealed strong associations between plant height, panicle length, and grain yield, highlighting their importance in yield improvement strategies. The findings emphasize the genetic potential of Aus rice for breeding high-yielding, stress-tolerant varieties, contributing to global food security and sustainable rice production.
Exploring the Biodiversity of Turkey Tail Mushroom “Trametes sp.” from their Natural Habitat and its Characterization
Authors: KB Kiran , G Heera , Salam Sherin A , KP Sindura , Radhakrishnan NV
Published: February 2025

Trametes versicolor a high value medicinal mushroom recognized for its diverse bioactive and therapeutic industry.  The versatile nature of this  tropica l mushroom with their wider adaptability makes it very unique. A survey was conducted in southern regions of Kerala (Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, and Alappuzha) during November to January, 2022-2023 for the collection of the native Trametes sp. from their habitat. The survey identified five distinct species of Trametes. These mushrooms occurred in gregarious nature on lignicolous substrates, The mushrooms exhibited fan-shaped pilei with wavy margins and were sessile attached to the substrate. The upper surface displayed concentric brown zonations, while the undersurface was porous. The native Trametes sp. had creamish-white pilei with brown concentric zones, ranging in size from 6 to 13 cm. Pure cultures of the native Trametes species were developed using the standard tissue culture technique on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) medium. The mycelial growth of these native isolates was either fluffy or sparse, with growth completion from 7 to 16 days in Petri plates(9 cm). The rapid/fast-growing isolate I4 was molecularly characterized as Trametes sp. For comparative study, a standard culture of Trametes versicolor (DMRO-211) obtained from ICAR-DMR, Solan, were also used.  Physiological studies were conducted to identify suitable media, temperature, and pH conditions for the mycelia under in vitro conditions. The growth of both the native isolate (I4) and T. versicolor was comparatively faster in Malt Extract Agar (MEA) medium and slower in Czapek Dox Agar (CDA) medium. The optimum temperature for mycelial growth was found to be in the range of 25°C to 30°C. Near-neutral and neutral pH levels (5.5-6.5) favored rapid mycelial growth in both isolates.
Molecular Characterisation of Enteric Bacteria in Diarrhoeic Stool Samples of Children Less than Five Years in Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Authors: V. N Agi, , C. A Mbata,
Published: February 2025

Introduction: Diarrheal diseases remain a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among children under five years old, particularly in developing regions such as Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
Aim: This study aimed to molecularly characterize bacteria in diarrheic stool samples from children less than five years in Port Harcourt.
Methodology: Two hundred and seventy (270) Stool samples were collected from pediatric patients presenting with diarrhea at Rivers State University teaching hospital Port Harcourt from September 2023 to June 2024 for isolation and identification of bacteria causing childhood diarrhoea and ten (10) samples out of the 270 Stool samples collected were used for molecular analysis which involves 16S rRNA gene extraction, amplification using specific primers and sequencing. Data generated was used to create a phylogenetic tree to establish the origin and relationship between isolates.
Results: The results reveal that out of the 270 samples, bacteria pathogens causing childhood diarrhoea was present in 98 at varying frequencies. They include: Escherichia coli 46 (17.0%), Salmonella species 20 (7.4%), Shigella species 16(5.9%), Yersinia species 10(3.7%) and Vibrio species 6(2.2%). There was no statistically significant association between sex and the prevalence of diarrhoea-causing bacterial pathogens (p = 0.7981) but there was a significant association found between age and the prevalence of bacterial pathogens (p < 0.0001). There was high level of multi drug resistance found amongst the isolates with all isolates having a 100% resistance to septrin and augumentin having a better performance index. Genetic analysis highlighted the presence of multiple strains as compared to 5 bacteria isolated using the conventional method of bacteria identification. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that all isolates evolved from a common ancestral lineage.
Conclusion: This study shows the importance of comprehensive molecular surveillance and targeted intervention strategies to combat diarrheal diseases in young children in Port Harcourt. Understanding the genetic diversity and prevalence of pathogens can inform public health initiatives, including vaccination programs, sanitation improvements, and antimicrobial stewardship, aimed at reducing the burden of diarrheal illnesses and improving child health outcomes in the region.
Development of Rainfall Forecasts Merging Method for Flood Forecasting Lead Time
Authors: Hwang Seok-Hwan , Yoon Jungsoo , Kang Narae , Kim Seokhyeon
Published: February 2025

