bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mean deflection angle, anterior and posterior length of the cranial base in Pakistani population with different sagittal skeletal malocclusion
Authors: Rana Faiza , Faiza Malik
Published: January 2025

Objective: To compare the mean deflection angles as well as the anterior and posterior lengths of the cranial base in different skeletal patterns.
Method: The cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Orthodontics, Sharif Medical and Dental College, Jati Umrah, Lahore, Pakistan, from December 2022 to May 2023, and comprised orthodontic patients of either gender aged 8-20 years. Pre-treatment lateral cephalograms of the patients were traced on lead acetate tracing sheet with 0.03mm mechanical pencil. Outcome variables for the cranial base nasion-sella-articulare, nasion-sella-basion nasion-sella and sella-to-basion angles were recorded, and data was stratified for age and gender. Data was analysed using SPSS 23.
Results: Of the 93 patients, 60(64.5%) were females and 33(35.5%) were males. The overall mean age was 15.6±3.0 years, 38(40.9%) aged 8-14 years and 55(59.1%) aged 15-20 years). Mean values of cranial base flexion nasion-sella-articulare and nasion-sella-basion and posterior cranial base length sella-to-basion were significantly different sagittal patterns (p<0.05). Gender-based differences in mean values of anterior and posterior cranial base lengths were significant (p<0.05).
Conclusion: Cranial base flexion decreased significantly. Cranial base lengths were higher for males than females, while age had no effect on cranial base morphology.
Key Words: Cranial base, Craniofacial, Growth and development, Malocclusion, Mandible, Maxilla, Prognathism and retrognathia.
Gastrointestinal system involvement characteristics in Covid -19 patients
Authors: Atasoy Halil , Ucar Vehbi
Published: January 2025

Objective: To evaluate the involvement of gastrointestinal tract features in patients of coronavirus disease-2019, and to analyse the effects of these features on the development of critical illness, macrophage activation syndrome and mortalit
Method: The retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2021 to December 2022 at a tertiary care facility after approval from the ethics review committee of Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Turkiye, and comprised data from March 30, 2020, to March 31, 2022, related to coronavirus disease-2019 inpatients. Gastrointestinal features, including nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, gastrointestinal bleeding, weight-loss and anorexia, and laboratory findings related to aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, indirect bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, gamma glutamyl transferase, amylase, C-reactive protein and ferritin levels were evaluated. The effects of biomarkers, clinical symptoms and findings on the development of macrophage activation syndrome, as well as the relationship with the development of critical illness and the effects on mortality were evaluated. Data was analysed using SPSS 22.0 statistical package program.
Results: Of the 2,154 patients, 1,150(53.4%) were males and 1,004(46.6%) were females. The overall mean age was 61(61±16.8) years (range: 18-90 years). A total of 109(5.1%) patients died, 195(9.1%) developed critical illness and 158(7.3%) developed macrophage activation syndrome. Gastrointestinal symptom anorexia had significant association with the development of macrophage activation syndrome and mortality (p<0.05). There was a statistically significant relationship between nausea a and development of critical illness (p <0.012). Macrophage activation syndrome, critical illness and mortality were significant in patients with high ferritin levels (p<0.05). There was a significant relationship of high alanine transaminase levels with macrophage activation syndrome and critical illness (p<0.05). High aspartate transaminase levels were significantly associated with macrophage activation syndrome, critical illness and mortality (p<0.05). There was a significant association of elevated amylase levels with macrophage activation syndrome and mortality (p<0.05). High gamma glutamyl transferase levels were significantly associated with macrophage activation syndrome, critical illness and mortality (p<0.05).
Conclusion: Gastrointestinal feature anorexia and elevated levels of aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, gamma glutamyl transferase and amylase were found to be associated with poor prognosis in coronavirus disease-2019 patients.
Key Words: COVID-19, GI uptake characteristics, C-reactive protein, Ferritin, Macrophage activation syndrome, Liver function tests.
Delineating Hot Zone and Lineaments within Vredefort Crater in South Africa through
Aeromagnetic Data Inversions
Authors: Atif Muhammad B , Wang Yongzhi , Akhter Muhammad P , Ayoola Bello Y , Muideen Lawal K , Hameed Fahad , Hlyniana Kateryna , Wen Bo , Nabi Zubair , Yuhao Dong , Bashir Yakubu M
Published: January 2025

