bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sucesso da punção intravenosa periférica após capacitação dos profissionais de enfermagem para o uso da transiluminação
Authors: Floriano Claudia Maria de Freitas , Avelar Ariane Ferreira Machado , Peterlini Maria Angélica Sorgini
Published: October 2023

Objetivo: avaliar o índice de sucesso na primeira tentativa de cateterização intravenosa periférica em crianças após capacitação de profissionais de enfermagem para o uso de transiluminação. Método: estudo observacional, prospectivo, comparativo do tipo antes e depois, realizado com enfermeiros e técnicos de enfermagem que foram capacitados para a cateterização guiada pela transiluminação e observados executando 35 procedimentos antes e 35 após a capacitação, no período de novembro de 2018 a maio de 2019, após aprovação do mérito ético do protocolo de pesquisa. Os dados foram analisados de forma descritiva e analítica. Resultados: o índice de sucesso na primeira tentativa foi de 62,9% antes e 65,7% depois (p=0,803). Os técnicos de enfermagem executaram mais a punção antes da capacitação e os enfermeiros depois (p<0,01). Conclusão: a capacitação de profissionais para realizar a punção guiada pela transiluminação não aumentou o índice de sucesso na primeira tentativa de punção intravenosa periférica.
A study on the status and trends of the carbon footprint of Hanwoo steers by region
Authors: Kim Do Hyun , Yu Ji Suk , Lee Hak Kyo , Oh Jae Don
Published: October 2023

The issue of carbon neutrality has become more serious around the world. In particular, the livestock industry has been an industry with very high carbon emissions. The government provided support and subsidies to livestock farms and businesses to help them reduce carbon emissions. This assistance aimed to encourage the adoption of environmentally friendly practices and technologies, ultimately promoting carbon-efficient production. The livestock industry has also been researching technology development to reduce carbon emissions through improved productivity. The purpose of this study was to more accurately identify the carbon emissions status of the Hanwoo industry. We analyzed the carbon footprint status and trends of the Hanwoo by region. For this purpose, traceability information and slaughter information of Hanwoo slaughtered from 2015 to 2022 were collected and analyzed. We determined the impact of average carcass weight and slaughter age trends on carbon emissions. Through ANOVA analysis, it was confirmed that there was a significant change in the carbon footprint of each region (p<0.01).
Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors and Thyroid Toxicity
Authors: Mastrangelo Stefano , Attina Giorgio , Ruggiero Antonio
Published: October 2023

Some multithyrosine kinase inhibitors have been reported to cause changes in thyroid function. For the management of sunitinib-induced hypothyroidism, an evaluation of thyroid hormone and antibody profile is recommended before starting treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Patients with pre-existing thyroid dysfunction should undergo dose adjustment of L-thyroxine during treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Thyroid dysfunction is not a reason to discontinue or reduce the dosage of sunitinib. Their occurrence appears to correlate with increased antitumour efficacy of the inhibitor. There are currently no guidelines for monitoring thyroid activity during treatment with TKIs, and the time interval at which TSH should be periodically measured has not yet been determined. A reasonable approach is to monitor thyroid function, both before and during 2-4 weeks after the end of therapy. A comprehensive analysis of adverse events associated with the use of these inhibitors could help clinical monitoring of patients along with the adoption of appropriate management approaches.
Blumea balsamifera Leaf Extract Maintain Testosterone Levels in Hypercholesterolemic Rats Through Antioxidant Mechanism and Upregulation of StAR Gene Expression
Authors: Widhiantara I Gede , Wiradana Putu Angga , Permatasari Anak Agung Ayu Putri , Sari Ni Kadek Yunita , Rosiana I Wayan , Astuti Ni Putu Widya , Widiastini Luh Putu , Jawi I Made , Sutirta Yasa I Wayan Putu
Published: October 2023

High cholesterol levels can increase lipid peroxidation in tissues that are potentially toxic to reproductive organ cells, especially the Leydig cells that produce the testosterone hormone. Blumea balsamifera leaf extract (BBLE) has the main content in the form of flavonoid compounds with antihypercholesterolemic activity. This study aimed to determine the effect of BBLE administration on MDA levels, StAR mRNA expression, Leydig cell counts, and testosterone levels in hypercholesterolemic rats. A posttest-only control group design was utilized in this research. For 50 days, 36 male Wistar rats had been separated into two groups: 1) the control group (HCD + 1 ml/day sterile aquadest) and 2) the BBLE group (HCD + 4 mg/bb rats per day). After treatment, MDA testicular tissue levels, StAR mRNA expression, Leydig cell count, and testosterone levels were measured in both groups. The data collected were statistically examined using the Independent T-test and path analysis. The results indicated that the MDA level was lower in the BBLE group, though StAR gene expression, Leydig cell count, and testosterone levels were significantly greater (p0.05). StAR mRNA expression had a significant direct effect on testosterone levels. Administration of BBLE had been shown to improve testosterone hormone secretion in hypercholesterolemic rats by preventing oxidative stress in testicular tissue with the signs of lower MDA levels, up-regulation of the StAR mRNA, and Leydig cell regeneration.
Relationship between Decompressive Craniectomy and Traumatic Brain Injury Outcomes: A Single-Center Study
Authors: Rosyidi Rohadi Muhammad , Priyanto Bambang , J Januarman , Azam Zakiuddin Abd. , Wardhana Dewa Putu Wisnu
Published: October 2023

