bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electrical Signaling Beyond Neurons
Authors: Monk Travis , Dennler Nik , Ralph Nicholas , Rastogi Shavika , Afshar Saeed , Urbizagastegui Pablo , Jarvis Russell , van Schaik André , Adamatzky Andrew
Published: August 2024

Neural action potentials (APs) are difficult to interpret as signal encoders and/or computational primitives. Their relationships with stimuli and behaviors are obscured by the staggering complexity of nervous systems themselves. We can reduce this complexity by observing that “simpler” neuron-less organisms also transduce stimuli into transient electrical pulses that affect their behaviors. Without a complicated nervous system, APs are often easier to understand as signal/response mechanisms. We review examples of nonneural stimulus transductions in domains of life largely neglected by theoretical neuroscience: bacteria, protozoans, plants, fungi, and neuron-less animals. We report properties of those electrical signals—for example, amplitudes, durations, ionic bases, refractory periods, and particularly their ecological purposes. We compare those properties with those of neurons to infer the tasks and selection pressures that neurons satisfy. Throughout the tree of life, nonneural stimulus transductions time behavioral responses to environmental changes. Nonneural organisms represent the presence or absence of a stimulus with the presence or absence of an electrical signal. Their transductions usually exhibit high sensitivity and specificity to a stimulus, but are often slow compared to neurons. Neurons appear to be sacrificing the specificity of their stimulus transductions for sensitivity and speed. We interpret cellular stimulus transductions as a cell’s assertion that it detected something important at that moment in time. In particular, we consider neural APs as fast but noisy detection assertions. We infer that a principal goal of nervous systems is to detect extremely weak signals from noisy sensory spikes under enormous time pressure. We discuss neural computation proposals that address this goal by casting neurons as devices that implement online, analog, probabilistic computations with their membrane potentials. Those proposals imply a measurable relationship between afferent neural spiking statistics and efferent neural membrane electrophysiology.
Deconstructing Deep Active Inference: A Contrarian Information Gatherer
Authors: Champion Théophile , Grześ Marek , Bonheme Lisa , Bowman Howard
Published: August 2024

Active inference is a theory of perception, learning, and decision making that can be applied to neuroscience, robotics, psychology, and machine learning. Recently, intensive research has been taking place to scale up this framework using Monte Carlo tree search and deep learning. The goal of this activity is to solve more complicated tasks using deep active inference. First, we review the existing literature and then progressively build a deep active inference agent as follows: we (1) implement a variational autoencoder (VAE), (2) implement a deep hidden Markov model (HMM), and (3) implement a deep critical hidden Markov model (CHMM). For the CHMM, we implemented two versions, one minimizing expected free energy, CHMM[EFE] and one maximizing rewards, CHMM[reward]. Then we experimented with three different action selection strategies: the ε-greedy algorithm as well as softmax and best action selection. According to our experiments, the models able to solve the dSprites environment are the ones that maximize rewards. On further inspection, we found that the CHMM minimizing expected free energy almost always picks the same action, which makes it unable to solve the dSprites environment. In contrast, the CHMM maximizing reward keeps on selecting all the actions, enabling it to successfully solve the task. The only difference between those two CHMMs is the epistemic value, which aims to make the outputs of the transition and encoder networks as close as possible. Thus, the CHMM minimizing expected free energy repeatedly picks a single action and becomes an expert at predicting the future when selecting this action. This effectively makes the KL divergence between the output of the transition and encoder networks small. Additionally, when selecting the action down the average reward is zero, while for all the other actions, the expected reward will be negative. Therefore, if the CHMM has to stick to a single action to keep the KL divergence small, then the action down is the most rewarding. We also show in simulation that the epistemic value used in deep active inference can behave degenerately and in certain circumstances effectively lose, rather than gain, information. As the agent minimizing EFE is not able to explore its environment, the appropriate formulation of the epistemic value in deep active inference remains an open question.
Top-Down Priors Disambiguate Target and Distractor Features in Simulated Covert Visual Search
Authors: Theiss Justin D. , Silver Michael A.
Published: August 2024

Several models of visual search consider visual attention as part of a perceptual inference process, in which top-down priors disambiguate bottom-up sensory information. Many of these models have focused on gaze behavior, but there are relatively fewer models of covert spatial attention, in which attention is directed to a peripheral location in visual space without a shift in gaze direction. Here, we propose a biologically plausible model of covert attention during visual search that helps to bridge the gap between Bayesian modeling and neurophysiological modeling by using (1) top-down priors over target features that are acquired through Hebbian learning, and (2) spatial resampling of modeled cortical receptive fields to enhance local spatial resolution of image representations for downstream target classification. By training a simple generative model using a Hebbian update rule, top-down priors for target features naturally emerge without the need for hand-tuned or predetermined priors. Furthermore, the implementation of covert spatial attention in our model is based on a known neurobiological mechanism, providing a plausible process through which Bayesian priors could locally enhance the spatial resolution of image representations. We validate this model during simulated visual search for handwritten digits among nondigit distractors, demonstrating that top-down priors improve accuracy for estimation of target location and classification, relative to bottom-up signals alone. Our results support previous reports in the literature that demonstrated beneficial effects of top-down priors on visual search performance, while extending this literature to incorporate known neural mechanisms of covert spatial attention.
Johann Gottlieb Georgi or Peter Simon Pallas: review regarding the authorship and description of Lacerta taurica (Squamata, Lacertidae)
Authors: KUKUSHKIN OLEG , TILLACK FRANK , DORONIN IGOR , KLUGE NIKITA , JABLONSKI DANIEL
Published: August 2024