The Vredefort Dome has undergone some geologic processes that result in changes in the temperature of the rocks. This study contributes to the discussion on the thermal effect of the impact in the area on a regional scale and also delineates the linear structures around the Dome. The outcome shows that the center of the Dome is characterized by a low Curie point depth (CPD), indicating a high-temperature status that agrees with previous temperature reports in that area. The high-temperature tendency is observed to extend south of the Vredefort dome. The center-south of the Vredefort structure has a high thermal gradient and heat flow. The fractal distribution of the Vredefort structure correlates with the multi-ring structure around the Dome, which is peculiar to a few impact structures on Earth. The trend of the Fractal exponent contour around the center suggests that the contact of the meteoritic body at that region occurs at an angle and then pushes southwards. The structural analysis results show linear structures that are believed to be faults/fractures trending in North-NorthEast (NNE), NorthEast (NE), EastWest (EW), and NorthSouth (NS) directions whose effects have been explained in previous works in the area and were also identified on the ground. Some closures are observed at the center of the multi-ring structure, indicating the melt-dykes around the Vredefort dome. The Euler depth solutions cluster suggests the lineaments are about 7 km deep.
Institutionalization of Traditional Cultural Courts and Mitigation of Gender-Based Violence in Bundibugyo District in Uganda: An Examination of Cultural Norms and Justice Systems
Authors: Hadijah Nansamba , Kyohairwe Dr. Stella , Lubwama Dr. Nyenje Aida
Published: January 2025

Purpose: The study examined the impact of the institutionalization of traditional cultural courts (ITCC) on mitigating gender-based violence (GBV) in Bundibugyo District, Uganda.
Materials and Methods: The study was grounded in a positivist paradigm and employed a correlation quantitative research design. Data were collected from 203 respondents, including district officers and representatives from NGOs, using structured questionnaires. The study adopted an explanatory linear regression analysis, a parametric test aimed at explaining the effect of the independent variable (ITCC) on the dependent variable (GBV mitigation). Conventional regression (p-value = 0.05) was used as a basis to interpret the findings, where a computed value was above the p-value which indicated an insignificant effect.
Findings: Statistical analysis revealed that the institutionalization of traditional cultural courts accounted for only 1.2% of the mitigation of GBV (R² = .012). The relationship was found to be statistically insignificant (p = .553; p > 0.05). Confirming the hypothesis that the contribution of traditional cultural courts to reducing GBV is minimal and not substantial enough to be considered impactful. Additional findings highlighted critical barriers to the effectiveness of these courts, including a lack of legal awareness among court leaders, societal normalization of GBV, and fear of retribution. These findings align with literature on the limitations of traditional cultural courts, especially in rural settings.
Implications to Theory, Practice, and Policy: The study contributes to the discourse on legal pluralism and its application in GBV mitigation, emphasizing the need to bridge traditional and formal justice systems. Practical implications include enhancing the capacity of court leaders, integrating traditional justice with formal legal frameworks, and strengthening community education on GBV mitigation. Policy recommendations include adopting and contextualizing GBV mitigation frameworks for more effective interventions in rural communities
Multidisciplinary Education in the Wake of COVID-19: Equipping Future Scholars to Address Global Crises
Authors: Besigomwe Kenneth
Published: January 2025