Radar rainfall has been used as input data for short-term rainfall forecasting because it provides rainfall data with high spatial and temporal resolution. In 2019, the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT) developed a flash flood forecasting system using short-term rainfall forecasting that can provide real-time flash flood information with a one-hour lead time. The lead time of the system was set to one hour because the system operator considered it to be the minimum evacuation time. However, the accuracy of rainfall forecasting decreased significantly after one hour. In this study, a rainfall forecast merging method was developed to increase the lead time from one hours to three hours. Short-term rainfall forecasts produced by the Han River Flood Control Office (HRFCO) and numerical weather prediction (NWP) produced by the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) were used in the merging method. As a result, the accuracy of rainfall forecasting was improved to up to a three-hour lead time using the merging method.
Loss of heterozygosity at the dilute–short ear
(Myo5a–Bmp5) region of the mouse: mitotic recombination

or double non-disjunction?
Authors: FAVOR JACK , NEUHÄUSER-KLAUS ANGELIKA
Published: July 2002

The occurrence of homozygous-viable dilute–short ear
(Myo5a–Bmp5) double mutants in mouse
specific locus mutation experiments has generally been assumed to be the
result of double non-
disjunction such that the mutant inherits two copies of chromosome 9 carrying
the recessive alleles
from the test-stock. A homozygous viable Myo5a–Bmp5 double
mutant was recovered recently in
our laboratory. We were able to genetically analyse both the Myo5a–Bmp5
region and proximal
and distal markers in the original mutant as well as in offspring of the
original mutant. Our results
indicate the mutational event to be due to mitotic recombination and not
double non-disjunction.
NEW LIGHT ON OLD REGIME POLITICS
Authors: CAMPBELL PETER R.
Published: July 2002

Louis XV and the parlement of Paris, 1737–1755. By J.
M.

Rogister. Cambridge:

Cambridge University Press, 1995. Pp. xxv+288. ISBN 0-521-40395-2. £37.50,
hbk.

Politics and the parlement of Paris under Louis XV, 1754–1774.

By Julian Swann. Cambridge:

Cambridge University Press, 1995. Pp. x+390. ISBN 0-521-48362-X. £45,
hbk,

£19.95, pbk.

Revolt in prerevolutionary France. The Prince de Conti's

conspiracy against Louis XV, 1755–1757.

By John D. Woodbridge. Baltimore and London: the John's Hopkins

University Press,

1995. Pp. xvii+242. ISBN 0-801-84945-4. £33, hbk.

French politics, 1774–1789. By John Hardman. London and

New York: Longman, 1995.

Pp. x+283. ISBN 0-582-23649-5. £15.99, pbk.

Preserving the monarchy. The comte de Vergennes, 1774–1787.

By M. Price. Cambridge:

Cambridge University Press, 1995. Pp. xi+256. ISBN 0-521-46566-4. £35,
hbk.
BRITISH MIDDLE EAST POLICY-MAKING AFTER THE FIRST WORLD
WAR: THE LAWRENTIAN AND WILSONIAN SCHOOLS
Authors: PARIS TIMOTHY J.
Published: July 2002

In the aftermath of the First World War, two schools of divergent
thought emerged
among Whitehall's Middle East policy-makers. One, propounded by T.
E. Lawrence, found support
in the Foreign Office, where many favoured Arab national ideals
and backed the Hashemite family for
rulership positions in the region. The other, epitomized by
Arnold Wilson, the civil commissioner for
Iraq, was thought to reflect the India Office view that direct
British rule in Iraq was essential and that
Hashemite pretensions should be opposed. In this article, the
author shows that the lines separating the
India and Foreign Offices were not so clearly drawn. Many
senior officials in the India Office were
disturbed by Wilson's imperial programme for Iraq and some were prepared
to support Hashemite
aspirations. But Lawrence's 1920 campaign for Hashemite
rule and his hyperbolic press attacks on
Wilson's policies had the paradoxical effect of moving the
India Office to defend Wilson and to revert
to their anti-Hashemite stance. The article concludes with
an analysis of the reasons behind the
triumph of the Lawrentian over the Wilsonian schools at the end of
1920, when Wilson was removed
from Iraq and Middle East policy-making was consolidated in the Colonial
Office.
THE POLITICS OF THE ‘UNPOLITICAL
GERMAN’: LIBERALISM IN GERMAN
LOCAL GOVERNMENT, 1860–1880
Authors: PALMOWSKI JAN
Published: July 2002