From the beginning of the 19th century to the present, the authorship of the description of the Balkan wall lizard, Podarcis tauricus (Pallas, 1814) was considered undoubted. Recently, Schmidtler (2022) has been concluded that the description of this species should be attributed to J.G. Georgi. Therefore we have chosen to discuss this issue. The description of Lacerta taurica by Georgi in 1801 was based on earlier works by C.L. Hablitz (1785, 1789). However, his description does not align with our current understanding of the morphological and ecological characteristics of the taxon currently recognized as P. tauricus. Some details contained in this description suggest that it was based not on the species recently known as Podarcis tauricus, but on another lizard inhabiting the same place and recently known as Darevskia lindholmi (Szczerbak, 1962). If recognize authorship of the name Lacerta taurica as belonging to Georgi (1801), this would require transferring that name to the species currently known as D. lindholmi and the need to introduce a new name for the species currently known as P. taurica, that will cause numerous confusions. To provide the stability of the names, we suggest to continue to regard Pallas (1814) as the author of the name Lacerta taurica and will apply to the Commissuion of Zoological Nomenlature for conservation of this status. Regrettably, a specimen collected by Pallas himself in Crimea has not been located until now. However, the search for preserved historic specimens continues.
Three new species of Tephrochlamys Loew (Diptera: Heleomyzidae: Heteromyzinae) from Oriental China, with a key to the Oriental species
Authors: ZENG WEI , MA FANGZHOU , YANG DING
Published: August 2024

The genus Tephrochlamys Loew, 1862, is a small genus in Heteromyzinae of the family Heleomyzidae. Only four species of this genus are known from the Oriental Realm so far: T. fasciata Czerny, 1924, T. javanensis Frey, 1934, T. japonica Okadome, 1967 and T. rufiventris Meigen, 1830. Here, we describe three new species of Tephrochlamys from Oriental China: Tephrochlamys wuyishanensis sp. nov., Tephrochlamys variegata sp. nov. and Tephrochlamys pengi sp. nov. A key to the Oriental species of Tephrochlamys is presented.
A new species of the genus Floresorchestia (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Talitridae) from Chilika Lagoon, east coast of India
Authors: BHOI GITANJALI , MYERS ALAN A. , KUMAR R. KIRAN , PATRO SHESDEV
Published: August 2024

Floresorchestiinae Myers & Lowry, 2020 is a recognizable group in the family Talitridae due to the distinctive presence of slits on their epimeral plates. A distinctive species of the genus Floresorchestia collected from Chilika Lagoon inhabiting the seaweed Gracilaria sp., Floresorchestia odishi sp. nov., can be distinguished from other species of the genus by the remarkably high number of slits on epimeron 2 (43–47) and epimeron 3 (21–24).
Conclusions
Authors: Castagna Giuliano
Published: August 2024

This chapter is concerned with the summarisation of the findings of the study: each subsection presents either hitherto unrecorded items or unattested variants of previously attested items in the domains of phonetics, phonology, morphology and lexis. The last subsection of this chapter offers Arabic translations of Jibbali/Śḥərɛ̄́t expressions proceeding either from English-language sources or directly elicited.
Derivation and Performance Analysis of Composite Trapezoidal Iterative Methods
Authors: Azure Isaac
Published: August 2024

The pursuit of more efficient and reliable numerical methods to solve nonlinear systems of equations has long intrigued many researchers. Among these, the Broyden method has stood out since its introduction, serving as a foundational technique from which various derivative methods have evolved. These derivative methods, commonly referred to as Broyden-like iterative methods, often surpass the traditional Broyden method in terms of both the number of iterations required and the computational time needed. This study aimed to develop new Broyden-like methods by incorporating weighted combinations of different quadrature rules. Specifically, the research focused on leveraging the Composite Trapezoidal rule with n=3n=3, and comparing it against the Midpoint, Trapezoidal, and Simpson quadrature rules. By integrating these approaches, three novel methods were formulated. The findings revealed that several of these new methods demonstrated enhanced efficiency and robustness compared to their established counterparts. In a detailed comparative analysis with the classical Broyden method and other improved versions, the Midpoint–Composite Trapezoidal (MT_3) method emerged as the top performer. This method consistently provided superior numerical outcomes across all benchmark problems examined in the study. The results highlight the potential of these new methods to significantly advance the field of numerical analysis, offering more powerful tools for researchers and practitioners dealing with complex nonlinear systems of equations. Through this innovative approach, the study not only broadens the understanding of Broyden-like methods but also sets the stage for further advancements in the development of efficient numerical solutions.
Big Data Adoption: Perspectives, Realities, and Myths - An Outer View in Academic Libraries
Authors: Kayode Adeniyi , Oguntayo Sunday
Published: August 2024