This study explores the evolution and effectiveness of multidisciplinary education in addressing global challenges of the 21st century, particularly the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, across three universities: Harvard University (USA), the University of Cape Town (UCT) (South Africa), and Makerere University (Uganda). The research examines how these institutions have integrated interdisciplinary approaches to respond to complex global issues. Data was collected from 35 participants (faculty, students, and administrators) through semi-structured interviews, document analysis, and case studies. The study finds that universities have increasingly adopted interdisciplinary models, with Harvard’s Global Health and Planetary Health programs, UCT’s Global Change Institute, and Makerere’s focus on sustainable development through collaborations in public health, agriculture, and engineering. The research also highlights the critical role of digital tools (AI, big data, and VR) in enhancing interdisciplinary collaboration, especially during the pandemic. Despite challenges such as institutional resistance and resource limitations, these universities have implemented strategies like faculty development programs, cross-departmental initiatives, and international partnerships to overcome barriers. The study concludes that interdisciplinary education is vital for addressing global challenges and provides recommendations to strengthen institutional support, enhance faculty development, leverage technology, adopt alternative assessments, address resource constraints, and encourage curriculum flexibility to foster cross-disciplinary knowledge.
Enhancing Face Recognition Dataset using Generative Artificial Intelligence: Review Study
Authors: Hayder Wrya Anwar
Published: January 2025

Face recognition is a fast growing and crucial area of study due to its applicability in different life applications. Face recognition systems often face significant challenges due to poor-quality datasets, which can result from factors such as low illumination, low resolution, facial distortions, and varying environmental conditions. These limitations hinder the performance and reliability of face recognition technologies. Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) have emerged as a powerful tool to address these issues by enhancing image quality and generating realistic facial representations under challenging conditions. This review paper explores various GAN-based models each designed to tackle specific face recognition challenges. These models demonstrate significant improvements in enhancement ratios, ranging from 75% to 97%, by leveraging advanced generative techniques to reconstruct and augment facial images. Beyond face recognition, the methodologies discussed in this research have broader implications for enhancing image datasets in other domains, such as medical imaging, surveillance, and autonomous driving, where poor data quality is a common issue. By improving dataset quality through generative AI, this research paves the way for more robust and accurate machine learning applications across diverse fields.
Evaluating the Zoe Empowers Model of Empowering Child and Youth Headed Households in Kenya: Establishing Impact of the Interventions
Authors: Omasaki Simon Kipkemboi , Makori Obed Masese
Published: January 2025

Improving the lives of orphaned and vulnerable children living in extreme poverty is a priority of both Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) and governmental agencies but presents many challenges. The study sought to determine the impact of interventions by Zoe Empowers on empowering child or/and youth headed households using a cross-sectional research design.. This study evaluated the effectiveness of Zoe Empowers’ three-year, holistic program based on empowerment. We specifically looked at households that were accepted into the program due to their vulnerability status, have completed the program, and no longer receive interventions. All study participants have been out of the program for a minimum of nine months and a maximum of three years and ten months. A sample of 385 graduates was randomly selected and interviewed, with information gathered on food security and nutrition, housing, community reintegration, health and hygiene, child rights, education and vocational training, business development, household savings and assets, and spiritual health. The study was anchored on the empowerment theory in social work. We found out that program graduates performed well in all sectors, did not show slippage from their conditions at graduation, and excelled compared to the general population of their counties regarding household assets. The study recommends for improved documentation of the model for replication, robust case management process for tracking, monitoring and learning, extended tracking of graduates and enhanced publicity of the program.
A Systematic Literature Review on Artificial Intelligence in English Language Education
Authors: Krishnan Vekneswary , Zaini Hafiz
Published: January 2025

This systematic literature review explores the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in English language education, focusing on studies published between 2020 until 2024 from Malaysia and international contexts. A total of 15 articles were analysed to examine the impact of AI-driven tools such as tutoring systems, game-based apps, and automated assessment tools on learning outcomes, student engagement, and language proficiency. The findings highlight significant improvements in motivation, personalized learning experiences, and enhanced language skills facilitated by AI platforms. However, ethical considerations and regional disparities in technology access pose challenges. Recommendations for future research emphasize longitudinal studies on AI’s efficacy, the development of advanced AI tools, and comprehensive educator training. This review underscores AI’s transformative potential in shaping modern language education while advocating for continued exploration and ethical integration.
Supervised Learning based Chest Disease Prediction with IOT from Xray Images
Authors: Spoorthi KN  , Kuppa Sahil Sarma , Sajeev Sree Parvathy , Khushi KS  , Ajay Kavya , Angulakshmi M
Published: January 2025