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) has significantly increased both mortality and morbidity in developed and developing countries. Decompressive Craniectomy (DC) is an option when conventional treatments fail to reduce intracranial pressure (ICP) when brain edema occurs in TBI. This study aims to determine the relationship between DC and patients with TBI in West Nusa Tenggara Provincial Hospital whose outcome was assessed with Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended (GOSE) and modified Rankin Scale (mRS). A total of 41 TBI patients who underwent DC were included in the study. Univariate analysis revealed that men made up the majority of the subjects, with 26 people (63.4%) compared to 15 women (36.3%). Traffic accidents (82.9%), falling (12.2%), and being crushed (4.9%) accounted for the majority of the causes of TBI. Bivariate analysis showed that pupillary reflex, length of stay, and Glasgow Coma Scale at discharge from the hospital were associated with outcome (p=0.002; p=0.000; p=0.000 respectively), GOSE (p=0.001; p=0.000; p=0.000 respectively), and mRS (p=0.001; p=0.000; p=0.000 respectively). Other factors such as gender, age, trauma mechanism, GCS admission, and operation time, however, did not significantly affect the outcome, GOSE, or mRS.
In silico Study of Phenol Explorer Database as Potential Inhibitors of Quorum-Sensing Regulated Pathogenicity in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Lal Arnica F , S Gupta Pushpraj , Yadav Pramod Kumar
Published: October 2023

Immunocompromised patients get Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections. P. aeruginosa's harmful effect is linked to quorum sensing (QS), which causes bacterial biofilm. Targeting QS is a promising novel method to treat P. aeruginosa infections, which are antibiotic-resistant. The Las system has garnered great interest due to LasR, the expedited gene during QS that regulates other virulence-associated genes. We used high-throughput virtual screening (VS) of Phenol Explorer to uncover a new category of LasR inhibitors that might be used as antagonists. Molecular docking-based VS against LasR (PDB: 2UV0) resulted in six best-scored compounds: Chrysin, Galangin, Coumestrol, 3',4',7- Trihydroxyisoflavanone, Dihydrodaidzein, Dihydroformononetin with docking score of -11.0 kcal/mol and a suitable ADMET profile. Six compounds were chosen for their lack of carcinogenicity in mice and rats, low molecular weight of 270 Da, and moderate to total solubility. Our current work shows that these six chemicals could block P. aeruginosa quorum sensing. Molecular dynamics investigations of a prospective therapeutic candidate (Chrysin) using Gromacs version 2022.2 demonstrated system stability; nonetheless, the antibiofilm assay showed a positive reaction against our in silico finding, suggesting a disturbance in quorum sensing regulating pathogenicity, i.e., biofilm formation. This study is the first to describe chrysin as a disruptor of quorum sensing signaling by inhibiting biofilm formation.
Quality by Design Approach: Progress in Pharmaceutical method Development and Validation
Authors: V. Chavan Avinash , Gandhimathi R.
Published: October 2023

Pharmaceutical analysis plays a significant role in pharmaceutical formulation quality assurance and control. Due to the pharmaceutical industries' rapid expansion and the production of pharmaceuticals all over the world, there is a greater need for novel analytical procedures in this sector. Establishing the identification, purity, physical properties, and potency of medications as well as the medication's bioavailability and stability is the goal of analytical method development. A few new drug applications were recently given regulatory flexibility by the Food and Drug Administration for an analytical method based on quality by design. With Quality by design, product design and development are performed methodically. Analytical methodologies have similar opportunities for implementing Quality by design as production procedures do. It consequently enhances formulation design, development efficiency, and capacity. The underpinnings of the QbD approach have been explored in this article due to their use in the creation and validation of analytical procedures. Additionally, a summary of experimental studies reporting the application of the QbD methodology to method development is included.
Anti-Diabetic Effects of Pomegranate Peel Extract and L-Carnitine on Streptozotocin Induced Diabetes In Rats
Authors: M. Ezz Anwar M. , ALheeti Omar N. , Hasan Ahmed F. , Zaki Somaia , A. Tabl Ghada
Published: October 2023