It is clear that the deluge of information has forced the current civilization into the era of Big Data adoption given the information's quick development and the widespread use of information gadgets. It has been noted that technology is becoming more and more essential to many facets of human existence, which makes this dependence relevant and important. A university's academic library is one of its three pillars. It performs vital functions such as teaching and research services and serves as the hub for auxiliary instruction, information sharing, academic activities, and cultural inheritance. All of these functions depend heavily on the ever-growing amount of data, which is sometimes referred to as "Big Data adoption." This study addresses the concerning connection between the use of Big Data and operations in many areas of human existence and offers a comprehensive explanation of Big Data and its significance in academic libraries. Aside from this, the study clarifies the general ethics of Big Data, its features, advantages, tools, the role of librarians, and the causes of the important problems related to big data adoption and the perspectives in academic libraries. Thus, the adoption of big data continues to be an intriguing new area in both science and technology. Therefore, greater familiarization and demystification of Big Data adoption is still necessary, even with the development of technology and availability of free knowledge. It will require more advanced computing abilities to comprehend and utilize it to its full potential.
Determinants of Contraceptive Use Among Teenage Girls Aged (15-19) in Eastern Province, Zambia
Authors: Nyau Kelly , Likwa Rosemary , Banda Jeremiah
Published: August 2024

Access to sexual and reproductive health information and services among the young people remains a highly contested issue in many traditional societies Zambia included. Access to youth-friendly health services such as contraceptives is vital for ensuring the well-being of adolescents. This study endeavoured to establish determinants of contraceptive use among teenage girls aged 15 to 19 years in Eastern Province, Zambia. This was a mixed methods study that employed a sequential explanatory design. In the quantitative arm, the study utilized the 2018 Zambia Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS) women's dataset for Eastern Province, focusing on 326 teenage girls aged 15-19 years. The ZDHS data collection was done using multiple cluster sampling method and through household survey. The qualitative arm involved 6 focus group discussions with parents, 4 interviews with teachers and 6 interviews with healthcare providers in Petauke district. Contraceptive prevalence rate, and socio-economic and demographic factors influencing contraceptive use were measured in the quantitative part. The perception on teenage contraceptive use among key influencers was assessed in the qualitative arm. The prevalence of contraceptive use among teenage girls in Eastern province was at16%. Age, marital status, parity, visiting a health facility, being visited by a health provider and hearing about family planning on radio were significantly associated with contraceptive use (p< 0.05). Moreover, teenage girls who had ever been married had higher odds of contraceptive use than unmarried ones (AOR 3.57, 95% CI, 1.59, 8.01, p = 0.002). Further, those who heard about family planning at the health facility (AOR 2.37, 95% CI, 1.08, 5.21, p = 0.031) and those who heard on radio (AOR 2.55, 95% CI, 1.05-6.19, p = 0.038) had higher odds of contraceptive use than those who did not. The qualitative results found that most parents and teachers opposed the use of contraceptive by teenagers, while health providers supported it. Barriers to contraceptive use included religious beliefs, personal beliefs of healthcare providers, myths and misconceptions, and the fear of social stigma by teenagers. Whether or not adolescents have access to contraceptives, the decision to use them is heavily influenced by parents, and to some extent, teachers and health providers. Therefore, it is important to implement comprehensive educational programs not only for teenagers, but also for parents, teachers and healthcare providers, dispelling myths about contraceptives.
Evaluating the Efficacy of Dieffenbachia picta (Araceae) Leaves Insecticidal Activity Against Cimex lectularius in Arba Minch Town
Authors: Dejene Fitsum
Published: August 2024

The common bed bug, Cimex lectularius, is an age-old human parasite. Recognizing bed bugs as a significant public health concern, the Environmental Protection Agency highlights the need for effective strategies to address infestations and protect people's well-being. Therefore, the aim of this investigation was to evaluate the efficacy of Dieffenbachia picta leaf extracts against bedbugs under laboratory conditions. Insecticidal bio-assay and phytochemical analysis were performed using topical methods and a qualitative analytical protocol. This study demonstrated that extracts obtained from the dumb cane plant using various solvents (methanol, ethanol, distilled water, and acetone) exhibited significant insecticidal activity against bedbugs. Among the solvent extracts, the methanol extract showed a 100% mortality rate, the ethanol extract showed 80%, the acetone extract showed 80%, and the distilled water extract showed 70% mortality at a concentration of 1g/l. A mixture experimental design was used to investigate how the formulation components of the solvent extracts (methanol, ethanol, acetone, and distilled water) affected the synergistic effect and mortality rate. It was found that a combination of 25% methanol, 30% ethanol, 25% acetone, and 20% distilled water effectively demonstrated the optimal synergistic effect of the extracts against bedbug spp. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that extracts from Dieffenbachia picta have the potential to serve as a natural solution for controlling bedbugs.
Bed Roughness Incorporated Lift Force Formulation for Sediment Concentration Solutions
Authors: Taha Tarek
Published: August 2024