New WHO research indicates that there are an increasing number of chest-related illnesses. This results in the deaths of 17.9 million people annually. It gets harder to identify problems and start therapy at an early age as the population grows. However, new developments in technology, such as deep learning and machine learning methods, have sped up research in the medical profession. The creation of a machine learning and deep learning model for heart disease prediction based on pertinent features is the goal of this study. The chest's X-ray images are kept in the cloud for public access in the suggested method. The images retrieved from the cloud via the internet are analyzed for prediction using machine learning methods such as K Nearest Neighbor and Random Forest and deep learning algorithms such as Convolutional Neural Network and ResNet. Results are further stored in the cloud. Doctors, users, and patients can access the saved findings on cloud servers for diagnosis and treatment. We used a benchmark dataset from UCI Chest Disease Prediction for this research study. The proposed method classified X-ray images into normal and chest disease as cardiomegaly, aortic enlargement, and enlarged cardioment. Results are updated in the cloud for doctor diagnosis purposes. From experimental analysis, ResNet produced better results compared to other methods.
Ergonomic Hazards in the Indian Construction Industry: A Comprehensive Review of Risks, Impacts, and Interventions
Authors: Fauzan Akhtar Syed Mohammad , Mumtaz Neha , Khan Abdur Raheem
Published: January 2025

Construction workers face global ergonomic risk. In India, these risks are exacerbated by manual labour dependence, inadequate regulatory oversight, and limited worker training and health awareness. Ergonomic issues include manual material handling, repetitive motions, improper postures, and prolonged vibration exposure, leading to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) that affect the health, safety, and productivity of workers. This review aims to consolidate knowledge on ergonomic hazards in India's construction sector, identify risks and their effects on workers, and evaluate interventions to mitigate these hazards. A systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar was conducted for studies published between April 2013 and April 2023. This review includes English-language studies that provide empirical evidence or a sensitive analysis of ergonomic hazards among Indian construction workers. Quality assessment was performed using standardized tools, followed by narrative synthesis. This review found a high prevalence of ergonomic hazards, with over 70% of workers reporting MSD-related symptoms. Key hazards include manual handling of materials, repetitive movements, faulty postures, and prolonged vibration exposure. Contributing factors include socioeconomic conditions, lack of safety training, inadequate personal protective equipment, poor tool and workstation design. Various interventions such as technological solutions, ergonomic training, and organizational strategies are effective in reducing hazards. Ergonomic hazards critically impact health and safety of Indian construction workers and require systemic solutions and immediate interventions. Effective strategies include ergonomic training programmes, ergonomically designed tools, and strict safety regulations. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies and innovative interventions to improve occupational health in the construction industry.
Synergetic Antioxidant Efficiency of Averrhoa-carambola Fruit’s Dry Powder in Controlling Rancidity of Edible Oils
Authors: Naik M Vinayak , Sadashivamurthy B  , Dakshayini C  , Tallur N Preethi , Antony Pragasam
Published: January 2025

Averrhoa carambola is a phenolics rich fruit and shows antioxidant activity in scavenging free radicals. Milled raw soya bean and ground nut oils were used to study shelf life and amount of rancidity in the presence of Averrhoa carambola fruit’s dry powder. The experiment was designed to record proximate parameters using a standard method of analysis. The density and viscosity of oil samples changes slightly with the amount of dry powder of the fruit. The peroxide value of experimental oil samples SBO and GNO in the presence of 0.9g of dry powder of the fruit shows a minimum value of 110 and 107meq/kg with comparison of the blank sample, 146 and 128meq/kg respectively, during the observation period of 64 days. A sample with standard antioxidant Butylated hydroxyl toluene records peroxide values of 76 and 83meq/kg, which was the least value showing an effective control of primary oxidation of edible oils. Relatively, the antioxidant property of dry powder of star fruits conspicuously controls the rancidity by retarding the peroxidation. Paraanisidine values were recorded as the lowest values for experimental oil samples, 1.5 and 1.3 for SBO and GNO respectively, with respect to 0.9g star fruit powder compared to blank oil samples *SBO and *GNO, which give 4.9 and 4.7 respectively. The rancidity of edible oils is effectively controlled by dry powder of star fruit and the fruit is available in plenty with less cost, it can be utilized as a natural preservative to increases the shelf life of edible oil.
Hybrid Contrastive Learning for Cyber Security Named Entry Recognition using Belief Rule Base
Authors: Karne RadhaKrishna , Reddy Kallem Niranjan , Rubenraju Kasapaka , Chintamaneni Vijayalakshmi , K Jamal
Published: January 2025