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a far reaching ongoing metabolic problem portrayed by hyperglycemia and related with a few intricacies like hyperlipidemia. The current study aimed to study the anti-diabetic efficacy of pomegranate peel extract and L-carnitine on streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus in rats. A total of 70 male rats were divided into 7 groups (normal rats treated with the pomegranate peel extract and L-carnitine; rats given a high-fat diet to cause hyperlipidemia, this rats given low-dose intraperitoneal streptozotocin injections to cause type II diabetes; diabetic rats given PPE and L-carnitine orally every day for 12 weeks. Measurements of body mass, blood sugar, lipid profile and antioxidant enzyme activity were made.Results: The treatment group that received PPE + L-carnitine showed a significant decrease in weight, blood glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein were significantly reduced, while high-density lipoprotein levels were significantly increased. Superoxide dismutase levels were increased, catalase and Nuclear Factor Erythroid-derived 2 (Nfe2) in diabetic rats treated with PPE and L-carnitine, while Malondialdehyde levels decreased significantly. According to the results of the study, PPE and L-carnitine had significant anti-hyperglycemic, hypolipidemic, and antioxidant benefits after 12 weeks of treatment in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
Priority Handling of Teurebeh Irrigation Assets, Aceh Besar District, Aceh Province
Authors: Azmeri Azmeri , Ar-rahman Beryl Choliq , Jemi Faris Zahran , Refika Cut Dwi , Shaskia Nina
Published: October 2023

Teurebeh Irrigation scheme is one of the promising irrigation areas in Aceh Besar District, Aceh Province. It is also one of the buffers in the agricultural sector, covering 750 hectares of agricultural area. However, the construction has shrunk over time, and the evaluation at the end of 2020 classified it as "Poor Performance and Requiring Attention." This study aims to determine the handling priority for the irrigation networks at the Teurebeh Irrigation scheme. Data on irrigation network inventory was used as input. The determination of handling priority was conducted using the Mann-Whitney method. The ranking for determining the importance of irrigation assets is based on the condition and function of the irrigation assets. ArcGIS and Google Earth software were used to determine the condition and handling of all assets. The results show that the handling priority levels are between the primary and secondary channels. The tapping structure of BDT.8, BDT.6, BDT.4, BDT.1, and BDT.7 are ranked 1 to 5, meaning they must be fixed immediately as the conditions are severe to moderately damaged and not functioning to functioning poorly. BDT.1 to BDT.3 is in the Primary Channel, while BDT.4 to BDT.8 is in the Secondary Channel. The handling priority for irrigation construction in the primary channel (BDT.1, BDT.1a, and BDT.1c) and the secondary channel (BDT.8, BDT.6, and BDT.7a) are within priority 1 to 3. The Mann-Whitney test on the proposed hypothesis comparing the urgency level between the two channels is insignificant, indicating no significant difference between the handling of primary and secondary channels, as both have similar conditions and functions. The results are expected to contribute to decision-making at the Irrigation Department in designing proposals for renovating irrigation networks.
Ageing, migration, and old age care in transnational Cuba
Authors: Horn Vincent , Schweppe Cornelia
Published: October 2023

In Cuba, the number of older people in need of care is increasing rapidly. At the same time, many younger people are leaving the country in search of a better life. This article focuses on these two processes by asking how care for older people is organized when (some) children live abroad. It shows that in the absence of an adequate public old age care infrastructure, a private market for home-based old age care has emerged. This development is linked to the sending of remittances and may potentially exacerbate social inequalities between older people receiving and not receiving money from abroad.
"A Desire to Learn": Native-American Experiences in Lutheran Colleges, 1945–1955
Authors: Peterson Anna
Published: October 2023

Abstract: Between 1945 and 1955, nine Native-American students of the Oneida, Ho-Chunk, and Ojibwe tribes attended Lutheran colleges with the support of Reverend Ernest Sihler, Superintendent of the Bethany Evangelical Lutheran Indian Mission. Four of the students graduated with bachelor's degrees and two went on to attain PhDs. Regardless of their graduation status, all the students demonstrated educational resilience during their time as undergraduates. Based on the examination of correspondence between the Native American students attending Lutheran colleges and Sihler in the 1940s and 1950s, as well as Sihler and college administrators, and Sihler and donors, this article enriches our understanding of Native American experiences in higher education in the immediate postwar period. These sources reveal students' personal motivations and experiences, as well as their institutional practices and priorities. For the students, success at college required navigating competing interests and goals. They had to balance the need to placate and support the interests and norms of the dominant, fundamentally racist, white college cultures with their desire to remain true to their tribal communities and identities. For Sihler and Lutheran college administrators, they had carefully selected these Native-American students and attempted to help them succeed within the umbrella of Lutheran higher education in accordance with its attendant norms and expectations. These efforts proved moderately successful. The article also details the obstacles these students encountered as well as the strategies they employed to overcome these challenges and meet their college goals. The students took advantage of existing support systems available to them, as well as created new support systems, that enabled them to navigate adverse educational environments. Like Native American college students today, their success was due to several factors, including their pre-college preparations, family support, and access to financial assistance. Their motivation to succeed in order to give back to their tribal communities also gave them a larger purpose to cling to when challenges arose.
Uto-Aztecan and Plateau Penutian Lexical Resemblances Revisited
Authors: Haugen Jason D. , Lorence-Ganong Nina
Published: October 2023