Within the field of sediment transport dynamics, there is an emphasis on the need for providing and improving simplified analytical solutions from which the findings can be extended upon. Typically, solutions have been developed from the understanding and incorporation of vertical velocity components/distribution; however, there remains opportunity for analytical enhancement. Under uniform open channel dilute sediment laden flow conditions, the type II concentration profile reflects the maximum concentration at a distance from the bed. To analytically depict the type II profile, it is essential to describe the vertical velocity components acting within the flow hydrodynamics. Yet, the impact of bed roughness on the vertical velocity distribution influencing a sediment particle has not been articulated. Hence, in this research, the impact of bed roughness is incorporated into the vertical velocity distribution to formulate the lift force acting upon a particle, to provide a sediment concentration solution. The proposed analytical vertical velocity distribution solution is validated against existing formulations, followed by the proposed sediment concentration being validated against existing solutions. Here, the results indicate that analytically incorporating the bed roughness alongside the secondary current induced vortices provides a lift force solution that can depict the type II concentration profile. Under relatively low shear velocity, increasing the sediment diameter allows for a clearer depiction of the near surface region and profile curvature. Furthermore, the proposed sediment concentration solution can accurately depict the near surface region, curvature of concentration, and maximum concentration under relatively large shear velocity data. Importantly, under conditions where both the shear velocity and sediment diameter are relatively large, the maximum concentration is captured with greater accuracy; however, the curvature of the profile and the near surface region accuracy are hindered. It is to be noted, that due to the formulation of the proposed velocity distribution the accuracy of the solution towards the bed decreases due to instability caused as the characteristic depth decreases to zero.
Sky Is the Limit: Examining the Evolution of Indo-Israel Defence Relations
Authors: Dar Zahoor , Malik Farooq
Published: August 2024

The symbiotic relationship between India and Israel is underpinned by their parallel experiences following the tumultuous partition. The steadfast adherence to democratic principles, joint efforts to counter belligerent neighboring states, and the mounting specter of transnational terrorism have further cemented their bond. This research paper delves into the evolution of India's diplomatic entente with Israel. Geopolitically, the two nations have collaborated in counterterrorism, defense, intelligence coordination, research, and advancements in the scientific and technological domains. Their bilateral cooperation has extended to encompass agriculture, water resource management, trade, tourism, and cultural exchange, consequently bolstering their strategic partnership for mutual benefit. This paper scrutinizes the intricate strategic alignment forged between India and Israel in 1992, which marked the conclusion of a protracted diplomatic estrangement spanning over four decades subsequent to their declarations of independence. It principally focuses on their concerted endeavors in counterterrorism, encompassing initiatives such as mutual information sharing, implementation of counterterrorism strategies, amplification of telecommunications infrastructure, and fortification of internet networks. The study supplies a comprehensive scrutiny of the multifaceted challenges confronting India in combatting terrorist threats within its borders, taking into consideration both international dynamics and domestic political barriers that influence the country's collaborative pursuits with Israel. Moreover, it meticulously evaluates the catalytic role of the Narendra Modi administration in strengthening the defense alliance between the two nations.
Evaluations of Improved Forage Legume Potential for Pasture Land Improvement in Low Land and Mid Land Areas of East Shewa and West Arsi Zone
Authors: Tilahun Meseret , Nigatu Yadeta , Abate Dawit , Diriba Lalisa , Husein Nabi
Published: August 2024

This study aims to evaluate the improved forage legume potential for pasture land improvement in low-land and mid-land areas of East Shewa and West Arsi zone of Oromia regional state during 2021/22 planting seasons. The natural pasture grazing land was selected to establish the experiment. The experiment was undertaken with RCBD design. The ripping was done before sowing and animal manures were applied before establishment to facilitate the germination of legumes forage. The experiment has four treatments with three replications including the control. The plot size was 4 m * 3 m and the distance between the plot and block were 1m and 1.5m respectively. The sample was taken by quadrant of 1 m * 1 m, weighed, and inserted into a paper bag. The sub-sample was taken for dry matter determination and biomass estimation. Laboratory chemical analyses for some of the major parameters have been done at ATARC. The feed sample was analyzed for dry matter (DM) and crude protein (PC) using AOAC (2000) method. The statistical analysis was undertaken by ANOVA procedures with Tukey's Studentized Range (HSD) Tests to separate the mean values for each parameter at P<0.05. Analysis of variance revealed that variations of sites and treatments had showed a significant effect at (P<0.05) on dry matter yield and ADL. In addition, the site effects had showed significant effects on leaf to steam ratio, percentage of dry matter, percentage of ash and coverages. The ANOVA result showed that there was no interactions effect (P<0.05) for all parameters. In addition, the dry matter have significance difference (P<0.05) between the treatments due to different legumes integration. The integrated siratro (T4) and desmodium (T3) have higher mean value of dry matter than the other treatments. Of the total dry matter, the Desmodium have 10.88% proportion while the Siratro have about 49.57%. In general, improved forage legumes integration result indicated that as to be appropriate option for natural pasture improvement in terms of quantity and quality. Thus, of the treatments the demodium and siratro components have higher dry matter and crude protein the T3 and T4 were recommended for natural pasture improvement in terms quantity and quality for lowland and midland agroecology.
Evaluation of Nutritional Values of Crude Extract of Abutilon nigrigiana Leaves
Authors: Eka Moses , Asuquo Esther , Ogar Victor
Published: August 2024