It is possible to retrieve data from security-related occurrences, Named Entity Recognition (NER) is essential to cybersecurity. For rich contextual text embeddings, current approaches rely on pre-trained models; nevertheless, anisotropy presents a difficulty that may impact the quality of subsequent encoding. Furthermore, current models might have trouble detecting clutter. In order to deal with these problems, we provide a unique model that combines Belief Rule Base with Contrastive Learning for Named Entry Recognition (NER) in cybersecurity, called Hybrid Contrastive Learning (HCL), which is based on deep learning. Additionally, as a BRB parameter optimization method, the Distributed Constraint Covariance Matrix Adaptation Evolution Strategy (D-CMA-ES) is proposed. This paper contributes to advancing the state of the art in NER and provides insights into building more effective, interpretable, and scalable models for cybersecurity applications. Modelling and recognising entities across a wide range of cybersecurity data is crucial for effective and efficient response to cybersecurity crises. Neural networks are being used for entity extraction in the field of cybersecurity since Named Entity Recognition (NER) was developed. BRB used to improve the detection of fixed format entities is feasible and beneficial. As an alternative to the CMA-ES technique, we suggested the D-CMA-ES algorithm, which adaptively divides data into multiple subspaces for sampling, thereby mitigating the negative impact of high-dimensional samples on training outcomes. Experiments show that NER accuracy for cybersecurity is significantly improved when HCL is combined with the D-CMA-ES algorithm.
Research efficiency in Chilean universities: A look from data envelopment analysis
Authors: Ganga-Contreras Francisco , Romero Juan Bautista Abello , González Patricio Viancos , Cifras Natalia Abello , Amaya Wendolin Suárez
Published: January 2025

Objective. The objective is to analyze Chilean universities' efficiency in using some research-related inputs to determine their impact on the results of their scientific production.
Design/Methodology/Approach. To achieve the outlined objective, some strategic resources are used as inputs, such as financial income, full-time equivalent academic staffing, and the number of enrolled students, and, as output, the number of publications in journals indexed in the Scopus database between 2020 and 2022. This is a descriptive and quantitative research using the data envelopment analysis technique.
Results/Discussion. Valuable information for university management and governance was identified, including that three universities reached 100 % efficiency and seven others exceeded 90 %. The Mann-Whitney U and Student's t-tests, which show significant and favorable results for public entities, evidence the differences between public and private universities.
Conclusion. The analysis suggests that multiple factors should be considered when evaluating the efficiency of academic institutions, especially their context and mission, especially regarding scientific production.
Social Safety Programmes and Economic Development in Nigeria
Authors: Krokeyi Wisdom
Published: January 2025