Contrary to the widespread assumption that in imperial Germany urban affairs were
conducted by a homogeneous ‘unpolitical’ notable elite until around 1900, a review of recently
published case studies suggests that politics had entered local government by the 1870s. Frequent causes
for the politicization of local affairs included confessional divisions, territorial change, or simply the
wish of local elites to buttress their own positions. The ways in which liberals in particular took
advantage of this emergence of political discourse at the urban level is highlighted by the case of
Frankfurt am Main. The city's three liberal parties developed in competition with each other. Each
managed to address and articulate the citizens' peculiar grievances with differing degrees of success.
By 1880, public life inside and outside the town hall was conducted according to political ground rules,
and this was accepted by every party. Against the still prevailing view of a rigid liberalism which after
1874 was in evident terminal decline, the decade after 1866 needs to be recognized as the period in
which liberals took charge of municipal government across most of Germany, through the politicization
of often highly individual local concerns with astonishing sophistication and flexibility.
OLIVIER BAST, Les Allemands en Perse pendant la première guerre mondiale d'après les sources diplomatiques françaises (Paris: Peeters and Institut d'études iraniennes, 1997). Pp. 208.
Authors: Matthee Rudi
Published: July 2002

Although the vicissitudes of the Ottoman Empire during World War I are well known, the fate of Iran during the same period remains relatively unappreciated. Officially neutral in the conflict, Iran in fact found itself overrun and occupied by various foreign powers. Following a 1907 accord with Britain that divided the country into two spheres of influence, Iran by 1911 found much of its northern half practically occupied by Russia. Intent on safeguarding its Indian possessions, Britain, meanwhile, controlled most of the south. With the outbreak of the Great War, these traditional rivals were joined by the Ottomans, who, supported by local tribes and Iranian nationalists loath to see half of the country controlled by Russians, invaded Azerbaijan in early 1915. Finally, there were the Germans, who, supported by an alliance with the Ottomans, infiltrated Iran later in 1915 as part of a grand strategy designed to destabilize the country by inciting its population against the British and eventually to forge a German–Iranian alliance.
BERND RADTKE AND JOHN O'KANE, The Concept of Sainthood in Early Islamic Mysticism: Two Works by al-Hakim al-Tirmidhi (Richmond, Surrey: Curzon Press, 1996). Pp. 293. Price not available.
Authors: Bowering Gerhard
Published: July 2002

This annotated translation of selected works by the early Muslim mystic al-Hakim al-Tirmidhi of northeastern Iran, who died some time between 905 and 910 at about ninety years of age, was produced by the felicitous collaboration of two scholars. One of them, Bernd Radtke, has previously published studies in German on al-Hakim al-Tirmidhi and meticulously edited some of his works, while the other, John O'Kane, is known for his fine English translations of various Persian sources of Islamic mysticism. Though titled “Two Works,” the book actually includes three translations: (1) the translation of al-Hakim al-Tirmidhi's autobiography on pages 15–36 (which Radtke previously translated into German in Oriens 34 [1994]: 242–98); (2) the translation of al-Hakim al-Tirmidhi's Sirat al-awliya (The Way of Life of the Friends of God) on pages 38–211 (which, in a slightly different German translation, appeared as the first part of B. Radtke, Drei Schriften des Theosophen von Tirmid. Zweiter Teil: Übersetzung und Kommentar [Beirut, 1996], 9–154); and (3) the translation of an appendix of text passages selected from other works of al-Hakim al-Tirmidhi on pages 213–39, also previously published in German (Drei Schriften: Zweiter Teil, 154–74). The Introduction to the annotated translations is rather short, and its references are somewhat sparse and cryptic. The reader is frequently referred to Radtke's German dissertation on the author (cf. Bernd Radtke, Al-Hakim al-Tirmidhi: Ein islamischer Theosoph des 3./9. Jahrhunderts [Freiburg: Klaus Schwarz, 1980]) and to his edition of the Arabic texts written by al-Hakim al-Tirmidhi (Drei Schriften des Theosophen von Tirmid. Erster Teil: Die arabischen Texte [Beirut, 1992]).
The San and the Colonization of the Cape,

1770–1879. By MIKLÓS SZALAY.

(Quellen zur Khoisan-Forschung, Vol. 11.) Köln: Rüdiger

Köppe Verlag, 1995. Pp. 151. No price given (ISBN

3-927620-58-0).
Authors: ROSS ROBERT
Published: July 2002

Language death, a widespread phenomenon in modern Africa does

not entail that the speakers of a given language have no descendants

only that those descendants cannot speak their parents' language.