This research work evaluated the nutritional value of Abutilon nigrigiana leaves to ascertain its usage in herbal medicine. Crude extract of the leaves was screened to ascertain the various nutritional parameters that are present. Parameters like phytochemical composition, vitamins of interest, proximate composition, mineral contents as well as antinutrients composition. Results revealed the presence of phytopchemicals such as; Alkaloids (13.45±0.55), Saponins (9.32±0.64), Tannins (15.44±1.77), Phlobatannins (11.52±2.45), Cardiac glycosides (4.17±0.75), Flavonoids (10.40±1.22), Reducing compounds (11.42±0.81), Polyphenols (11.05±1.55) and Anthraquinone (11.66±2.43), vitamins; Retinol (30.37±0.06), Thiamine (29.69±1.03) and Ascorbic acid (54.32±0.23), proximate components; Total carbohydrate (35.96±0.27), Moisture (31.00±0.20), Crude fibre (10.73±0.31), Crude protein (10.54±0.33), Total ash (10.40±0.52) and Crude fat (1.37±0.05), mineral elements of significant quantity; Zinc (2.79 ± 0.01), Magnesium (2.02 ± 0.14), Calcium (1.09 ± 0.13), Potassium (0.95 ± 0.11) and Iron (0.76 ± 0.04), as well as antinutrients composition; Phytates (1.100±0.91), Tannins (0.014±0.12) and Total oxalates (1.320±1.45). This implies that the consumption of the leaves of Abutilon nigrigiana can help in treatment/management of inflammation as well as in the treatment of common ailments. It is a good medicinal plant that should be encourage in production of pharmaceutical products.
Effect of Bio-fertilizers on Growth Performance and Nodulation of Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.) on Nitisols of Anded District, North-western Ethiopia
Authors: Getinet Habetamu
Published: August 2024

The increased dependency of applying excessive synthetic input of chemical fertilizers not only increased farmers cost of production but also has caused several environmental problems related to greenhouse effect, soil deterioration, and air and water pollution. Hence, the inoculation of bio-fertilizers could be a desirable alternative as they make the soil more sustainable and environmental-friendly; indeed, the growing crops using bio-fertilizers are worthy for human health. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of bio-fertilizers on nodulation and growth of faba bean under limed and unlimed soil conditions. The treatments includes four types of strains [(BF-17, BF-04, BF-1018 and BF-1035), Control, 21kgha-1 and 150 kgha-1 urea under limed and unlimed condition) was arranged in split plot design with three replications. The growth and nodulation parameters were collected following standard data collection procedure and analyzed using SAS software 9.1.3 version. The study revealed that the highest shoots height (97.73cm) and root length (26.27cm) was recorded from plots treated with FB-17 and FB-04 strains under limed condition. Similarly, maximum value of shoot dry weight (24.87gm) and root dry weight (4.57gm) was measured from plots treated with FB-1018 strain under limed condition. Moreover, inoculation of fababean seeds with FB-17 strain under limed condition produced the highest nodule dry weight (0.4gm) and plant height (141.0cm) and in case of nodule number, the maximum number was recorded from plots treated with FB-04 strain together with lime. While in all measured parameters, the lowest value was recorded from the control plots. Therefore, for better growth and nodulation of fababean, it is recommended to inoculate seeds either FB-04 or FB-17 strains under limed soil condition in acidic areas.
Effects of an Eventual Upcoming Withdrawal of Pension Funds
Authors: Martínez Hernán
Published: August 2024

The three withdrawals from pension funds injected almost US$ 50.000 billion into the market bringing with them inflationary pressures in the short and medium term, a decision that was harmful to people and companies. On the economic side, more than half of domestic inflation is due to the three withdrawals, decreasing the value of people´s money and increase the interest rates. On the pension side, eleven million people managed to withdraw their money and almost four million people were left without their funds. For women a drop of 33% in the amount of the future pension and for men a 24% on average. And on the financial side, a destruction of the capital market causing a significant drop in assets prices and companies to stop investing in big projects in Chile. During 2023, a new project was carried out on a new withdrawal of pension funds but it the form of a self-loan, a benefit that would have between one million and ten million Chilean pesos saved in their accounts to withdraw up to one million Chilean pesos. The purpose of this work is to see the effects of a possible fourth withdrawal from pension funds. And we conclude that an upcoming retirement has three consequences. In the economic sense, it would bring with another increase in the monetary base, which in turn translates into an increase in inflation. In the sense of pensions, more than three million people would again run out of funds and would cause a potential additional 16% drop in the amounts of future pension affecting the current saving of contributors. Finally, in the financial sense, the capital markets would be destroyed, causing a significant drop in assets prices and companies to stop investing in big projects in Chile.
Assessing Market Participation of Smallholder Cassava Farmers in Sekyere Central District of Ghana Using Vector Generalized Additive Ordered Models
Authors: Abunyuwah Isaac
Published: August 2024