This study investigates the relationship between
social safety programs and economic development
in Nigeria, specifically examining the impact of
social and civil service pensions and gratuities on economic
development and poverty. The analysis utilized annual
time series data spanning from 1981 to 2022 and employed
the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) technique. The
findings indicate that social and civil service pensions and
gratuities have a positive but insignificant effect on
economic development in the long run and a positive and
significant effect in the short run. Additionally, the
consumer price index negatively and significantly impacts
economic development in the long run but has a negative
and insignificant effect in the short run. The study also
reveals that domestic investment has a positive and
significant impact on economic development in both the
long and short runs. Population growth shows a positive
but insignificant effect on economic development in both
time frames. Moreover, social and civil service pensions
and gratuities negatively and insignificantly affect poverty
in the long run but have a negative and significant effect in
the short run. Real GDP growth negatively and
significantly impacts poverty in both the long and short
runs, while government debt service negatively and
significantly affects poverty in the long run but has a
positive and significant effect in the short run. Policymakers
should reconsider the design and implementation of social
security programs to ensure they are efficient, sustainable,
and aligned with broader development and poverty
reduction goals. This may involve reforms to enhance
coverage, improve administrative efficiency, and ensure
the sustainability of pension systems.
Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) on the Financial Performance of Quoted Manufacturing Firms in Nigeria
Authors: Anyanwu Hyginus , Uchegbu Basil , Chima Ambrose
Published: January 2025

This study investigates the impact of Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) on the financial performance of
manufacturing firms listed on the Nigerian Stock
Exchange. Despite conflicting views in existing literature,
this research explores whether CSR activities, specifically
employee health and safety, community development, and
research and development, influence financial metrics such
as net profit margin (NPM), return on assets (ROA), and
return on equity (ROE). The study spans a period from 2017
to 2023, leveraging correlation analysis to evaluate
relationships between CSR expenditures and financial
performance indicators. Findings indicate a significant
positive effect of CSR on NPM and ROE, though no
significant impact was observed on ROA. This suggests that
while CSR enhances profitability and shareholder returns,
its influence on asset efficiency is limited. The study
emphasizes the necessity for Nigerian manufacturing firms
to balance profit motives with CSR activities to achieve
sustainable business success. Recommendations include
enhancing community development initiatives, leveraging
by-product innovation for cost management, and
addressing environmental impacts through compensation
and remediation efforts. These strategies are expected to
foster a favorable operational climate, ensuring long-term
sustainability and competitive advantage.
Colonialism as the Root Cause of the Conflict in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria
Authors: Cinjel Nandes , Weinoh Oboromeni , Danladi Emmanuel
Published: January 2025

Jos North Local Government Area is one of the local
government areas in Plateau State that has a long history
of conflict. The history of the conflict is traced right from
the colonial period. The colonial government adopted a
divided and rules policy to rule the area and this has not
only laid the seed to the conflict but has deepen mutual
distrust between the indigenes and the settler groups.
Apart from the prominence the colonialists have given the
settlers group over the native whom at the time were
referred as the pagan, it fails to introduce spatial plan and
policies that would have help to mitigate the contestation
over the ownership of the area between the natives and
settlers' group. Being non-experimental research, the study
used qualitative and historical research design to elicit data
for the study. The data of the study were generated from
array of documentary facts drawn from both published and
unpublished materials (Textbooks, journals, newspapers
and documented historical reports from the national
archival centre). The study found that colonialism is the
root causes of the conflict in Jos North and it is at the heart of
the conflict through its policies of divide and rule and its
failure to plan and provide spatial policy for both the settler
and indigene groups. The study recommends among others
the need to revise the 1999 constitution to clearly define
who is an indigene and a settler within the country, the
adherence to democratic principles and the need for mutual
co-existence.
The Use of Politeness Principles by Nigerian Politicians in their Political Campaigns to Preclude Political Crisis
Authors: Abubakar Muhammad
Published: January 2025