Abstract: This article revisits Noel Rude's proposal that the Uto-Aztecan and Plateau Penutian language families derive from a common ancestor. Drawing on extensive recent Uto-Aztecan lexical compilations by Brian D. Stubbs and Kenneth C. Hill, we argue that most of Rude's proposed lexical correspondence sets are spurious, failing to correspond phonologically or semantically or having other serious problems. However, a number of his sets remain of interest to linguists and anthropologists as evidence of likely prehistoric or early historic contact and borrowing between Plateau Penutian and Uto-Aztecan languages, especially among the northernmost languages of the latter family.
The Work of (Dis)figuration in John Williams’s Stoner
Authors: Teahan Sheila
Published: October 2023

Abstract: This essay on John Williams’s neglected 1965 novel Stoner investigates its treatment of agency and its tension between realism and naturalism. The novel develops a sustained conversation with Faulkner’s Light in August, from which Williams draws a constellation of tropes linked to Stoner’s agency: his major life decisions are driven by misreadings of figure. The essay traces major formal features of the novel’s representation of agency: the rehearsal of images from Light in August and Shakespeare’s sonnet 73; repetition of key figures, including the mask and its related trope of prosopopoeia; the spatialization of time through the linear images of the circle and line; and the engagement of multiple elements of the uncanny, to include the interrogation of language itself. Derrida’s critique of the structure of the decision illuminates both the problem of Stoner’s agency and the novel’s dramatization of the connection between the decision, the secret, and the spectral.
Sounding the Slavery Debates: The Sonic Writing of Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison
Authors: Papanikolas Tony
Published: October 2023

Abstract: This article details how Frederick Douglass intervened on an extant catalogue of sonic imagery, descriptive reproductions of various sonic qualities of antislavery declamation that were deployed by abolitionists like William Lloyd Garrison with the intention of soliciting an affective response in the reader. Analyzing the aural language that suffuses The Narrative of Frederick Douglass, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?,” and The Heroic Slave, and comparing and contrasting Douglass’s use of this language that of Garrison, this article contends that Douglass’ distinct sonic interventions made audible the limitations of a political affinity predicated on the cultivation of preexisting antislavery sentiments. Douglass’s revisions to, and embellishments upon, prevailing sonic antislavery rhetoric afforded him a sensuous, affecting language for conveying the need for the radical reorientation of moderate Northern sensibilities towards the disavowed interiority of the enslaved.
Brief, Undeniable: Lyric Address in Mark Strand
Authors: DeJong Tim
Published: October 2023