Smallholder farmers theoretically produce and market their output to meet livelihood needs of the family under given set of resource constraints. In spite of numerous policy efforts to ensure that smallholder farmers in Ghana and rural districts in particular, exploit the economic potential of cassava production, many of them continue to produce for subsistence with limited participation in the markets. To assess and explain the levels at which smallholder cassava farmers participate in markets, the study applied the partial proportional odds model in the framework of Vector Generalized Additive model (VGAM), which comprehensively addresses conceptual, modelling and interpretational complexities implied by market participation (MP) theory. Data for the study were collected from 365 cassava farmers in Sekyere Central (SC) district of Ashanti region, Ghana. The results showed that only 32% of the farmers participated in the markets as Net sellers, while 45% and 23% participated as Autarkic producers and Net buyers respectively. The econometrics analysis revealed that household size, access to market information, age, education, market access, membership to famer or community organisation, off-farm income, farm income, livestock holdings, cassava output and cassava being cultivated as major crop, appeared statistically significant in explaining MP decisions. Five variables, namely income, livestock, produce, access to market information and cassava as major produce, failed the proportional odds assumption and entered the model unconstrained, producing regime specific estimates. These results are indicative of how conditional, on a given regime, farmers respond to changes in the factors that affect their MP decisions, in terms of intensity and direction. Farm level policies, that target cassava farm households’ participation in markets should consider regime specific strategies.
Assessment of Maintenance Activities and Strategies for Tractor and Operator Care in Gurage Zone, Wolkite Town, Ethiopia
Authors: Ambo Yemane
Published: August 2024

Data was collected from 53 tractor operators and stakeholders from the Wolkite. Many types of tractors were used and the common brands were Sonalika, Indo-farm, John Deer, Massey, Fergusson, and New Holland. Of these tractors, about 30.18%, 20.75%, and 18.86% were used for plowing, harrowing, transporting, threshing, planting, and spraying activities by Sonalika, Indo-farm, and John deer respectively. Regarding training to operate the machine, about 71.69% replied yes and about 28.31% replied don't have the training to maintain the machine, but they develop their skills through different experiences. But for their maintenance activities, they replied as 22.64% for daily, 92.45% for weekly, and 100% for monthly. In the case of checking the fluid level of the tractors about 9.43% within 3 hours, 20.75% within 6 hours, and 84.9% within 10 hours with oil level, about 3.77% within 3 hours, 11.32% within 6 hours and 98.11 within 10 hours for checking the water level and lastly about 15.09% within 3 hours, 71.69% within 6 hours and 94.33% within 10 hours to check the level of fuels. Moreover the washing of the tractors after the operation was 1.88% washed their tractors after operation; about 5.66% didn't wash their tractors, and about 92.46 washed without schedule. For lubricating different rotating parts of the tractors, about 56% of the respondents lubricate their tractor parts and about 92.45% of the respondents clean the battery cables and terminals frequently. About 3.77% and 16.98% use shelter for their tractors and record-keeping experience during their work.
Determinants of Ethiopian Men’s Attitudes Toward Wife Emotional Abuse Using Logistic Regression
Authors: Mekonen Aychew , Kefelegn Ermyas , Delie Amare
Published: August 2024

The purpose of this study was to determine the contributing elements to emotional abuse against women. The data was analyzed using binary logistic regression and descriptive statistics, with women's emotional violence serving as the response variable. In order to achieve the goal, 4720 women between the ages of 15 and 49 who were acquired from the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey were included. The Hosmer and Lemeshow test indicates that the model matches the data quite well. Descriptive statistics show that, out of the 4720 women respondents who participated in the survey, 3667 (77.69%) were not subjected to emotional violence, while 1053 (22.31%) were. Based on the outcome of the binary logistic regression study indicates that the variable level of education, marital status, smoking cigarette, drink alcohol, chat chewing and religion are statistically significant factors on emotional violence. The variable level of education is one of significance variable on emotional violence. Therefore, the concerned body should include topics elimination of violence against women in the education system.
Anti Inflammatory and Anti Diabetic Activity of Cocos nucifera Inflorescence
Authors: Vinod Nikhila , Rani Devasahayam
Published: August 2024