This paper examined the use or nonuse of politeness strategies by
Nigerian politicians in their political campaigns. The paper employed a
combination of two analytical approaches – the Close Text Analysis
(CTA) and the Narrative Paradigm - to interpret and analyse the selected texts
and contexts (sourced from You Tube platform) of utterances of two
gubernatorial candidates in Kaduna State during their campaigns for
governorship election in 2015. The paper used the Leech's framework of
politeness maxims in the analysis of the sampled texts of political campaign
utterances by politicians from the two prominent political parties in the country,
to determine their conformity or otherwise with the politeness principles. The
paper found out that, politicians do not make use of politeness principles in their
campaigns; consequently, they divided the Nigerian populace along the various
interests of the different political actors, and have therefore brought about
conflicts within the society; which threatens the survival of democracy in the
country and brings about chaos and crisis. It concluded that, a peaceful and
politically developed Nigerian society is achievable only when politicians in
Nigeria adjust their conduct by adhering to the maxims of politeness. Based on
the findings, the article recommended that Nigerian politicians should be
sensitized to develop the skills of display of socio-political expertise and
competence, personal ethics and integrity, control of emotions, and
development of professional image in order to produce nationalistic
followership and create a balanced political atmosphere in the country
Poverty at a Distance: Supply and Demand Side Factors and the Formation of Civil Society Organizations in Iraq
Authors: Hamoudi Ali , Koppe Stephen , Winston Nessa
Published: January 2025

This paper contributes empirically to the international debate on the
drivers for the formation of civil society organizations (CSOs) by testing
three separate hypotheses: demand, supply and integration. To
investigate this question, we analyse the CSO sector in Iraq, which transformed
since 2003 from being implicitly banned to being a central pillar of poverty
alleviation and social service provision with thousands of formally registered
organizations. Using OLS regression analysis with district level and official
register data, we examine the geographic distribution of CSOs in relation to
poverty levels in Iraq. We find no significant confirmation for demand side
drivers that social service providing CSOs form in high poverty districts. Instead,
we find strong support for CSO formation in governorate administrative centres,
which confirms supply-side drivers of CSO development. However, we do find
some support for a higher concentration of human rights-based CSOs in high
poverty areas. The findings raise important policy implications for the UN
Sustainable Development Goal of no poverty in an Iraqi context and
internationally, but also how to fund CSOs to meet the demands of the primary
recipients.
The State and Challenges of Infrastructural Development in Nigeria
Authors: Ortom Eunice , Ije Jairus , Ibukun Fadare
Published: January 2025

The role of the state in infrastructural provision has been the subject of most
recent writers on account of the imperative of infrastructural development
as a catalyst for national development. This study is an exploration of the
interconnectedness between the state and infrastructural development in Nigeria.
The objectives were (1) to discover if the national health policies of government
have improved the quality of health for Nigerian citizens (2) to investigate if the
state has provided adequate road network for the populace. (3)To find out if
government has provided adequate electricity supply for its citizens . Our method
of data collection is documentary and survey. For the documentary we relied well-
researched textbook, journals, internet materials, newspapers among others.
While the survey was based on Unstructured interview among top civil servant in
relevant ministries a total of 14 civil servants were interviewed. The structural
functional analysis was used as our theoretical framework. Our findings revealed
that government has not done enough in provision of health facilities, due to bad
governance it has not provide adequate road network for the populace also that
there is poor power supply. We concluded that if the government is able to provide
good health facilities, adequate road network and relative stable electricity supply
the situation will improve. We recommended that government should improve its
performance in the health sector since a healthy man is a wealthy man.
Government must not play unnecessary politics with the salaries and benefits of
health providers. Government should conduct regular road maintenance of road
by FERMA and construct more roads especially in the Southern part of the
country which is worse hit. The federal government should improve its
performance in the power sector and ensure the periodic improvement in the
electricity Megawatts being supplied to the country. Unstructured elite interview
we conducted also supported what we discovered from the study
Youths Sensitization and Empowerment: Challenges, Effects and Solutions
Authors: Oluwashina Abdullahi , Joshua Salima , Adebusuyi Ojo , Abdulmumini Aji , Oko-oboh Jude
Published: January 2025