Abstract: This essay balances universalist and historicist approaches to reading lyric through an analysis of the poetry of Mark Strand. The ordering consciousness behind a given poet’s body of work offers an avenue to understanding Strand’s work and lyric more generally. Textual rather than biographical, this “lyric self” manifests the twin functions of the lyric poem, to challenge death and to reach out to the reader. Developments in late modernity have occasioned a turn from a self-enclosed mimetic model of lyric to a rhetorical one conscious of audience. Strand’s awareness of this change and his position relative to it assigns him a paradoxical vision of lyric, one that inscribes a self and communicates with the reader but simultaneously questions the potential and value of doing so. A close reading of Strand’s work reveals how his poems balance motivations fundamental to lyric form against the philosophical commitments of secular modernity.
Smallholder's Market Participation, Characteristics, Tractor Use Implication and Determinants in Nigeria
Authors: Onomu Achoja Roland
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT: The smallholders' transformation from the passive nature of farming using crude implements into active and rewarding market participation remains problematic. Over the years, smallholder farming and market have been associated with trails of many middlemen, farm gate sales, and consumption. However, there is a lack of information on the recent changes that have occurred due to government intervention, globalization, and the fourth industrial revolution in Nigeria and many other developing countries. Hence, this study investigates the smallholders' market participation, level of participation, determinants of the smallholders' market participation, driving force behind the smallholder farming, tractor-use, and tractor-use impact on the smallholders' market participation. A multistage sampling technique was applied to select 280 smallholder farmers for the research. Descriptive statistics and propensity score matching (PMS) were used to analyze the data. The findings revealed that the smallholders' market participation level is low. Most smallholders (62 percent) could not sell up to 50 percent of their products. The study showed that smallholders participate in the market at different output sales levels, with most tractor-users participating in the market at a high output sales level. In contrast, many non-tractor users participated at low output sales, indicating poor market participation. Most smallholders sell their produce at the farm gate to date. Smallholder tractor use remains low. Only 28 percent of the total respondents used tractors. The PSM analysis revealed that tractor-use significantly impacts the smallholders' market participants alongside the education level, area cultivated, and access to information on farming activities such as market information. The smallholders' involvement in another occupation negatively impacts their market participation. The year(s) of farming experience did not positively impact the smallholder's market participation, which could be due to poor adoption of technology. The farming and market participation seems unchanged, with most individuals, not collective smallholders, not frequently producing for the market. Their market participation has not experienced meaningful progress despite income generation forming the major motive behind their farming. It is true that some smallholders mainly produce for consumption, but the sole purpose of ensuring households' food security is the least reason many households embark on farming. Positive transformation of the smallholder into active and mainstream market participation is possible if technology, including tractor, and suitable approaches are adopted, as evidenced by this research among smallholders who used tractors. It was recommended that the smallholders' tractor-use issue be prioritized in all policies addressing the smallholders' market participation. Smallholders should not be viewed as farmers who only went into farming for consumption.
Wavelet-Based Analysis of the Comovement Between Exchange Rate and Stock Returns in Sacu Countries
Authors: Mkhombo Thando , Phiri Andrew
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT: The Southern African Customs Union is the oldest customs union in the world and the member states form a currency union with the South African Rand being the regional currency anchor. Therefore, currency movements amongst SACU member are dependent on the developments on the Rand which, in turn, can affect stock market development in the region. We examine the time-frequency relationship between exchange rates and stock market returns in SACU countries using continuous wavelet transforms. Our empirical analysis is two-staged. Firstly, we employ wavelet power spectrum to examine the time-frequency properties of the individual series. Secondly, we use wavelet coherence analysis and phase dynamics to examine the synchronization between the variables in a time-frequency space. Our findings show stronger (weaker) exchange rate-stock returns relations are found during periods of higher (lower) inflation whereas we observe a stronger (weaker) relationship during periods of lower interest rate environment. Moreover, we find more significant long-run relationships for countries with more independent monetary policy (South Africa and Botswana) whereas these relations are more prominent over the short-run for countries with pegged exchange rates (Eswatini and Namibia). We also observe that periods of oil and currency shocks impact the exchange rate-stock returns relationship in SACU countries with pegged exchange rates (Eswatini and Namibia). Our findings bear important implications for different stakeholders. For instance, this study has implications for exchange rate policy as it addresses the issue of whether the exchange rate can be used to improve market performance or exchange rate developments spillover into the stock market. Furthermore, corporate managers and stock market participants would be interested in our findings as it identifies periods of market inefficiency when exchange rates can be used to beat the stock market.
How Effective is Military Expenditure in the Terrorism and Tourism Nexus? Insights from Africa
Authors: Iheonu Chimere
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT: Terrorism has become an alarming issue in Africa due to its potential negative impact on the economy. The escalation of terrorist activities in the region has the capacity to discourage tourists from visiting Africa. This has led to the government increasing military expenditure for counterterrorism with the objective of combating the adverse effects of terrorism on the tourism industry and other sectors of the economy. The purpose of this research is to explore the effectiveness of military spending in offsetting the negative impact of terrorism on tourism in Africa. The study utilized data from 24 African countries between 2001 and 2018 and employed Prais-Winsten regression and Driscoll and Kraay-type Fixed Effects models. Both estimation strategies account for cross-sectional dependence, serial correlation, and heteroskedasticity. The Fixed effect model also accounts for unobserved heterogeneity, which can cause estimation bias when not accounted for. The study also utilizes the first lag of the explanatory variables as instruments for the endogenous variables in the Fixed Effects model to cushion the effect of simultaneity or reverse causality in the modeling. The findings show that both the number of terrorist incidents and the number of terrorist fatalities have negative effects on the number of tourist arrivals into Africa in the absence of military expenditure and when unobservable heterogeneity is considered. Further findings reveal that military expenditure is effective in offsetting the negative impact of the fatalities that arise from terrorism on the number of tourist arrivals in Africa, as revealed by both the interactive and net effects. Additionally, the analysis is expanded using disaggregated tourist data, and the results show that European tourists are more responsive to the use of military expenditure in offsetting the negative impact of terrorism than tourists from America, East Asia, and the Pacific. The policy implication of this study is that African countries must increase military expenditure if they are to effectively offset the negative effect of terrorism on the tourism industry. However, it is also crucial that essential expenditures on education and health are not foregone due to their long run influence on economic development.
Analysis of Non-Oil Exports – Economic Growth Relationship in Nigeria: The Role of Institutional Qualities
Authors: Adedapo Odebode
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT: One of the primary policy issues over the years in the context of the Nigerian economy has been how to enhance the performance of the non-oil export sector of the economy in order to diversify the country's export base and contribute more to GDP (gross domestic product). Rather than a lack of policy initiatives, the noticeably abysmal performance of Nigerian non-oil exports has been increasingly attributed to poor policy implementation. However, the question of whether such poor implementation is due to the quality of institutional settings, particularly in a developing economy such as Nigeria, has been largely unexplored. To the best of our knowledge, none of the previous studies deemed it necessary to control for the role of institutional quality in the non-oil export-growth nexus from the perspective of the Nigerian economy. To bridge this important gap in the literature, we hypothesize that institutional qualities matter in the relationship between economic growth and non-oil exports. Motivated by a desire to diversify Nigeria's economy away from its reliance on oil exports, this study re-examines the export-led growth hypothesis from the standpoint of non-oil exports while accounting for the role of institutional qualities. We employ the ARDL estimation technique as the best econometric model for the study given its suitability for variables of mixed order of integration in terms of the series' stationarity. More so, the ARDL technique enables us to simultaneously capture both the short-run and long-run dynamics of the nexus. Empirically, we show results that suggest that improved institutional qualities have the potential to boost the positive effects of non-oil exports on economic growth. We also find that the extent to which institutional quality matters for enhancing the effects of non-oil exports on economic growth depends on the institutional quality indicators chosen. On the whole, we expand on the export-led growth hypothesis by considering the role of institutional characteristics and conclude that improving institutional qualities should be prioritized in the path to Nigerian economic diversification.