Lately manufactories with medicinal properties play an important part in food and medicinal diligence for their capacities on disease prevention and treatment. Inflammation is a physiological process involved in the defenses of the body and the form of tissues. Recent years have also seen studies conducted on Cocos nucifera inflorescence to ascertain the presence of specific phytoconstituents. The inflorescence of Cocos nucifera (L.) have a traditional use as a potent healer of numerous inflammatory diseases like postnatal changes. Food technology grounded explorations are underway to employ its powder as an alternative to wheat flour by esteeming its gluten free nature, nutritive value and natural sweetness. Numerous compounds in Cocos nucifera (L.) inflorescence have been shown to possess a range of pharmacological qualities, including antioxidant, anticancer, anti-helminthic, anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic, and antibacterial activities. Hence objectives of the present study are to estimate the In vitro anti-inflammatory activity & In vitro anti-diabetic activity of Fresh and the Cabinet dried Cocos nucifera inflorescence. In vitro anti-inflammatory activity of fresh and Cabinet dried Cocos nucifera inflorescence were carried out by heat induced hemolysis method. In vitro anti-diabetic activity of Fresh and the Cabinet dried Cocos nucifera inflorescence were carried out by α-amylase method. Cabinet dried Cocos nucifera inflorescence have shown a better profile of anti-inflammatory & anti-diabetic activity compared to fresh Cocos nucifera inflorescence and thus it can be used for therapeutic purposes.
The Significance of Prebiotics and Immuno-Nutrients for Assuring the Developmental Milestones in Toddlerhood
Authors: Yeasmin Shahida , Islam Manirul , Ara Chaman , Amin Ruhul , Islam Nazrul , Ali Liaquat
Published: August 2024

The immune system development of children is influenced by the mother's nutritional state throughout pregnancy as well as the nutrients the unborn kid is exposed to through nursing and other meals. Micronutrients that are important for the development of the immune system in neonates include iron, zinc, and vitamins A, C, D, and E. both probiotics and prebiotics are essential for maintaining a healthy gut microbiota and a robust immune system. While probiotics directly add beneficial bacteria to the gut, prebiotics serve as food for these bacteria, enhancing their growth and activity. Together, they play a vital role in supporting immune function and overall health. Prebiotics also play a significant role in this process by acting as fertilizers to encourage the growth of healthy bacteria in the stomach. Micronutrient deficiencies (MNDs) have an effect on the developing immune system; therefore, a meeting of specialists was arranged to talk about preventative and mitigating strategies. Immunological responses are largely determined by nutrition, and malnutrition is the leading cause of immunodeficiency worldwide. Protein-energy deprivation is associated with a significant decline in cell-mediated immunity, phagocyte activity, complement system, secretory immunoglobulin an antibody concentration, and cytokine production. Certain nutrient deficits cause altered immune responses, even in cases when the deficiency is fairly mild. The immune responses are significantly influenced by micronutrients such as folic acid, zinc, selenium, iron, copper, and vitamins A, C, E, and B-6. Additionally, overeating and obesity reduce immunity. Low birth weight babies' cell-mediated immunity is permanently compromised; this can be somewhat restored by adding more zinc to their diets. Prebiotics are inactive dietary ingredients that, when combined with immuno-nutrients, benefit the host by encouraging the growth and/or activity of a certain kind of bacteria in the colon. Government, development partners, non-governmental organizations, and academia must collaborate to increase the availability of basic and effective nutrition interventions, as well as those that address more stifling issues. These interventions include exclusive breastfeeding, appropriate supplemental feeding, micronutrient supplementation for children, adolescents, pregnant women, and lactating women, managing severe acute malnutrition and deworming, and hygiene interventions. The entire healthcare system needs to be revitalized in order to get over the obstacles that exist at the levels of policy, governance, and service delivery and to create demand for the services at the household level. Priority should also be devoted to stabilizing food prices and managing nutrition following natural disasters.
A Critical Appreciation of the Commercial Blockbusters by Zhang Yimou
Authors: Qianyu Zhang
Published: August 2024

It is essential to note that for the past two decades the majority of the Fifth Generation directors have experienced an obvious shift of film-making from art cinema to the production of commercial blockbusters. By means of borrowing Hollywood’s “high concept” cinema, the local blockbusters featuring Chinese cultural elements are very emphatic about symbolism and visual effects of productions that are bringing to the audience new and stirring feel. And in the blockbusters of Chinese style, the stardom and renowned directors are the guaranteed success of box office. In terms of thematic subjects, the representative director Zhang Yimou has with certainty showcased his reflections on the unlimited power hierarchy and the impulse to deconstruct it in his works, which contain social and cultural allegories and morality problems of family. The so-called “commercial blockbusters” as Hero and House of Flying Daggers have utilized the unique on-site shooting and color effects to achieve the desired results. At the same time Zhang Yimou has in his art house works benefited from Akira Kurosawa, master of the genre, and some technicalities in gangster film. Zhang’s blockbusters of swordsman and Wuxia (martial art) have made an immense box value owing to their tactic violation of the mainstream ideologies. As a result, they are not regularly categorized as the most significant movie of the day. Being Zhang’s last blockbuster, Curse of the Golden Flower takes advantage of merging spectacular scenes and artificial staging for the purpose of authentic representation and imagination. This is also materialized by his cleverly adapting the original work of fame by Cao Yu, a contemporary playwright. Zhang Yimou’s blockbusters, with his special aesthetic, has largely succeeded in an economic sense, but failed ideologically to merge in the mainstream cinema of China.
A Case for Statutorily Recognition of Irretrievable Breakdown of Marriage
Authors: Sharma Lokinder
Published: August 2024