The same is true of the death of a culture, although this is often

less clearly recognized. Thus within the boundaries of modern South

Africa, there is virtually no-one who can speak the San, or Bushman,

languages, which until two hundred years or less ago were flourishing,

if only in pockets. Equally, there is now no-one who lives according

to the hunter–gatherer lifestyle from which the San take their

name.
Phosphorus fertilizer for nitrogen-fertilized dairy

pastures. 3. Milk responses to a dietary phosphorus supplement
Authors: WALKER R. G. , DAVISON T. M. , ORR W. N. , SILVER B. A.
Published: July 2002

Dairy cows grazing a tropical grass pasture fertilized with

300 kg N/ha and with a 7-year history of

phosphorus fertilizer at either 0 or 45 kg P/ha were

given a P supplement in a 2 × 2 factorial

experiment at Kairi Research Station, Queensland,

Australia. Milk yield, fat-corrected milk yield,

yields of milk fat, protein and lactose, and protein content of milk

were increased (P<0·05) with P

fertilizer. There was no response in milk yield or any component of

milk to the provision of a P

supplement. It is concluded that the milk response recorded in this

experiment was due to P fertilizer

leading to additional pasture on offer and increased pasture intake.

The lack of response to additional

P in the form of a supplement indicates that these pastures can

supply adequate P for cows producing

20 kg/day even after 8 years without P fertilizer.
The efficiency of the nitrogen in cattle slurry acidified

with nitric acid for grass production
Authors: STEVENS R. J. , LAUGHLIN R. J. , O'BRIC C. J. , CARTON O. T. , LENEHAN J. J.
Published: July 2002

Field trials were conducted at six sites throughout Ireland in

1992, 1993 and 1994, to assess the

efficiency of utilization of N in cattle slurry treated with nitric acid.

Slurries were left untreated or

were acidified to pH 5·5 with 12 m nitric acid immediately prior

to spreading. Slurries were either

band-spread or splashplate-spread using an automated tanker system. The

efficiency of N (NH+4-N+NO−3-N)

in slurry for grass production (Eff-N%) was measured by comparing N offtake
values

with those from a range of rates of inorganic fertilizer N (ammonium

nitrate/calcium carbonate) treatments. Slurry was applied at rates

(13–28 m3/ha) which supplied N

(NH+4-N+NO−3-N) below
the

highest inorganic fertilizer treatment. In all experiments, untreated

cattle slurry was compared with

nitric acid-treated cattle slurry at the same rate of application. The

Eff-N% values for unacidified or

acidified slurries were highly variable by both spreading methods. The

effect of spreading method

depended on whether or not the slurry was acidified. On average the

Eff-N% value of the band-spread unacidified slurry (59%) was significantly

higher than the Eff-N% value of the splashplate-spread slurry (37%). For

acidified slurry, the average Eff-N% value of the band-spread slurry (85%)

was not significantly different from the Eff-N% value of the

splashplate-spread slurry (81%). The

overall average Eff-N% value of the acidified slurry was 83% which was

significantly less than 100%.

Cattle slurry acidified with nitric acid to pH 5·5 was more

variable and less efficient than inorganic

fertilizer N under the soil and climatic conditions tested.
Cultural control of volunteer oilseed rape
(Brassica napus)
Authors: PEKRUN C. , HEWITT J. D. J. , LUTMAN P. J. W.
Published: July 2002

Laboratory studies on the biology of oilseed rape
(Brassica napus L.) showed that the induction of
secondary dormancy is influenced by light environment, time
of exposure to light and darkness,
temperature regime and genotype. Seeds did not become dormant
while exposed to light but were
increasingly likely to become dormant the longer they were
exposed to water stress and darkness.
Dormancy was broken by alternating warm and cold temperatures.

Conclusions from results obtained in Petri dishes have been
tested in the field and hypotheses
regarding the effects of post-harvest cultivation have been
proposed. In July 1995, field experiments
were initiated on a flinty silty clay loam and a sand to test
the implications of post-harvest cultivation
on the development of a persistent seedbank. The results
largely confirmed assumptions made on the
basis of laboratory findings. Seeds that had been exposed to
water stress and darkness for longest,
by cultivating the soil at the beginning of the experiment,
immediately after seed distribution,
exhibited the highest persistence rates. Seeds that were
exposed to light for 4 weeks and then
incorporated into the soil built up a much smaller seedbank.
The seedbank was very small or
nonexistent in plots that had not been cultivated at all.
Pie in the Sky vs. Meat and Potatoes: The Case of Sun Ship's Yard No. 4
Authors: McLARNON JOHN M.
Published: July 2002