Earnings Announcement and Stock Prices of Quoted Deposit Money Banks in Nigeria in the Era of COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Fasola Idowu Bosede , Paseda Oluseun
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT: The study examined the effectiveness of the signaling theory and the efficient market hypothesis in Nigeria during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic which has been an underexplored investigation in the Nigerian capital market. The broad objective of the study was to assess how earning announcements could affect the stock prices of deposit money banks in Nigeria. Specifically, the study sought to analyse the trend of stock prices and examine the reactions of stock prices of quoted DMBs to earnings announcements during a pandemic period in Nigeria. The study employed secondary data from daily closing stock prices of 13 selected banks and the All Share Index (ASI) between 2019 and 2020, sourced from the Nigerian Stock Exchange. The Log-in model, Event-study methodology and the Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) test were used to analyse the data. The event-study methodology employed the market model to estimate the expected returns and abnormal returns during the event window. For the weak form of the market efficiency test, ADF was used to test for the presence of unit roots in the time series. Findings from the study showed that 69.23% of banks' stocks in the Nigerian capital market had negative growth, while 30.77% had positive growth during the period. That abnormal returns around announcement days were not statistically significant as abnormal returns of banks that announced an increase or decrease in earnings were -0.01007 (-0.00533) with t-stat values of -0.30355 (-0.16428) respectively. The implication of the findings is that investors could not earn cumulative abnormal returns during the event window and the abnormal returns of most of the banks had an inverse relationship with earnings announcements. Based on these findings, the study recommended, amongst others, that investors should avoid mispriced stocks while investing in index funds in order to earn market average returns and that regulatory authorities should monitor banks listed on the Nigerian stock exchange to guard against abuse of insider information to the detriment of investors.
The Influence of Innovativeness on the Financial and Non-Financial Performance of Retail Smes in Tshwane Metropole
Authors: Mogashoa Katlego , Kalitanyi Vivence
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT: SMEs play a crucial role in the economy by creating jobs, alleviating poverty, innovating, and driving economic growth and development. However, they frequently fail due to business challenges such as poor performance. Grounded in the innovation literature and the Resource-Based View Theory (RBV), this study empirically investigates the influence of innovativeness as a dimension of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) on retail SMEs' performance indicators (financial and non-financial performance) in Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality. Saunders' research onion model was used to frame the methodology. The study adopted a quantitative research design while following a deductive approach. A survey method was used as a research strategy to collect data from 196 SMEs with the measuring instrument adapted from recent literature and from previously tested instruments. The questionnaire used a five-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = neutral, 4 = disagree, 5 = strongly agree. The "neutral" response was added to assure respondents that they need not feel compelled to answer every question. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used for data analysis. The results revealed that innovativeness positively and significantly affects both financial and non-financial SMEs' performance directly and that representatives (managers/owners) of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality retail SMEs believe that if their team is open to new ideas and changes, the implementation of innovation in practice within SMEs will rise. Furthermore, managers recognize and value fresh ideas to encourage staff to "think outside the box" and share their creativity, which facilitates and encourages the actual implementation of innovation. Lastly, the study found that the more open SME managers/owners are to innovation, accept new ideas, and support new resources for innovation, the higher the innovation will take place in the organization. Operationalization of the vague term innovativeness is also a contribution to the literature. This research is crucial for developing countries and regions such as the Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, Gauteng province, South Africa, wherein such studies are lacking, despite the retail sector's significant role in this country's economy. SME managers/owners must regard innovation as an intrinsic aspect of their strategy in this line.
The Interdependence of Financial Markets in Turbulent Periods: A Comparative Analysis of the China–US Cases
Authors: Udeaja Elias A. , Isah Kazeem O. , Sanni Ganiyu K.
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT: There has been a growing hypothesis linking the recent widespread declines in financial markets to the outbreaks of the COVID-19 pandemic. What is, however, unclear is whether the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the dynamics of the financial markets is as severe as those associated with traditional financial crises. Using the cases of the USA and China to represent developed and emerging economies, we examine the returns and volatility dynamics of financial market interdependence amid economic and financial crisis periods of divergent origins. Following careful consideration of relevant tests and model selection criteria, we find the VARMA-CCC-GARCH model to be the best approach for modelling financial market returns and volatility spillovers during a crisis. Employing daily financial market returns, we partitioned the study period into two sub-periods: the Great Recession (GFC) and the Great Lockdown (COVID-19), to arrive at the following empirical findings: First, we find that regardless of the type of crisis—the GFC or COVID-19—unanticipated events in the financial markets in the current period fuel high volatility in the market in the preceding period. Second, while financial markets in developed economies were by far the most affected by the 2008/2009 GFC, the great lockdown associated with COVID-19 appears to have left a permanent shock on both developed and emerging economies' financial markets. It then follows that the extent to which an economy is endowed with the ability to fend off external risks may be sensitive to the origin and nature of the crisis. In this light, it is necessary for policymakers to acknowledge that while some of the instruments used to mitigate the impact of external shocks on financial markets during the GFC may still be applicable during COVID-19 in the case of developed economies, the same appears to not be entirely true in the case of emerging financial markets during COVID-19. On the whole, financial experts and academics may want to be wary of the fact that the past realizations of both returns and volatilities matter for enhancing the forecastability of the future value of financial instruments during a crisis period.
Could Import-Substitution be a Sustainable Industrialization Pathway for Less-Developed Countries?
Authors: Uddin Godwin E.
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT: The strive for economic sustainability in world economies, most especially Less-Developed Countries (LDCs) in recent time notably see also an unwelcome comeback of the Import-Substitution (IS) trade strategy whose efficacy established overtime has been mixed. Thus, a systematic/meta-narrative review of literature on the appropriateness of the IS trade strategy in absolute terms to world economies, more particularly LDCs in contemporary time and among policy-alternatives, bearing in mind its tenets as well as its implications was carried out. The PRISMA methodology adapted here alongside an exploration of over 100 relevant literature through salient themes aid to present a synopsis of lessons from emerging market economies, and clear-cut submissions in a bid to inform policy directions. Amidst others, this review findings identify resource deficiencies, some time-lag considerations as such that attest the limited applicability of the IS trade strategy in absolute terms , and also emphasize the notion that Developing Economies or LDCs still need give allowance for certain imports, such as capital-goods imports, into their domestic economy for industrial productivity growth. Consequently from the review presented, efforts by LDCs to accommodate Multinational enterprises (MNEs) and or attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to achieve technology transfer must be continually implemented.
Mags and Mics: An Exploration of Magazine-Affiliated Podcasts and Who Is Investing in Audio
Authors: Hendrickson Elizabeth Meyers
Published: October 2023