Since antiquity, the concept of union in Hindu marriage has always been considered sacred and indissoluble. The Shastri-religious understanding of Hindu marriage is that heavenly-made unions are merely united and tied into a knot on this earth. Hence, once the union is formed, and the ceremonies and rites concluded, there is no scope for a couple to seek “divorce”. The traditional concept of Hindu marriage, although altered by India's post-colonial enactment of the Hindu Marriage Act in 1955 (“the Act”), aimed to reflect the country's identity as a liberal constitutional democracy by providing for certain grounds for seeking divorce, including mutual consent. However, the state's broader policy reflected in the overall objective scheme of the Act remained incongruent with the Shastri-religious understanding of Hindu marriage. Thus, divorce was only the last remedy, and was granted by the courts only after the aggrieved couples fulfilled due procedural requirements as per the mandate of the Act. Hence, it is against this backdrop that the recent constitutional bench judgment in Shilpa Sailesh v. Varun Sreenivasan (2023) of the apex court regarding the waiver of the procedural requirements under section 13-B of the Act by the court using its constitutional powers of ‘complete justice” under Article 142 of the Indian Consitution, is limited only to certain exceptional circumstances. This paper argues for recognising the Irretrievable Breakdown of Marriage (“IRB”) as a legal ground in the Hindu Marriage Act of 1955 (“the Act”). It traces the evolution of Hindu marriage and discusses why Fault, Frustration, and Consent theories are inadequate, advocating for IRB to accommodate diverse situations. It analyses the Act's scheme, shows the presence of breakdown theory, and examines legal developments regarding IRB as a divorce ground, noting some limitations. It addresses objections from women's groups and calls for social reforms ensuring women's financial independence and reducing divorce stigma.
Forecasting of Injuries in Ethiopia Premier League: Time Series Model Analysis
Authors: Belete Aychew , Asfaw Fasiledes , Taye Birhan , Yirsaw Bantie
Published: August 2024

Background: Sport injury is an injury which is occurs in playing field maybe in training or competition. Epidemiology of sports injury on male footballer has been documented that injury incidences were 10-35 injuries per 1000 game hours. The main objective of our study is predicting the number of injuries for coming specific time by analyzing historical injury data obtained from team physicians. Methods: We collected historical injury data from the Ethiopia Premier League which is collected for 50 weeks, including the number of injuries, types of injuries, affected players, and duration of absence from play. We then selected an appropriate time series model for forecasting injuries based on the nature of the data and its patterns, considering potential models such as ARIMA (AutoRegressive Integrated Moving Average). After training the selected time series model using historical injury data and validating its performance by comparing predicted values with actual injury occurrences, we used it to forecast injuries for the upcoming seasons of the Ethiopia Premier League. Results: In Ethiopia the weekly average increment in sport injury from week 1to week 50 was 4.4. The maximum number of sport injury occurred on week 30. The series is not stationary at level, but the series is stationary at first difference. The selected model in this study was ARIMA (3,0,0) that has small AIC and BIC. Based on ARIMA (3,0,0) model the new sport injury in Ethiopia premier league was 13 injuries in week 51, and the forecasted number of injuries for the following weeks were 12, 12, 13, 11, 11, 10, 10, 10, and 10, respectively, up to week 60. Conclusion: our research finding indicates that, occurrence of sport injury will increase for coming weeks so that teams should implement injury prevention programs, prioritize rest and recovery, and ensure access to qualified medical staff for immediate care and rehabilitation.
The Application of Online and Offline Hybrid Mode in Pharmacology Laboratory Teaching: A Case Study of the "Insulin Overdose Response and Rescue Experiment"
Authors: Liping Huang
Published: August 2024

Pharmacology, as a core course for Pharmaceutical Engineering students, is a basic medical course, which is usually composed of "theoretical courses" and "experimental courses". Pharmacology experiments are a visual validation of the theoretical knowledge learned in the classroom. Through practical operation and observation of experimental results, we can have a deeper understanding of the concepts of drug mechanism of action, pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics. In order to meet diversified learning needs, optimize the utilization of teaching resources, and promote independent learning and collaboration ability, online and offline blended teaching is the mainstream teaching mode in the "Internet+" era, which provides a suitable environment and starting point for the ideological and political construction of the curriculum and the practice of the goal of cultivating people with virtue. It is especially necessary to conduct online and offline teaching methods for pharmacology experiments. This article uses the example of "insulin overdose reaction and rescue experiment" to demonstrate the blended teaching mode of online and offline teaching. It attempts to start with the necessity of strengthening students' innovative practical ability cultivation in pharmacology experiment teaching, analyze the problems exposed in current pharmacology experiment teaching in detail, and propose optimization measures such as effectively integrating teaching resources, designing different experimental projects, innovating experiment teaching mode, and emphasizing students' innovative practice based on the mastered situation, in order to provide reference for the blended teaching mode of pharmacology experiment online and offline.