In the spring of 1942, the Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Company was
gearing up for the most productive three years in its history. With the
United States at war, the demand for transport ships would soon propel
the Chester-based shipyard to a position of unmatched prominence in the
industry – a remarkable development for a concern that was originally
conceived as a support subsidiary for its parent, the Sun Oil Company.
Twenty-six years earlier, Joseph N. Pew, the younger of two brothers
who oversaw the fortunes of Sun Oil, had suggested the creation of a
shipyard to build tankers needed to carry the products of Sun's Marcus
Hook (Pa.) refinery. He and his older brother J. Howard acquired the old
Merchant's Shipyard, hired cousin John G. Pew as president, and began
building tankers.

By the end of 1943, Sun Ship boasted 35,000 employees, approximately
half of whom were black. More than one third of the black employees
worked in the company's No. 4 facility, a yard intended by the Pews to
be staffed completely by black workers. Yard No. 4 presented blacks with
another instance of a recurring dilemma: should they postpone the goal
of full integration for the sake of economic improvement, or should they
forgo the opportunity to improve their vocational expertise and economic
condition for the ultimate goal of total equality in a fully integrated
society? Such a goal seemed, on the eve of the Second World War, nearly
as remote as it had been at the close of the Civil War. Jim Crow ruled
throughout the South. The North lacked Jim Crow laws, but
discrimination and segregation were the norm rather than the exception.
“What have Negroes to fight for?” A. Philip Randolph demanded in
1942. “If you haven't got democracy yourself, how can you carry it to
somebody else?”
The Uncreated Conscience of My Race/The Uncreated
Features of His Face: The Strange Career of Ralph Ellison
Authors: KING RICHARD H.
Published: July 2002

Ralph Ellison's career will undoubtedly provide students of American literature
and biographers much to puzzle over in the coming years. He published his first
novel, Invisible Man, in 1952 when he was 38, an age when Faulkner was in the
midst of his great period and just poised to publish Absalom, Absalom! After the
early 1950s, Ellison published two books of essays, Shadow and Act (1964) and
Going to the Territory (1986), and a few excerpts from an ever more mythical work-in-progress.
That work-in-progress, or some truncated version of it, has now
appeared with the intriguing title, Juneteenth, which refers to the day, 19 June
1865, when the slaves in Texas learned they were free, some two months after the
end of the Civil War.

Without a doubt, Ralph Ellison considered himself, above all, an American
writer of the modernist persuasion; indeed, he was one of the most patriotic of
writer-citizens in the republic of letters. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, he was
attacked by anti-war forces for his qualified support for the Johnson
administration's prosecution of the Vietnam War, and black radicals for
insufficient militance about his “blackness.” Through it all, Ellison resolutely
resisted the obligation to make his art explicitly political. It was precisely that
which was at issue in his famous polemical exchanges with Irving Howe.

Yet, Ellison's writing always was political in at least two senses. First, as he
asserted in 1964 before the civil rights movement gave way to Black Power and
its cultural wing, the Black Arts movement: “protest is an element of all art,
though it does not necessarily take the form of speaking for a political or social
program.” In other words: art was political but not in the programmatic way
demanded by others, whoever they might be.
THE EFFECT OF DIVORCE ON INFANT MORTALITY IN A REMOTE AREA OF BANGLADESH
Authors: ALAM NURUL , SAHA SAJAL K. , RAZZAQUE ABDUR , VAN GINNEKEN JEROEN K.
Published: July 2002

The process of divorce is usually lengthy and hazardous, and can start quarrels that can lead to the abuse of women and their children. This study examines the effects of divorce on neonatal and postneonatal mortality of babies born before and after divorce in Teknaf, a remote area of Bangladesh. The longitudinal demographic surveillance system (DSS) followed 1762 Muslim marriages in 1982–83 for 5 years to record divorce, deaths of spouse, emigration and births. It recorded 2696 live births during the follow-up period, and their survival status during infancy. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the effect of divorce on neonatal and postneonatal mortality, controlling for maternal age at birth, parity, sex of the child and household economic status. The odds of neonatal and postneonatal deaths among babies born after divorce or less than 12 months before mothers were divorced were more than double the odds of those born to mothers of intact marriages. The odds of postneonatal deaths were two times higher among babies born more than 12 months before divorce happens than their peers. The high mortality of infants born before and after mothers were divorced may reflect how abusive marriage and divorce increase the vulnerability of women and children in rural Bangladesh. Divorce and abuse of women are difficult and intractable social and health problems that must be addressed.