Abstract: This essay considers how consumer magazines are utilizing the pod-casting platform to strategically enhance their content’s reach and posits whether adopting this new audio format means increased spending on creative labor or more funding for technological development. In addition, it seeks to locate a space for this storytelling technique within the broader journalism pedagogy.
The Publishing of Braille Magazines in Egypt: Challenges and Opportunities
Authors: Emara Ibrahim Helmy
Published: October 2023

Abstract: This study examines the publishing of braille magazines in Egypt, focusing on its technical, legal, and financial aspects. The study also discusses the major challenges facing braille magazine publishers; it suggests ways by which the braille magazine industry can flourish. Drawing on semistructured interviews conducted with the publishers of six braille magazines, the study findings indicated that the magazines’ editorial teams are comprised of volunteers having limited experience in journalism. Also, the magazines’ content consists primarily of articles obtained from printed newspapers and the internet, which, therefore, makes braille readers unable to access original and timely information. Moreover, the press laws in Egypt overlooked braille magazines, putting the legitimacy of this type of publication at great risk. Further, poor financial sources are considered the main obstacles encountering the magazine publishers, signifying a potential threat to the sustainability of their businesses. One possible way for this industry to improve is to attract private media companies to create braille publications by offering them tax exemptions, as well as other government incentives. Another recommendation suggested is the need for media and journalism schools to admit students with visual impairments, as the demand for well-qualified journalists with visual impairments may increase.
“Des mots sur des maux”: L’Identité polynésienne à l’épreuve du traumatisme chez Titaua Peu dans Mutismes et Pina
Authors: Félix-Naix Sonia
Published: October 2023

Abstract: À partir des traumatismes, passés et présents, collectifs et individuels, Titaua Peu décrit une identité polynésienne traumatisée et fragmentée, loin du cliché paradisiaque hérité des récits des premiers explorateurs. Les récits de Mutismes et de Pina s’articulent autour du traumatisme des violences au sein de la société polynésienne: violence intrafamiliale et violence institutionnelle, violence héritée de la colonisation qui se mue en colère. Peu dépeint une société tahitienne fragmentée, rongée par des différends qui semblent irréconciliables. Face au traumatisme de la violence, le peuple polynésien s’est enfermé dans le silence: l’écriture de Peu vise ainsi à redonner au peuple polynésien les mots qu’il avait perdus, des mots qui semblent seuls capables d’apaiser un moi en quête de (re)construction. Se dessine finalement le portrait d’une identité polynésienne contemporaine née de la souffrance et de la douleur, mais forte aussi d’une résilience inébranlable, qui fait résonner l’expérience polynésienne comme une expérience universelle.
Roman de la post-migration ou paradoxes de l’identité connectée: Présence et déliaison de l’Algérie dans L’Art de perdre d’Alice Zeniter
Authors: Dehoux Amaury
Published: October 2023

Abstract: Cet article envisage la post-migration comme source de configurations identitaires spécifiques dans L’Art de perdre d’Alice Zeniter. Il montre que la protagoniste, née en France, entretient un rapport ambivalent à l’Algérie dont sont originaires son père et son grand-père. Pour ce faire, l’analyse détaille d’abord en quoi Naïma actualise une mise à distance de l’Algérie par l’abandon d’une série de référents culturels, parmi lesquels l’islam. Par la suite, on montre que, malgré cet éloignement, la protagoniste continue à se heurter à la prégnance de l’Algérie comme part de son histoire familiale. C’est pourquoi on propose finalement de lire la connexion partielle à l’Algérie comme une façon d’assumer l’ambivalence et de penser l’identité post-migrante d’ascendance algérienne en France.
Eberhard Kranzmayer's Deutschtum: On the Austrian Dialectologist's Pan-German Frame of Reference
Authors: Dollinger Stefan
Published: October 2023

Abstract: The present paper offers a close reading of Eberhard Kranzmayer's texts from 1925 to 1960 in an effort to isolate Kranzmayer's major methodological themes. One such theme is a pan-German (großdeutsch) framework, in which the unity of German with a single standard variety is maintained. It will be shown how Kranzmayer used this assumption, combined with his belief in the cultural dominance of all things German, to perform "linguistic land claims" for Germany before and during the war. While his post-war texts are identical in argument, with some democratic window-trimmings, any land claims are more muted and cultural similarity is now stressed. Kranzmayer's time as director of the Institut für Kärntner Landesforschung, 1942–45, will be reviewed in regard to his claim that a people is determined by a standard variety: a status that he granted the Friuli, but not the Slovenes (the Windisch) and, certainly and always, the Germans. It will be argued that such pan-German mindset necessarily influenced conceptions of a budding Standard Austrian German and that, today still, Germanistik is largely bound by the idea of a One Standard German Axiom, in striking similarity to the 1920s.
Nationalism and the Puzzle of Reversing State Size
Authors: Cederman Lars-Erik , Girardin Luc , Müller-Crepon Carl
Published: October 2023

abstract: Having increased for centuries, territorial state size began to decline toward the end of the nineteenth century and has continued to do so. The authors argue that processes triggered by ethnic nationalism are the main drivers of this development. Their empirical approach relies on time-varying spatial data on state borders and ethnic geography since the nineteenth century. Focusing on deviations from the nation-state ideal, the authors postulate that state internal ethnic fragmentation leads to reduction in state size and that the cross-border presence of dominant ethnic groups makes state expansion more likely. Conducted at the systemic and state levels, the analysis exploits information at the interstate dyadic level to capture specific nationalist processes of border change, such as ethnic secession, unification, and irredentism. The authors find that although nationalism exerts both integrating and disintegrating effects on states' territories, it is the latter impact that has dominated.
BER analysis of a full-duplex relay-assisted BPSK-SIM based VLC system for indoor applications
Authors: Bhargava Kumar L. , Prasad Naik Ramavath , Choudhari Datta , Krishnan Prabu , Goutham Simha G. D. , Jagadeesh V. K.
Published: October 2023

This paper contemplates a relay-assisted visible light communication (VLC) system, where the light source (table lamp) acts as a relay node and cooperates with the main light source. Following the IEEE 802.15.7r1 VLC reference channel model, we assume that there are two different light sources present in an office room. The first one is the source terminal present on the ceiling and another one is the desk lamp that serves as the relay station, which works in a full-duplex method. Because of the loop interference channel, we model the VLC relay terminal using ray tracing simulations. We have analyzed the bit error rate (BER) performance of the relay-assisted VLC system using a binary phase shift keying–subcarrier intensity modulation (BPSK-SIM) technique. The proposed method outperforms existing phase shift keying (PSK) and square M-quadrature amplitude modulation (M-QAM) techniques. The proposed VLC system using the BPSK-SIM technique achieves a BER performance of 10−12 for an SNR of 20 dB. The results of the proposed full-duplex and half-duplex relayed VLC systems are evaluated using equal power allocation (EPA) and optimum power allocation (OPA) techniques over three different modulation schemes, which are 2-PSK, square M-QAM, and BPSK-SIM.