The relevance of youth in any society can never be overemphasized as the
youths form the driving force for successful growth and development of
nations across the globe. Therefore, it becomes important to evaluate
youth's sensitization and empowerment in Nigeria. Basically, the study was
conducted to achieve two major objectives viz: to evaluate the challenges of
youth's sensitization and empowerment, to examine the effects of effective
youth's sensitization and empowerment on the individuals, community and the
national at large. To achieve the objectives of the study, survey research design
was adopted and 170 respondents were drawn out of the study population using
simple random sampling technique. Questionnaire was utilized for data
collection. The data collected were subjected to statistical analysis using simple
percentage, mean and standard deviation. It was discovered from the findings of
the study that some of the challenges of youth's sensitization and
empowerments were technology barriers, lack of social amenities, high illiteracy
level, poverty, and bad governance, amongst others. However, the resultant
effects of effective youth's sensitization and empowerments are increase in
problem solving skills, drastic reduction in poverty rates, and crime rates
reduction amongst others. Therefore, the study concludes and recommends that
the government and other non-governmental organizations should ensure that
the youths are well sensitized and empowered. This in no small measure will
facilitates increase in the gross domestic product (GDP) of the nation as well as
people no longer be afraid of terrorist activities such as kidnapping, herdsmen
invasion, internet fraud, arm robbery amongst others.
Plea Bargaining in Nigeria: A Clog on Fundamental Human Rights
Authors: Emuaye Grace
Published: January 2025

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.' There is manifest
injustice with regards to vulnerable, innocent, and unrepresented
defendants in plea bargain cases under the Nigerian adversarial system of
adjudication in which the judge does not descend into the arena of conflict but
rather plays a passive role as an impartial umpire. Thus, because of the passive
role of the judge, vulnerable and unrepresented defendants are induced, and
most times coerced into plea bargaining by prosecutors who do not want to go
through the rigors of trials because the burden of proof lies on the prosecution at
trial thereby, compelling such defendants to admitting to offences they never
committed which therefore is tantamount to an infringement of their
fundamental human rights. Thus, the aim of this paper is to critically analyze
plea bargaining as practiced under the Nigerian adversarial system of
adjudication as a clog on fundamental human rights of defendants. Thus, there
is urgent need to wedge the sliding slope. This piece therefore makes necessary
recommendations that would bring about positive change in the criminal justice
system in Nigeria and in other jurisdictions in general if implemented.
Sentinel Monitoring Program: Quality Assurance in Laboratory animal facility
Authors: H A Ravindranath , B Sukesh , C  J Umadevi , B H Murigendra
Published: January 2025

Sentinel animal testing plays a pivotal role in management of any modern vivarium. It is an extremelyuseful tool to assess the microbial status of the laboratory animals as part of the comprehensive animalcare program. Sentinels pick up the early infection if any, in the micro and/or macro environment, as theseanimals are placed in a similar environment intentionally. Sentinels are representative animals, independentof the research colonies and are maintained only for the purpose of screening the pathogenic organismsat regular intervals. At times, as part of 3R's, we have on occasion used research animals to confirm oursentinel results. Sentinel program is concerned with prompt detection of pathogens and the measuresto deal with them thereby ensuring the health status of the resident colony. With an effective sentinelmonitoring program preventive measures can be taken to enact either, treat, contain or eradicate thepathogen. This review provides insights into the sentinel program with respect to disease surveillance oflaboratory animals and conveys why it is necessary for effective in laboratory animal program management
Evaluation of micro-environment and microbiologi- cal monitoring of various bedding materials for laboratory rodents
Authors: Babu P Anand , Prasad P Hari , G Venkateswaran , S  P Muthukumar
Published: January 2025

In biomedical research, the use of laboratory animals is very vital and a critical part of effort to prevent, cure and treat  a vast range of ailments. Globally around 50-100 million laboratory animals are used annually for experimentation. Rat,  mouse, Guinea pig and rabbit are the most commonly used laboratory animals and among these, laboratory mouse is an  important species. Variety of environmental factors can affect the outcomes of studies using laboratory rodents. One such  factor is bedding. Physiological changes may occur after exposure to some types of bedding and could affect experimental  results. Some bedding materials generate dust and particulates that might cause respiratory or ocular changes. Several  new bedding materials have been introduced for laboratory rodents in the recent past, but there are only a few evaluation  reports about their performance. In this study, we have compared the performance of different bedding materials like saw  dust, paddy husk, corncob and paper shredding. We measured the micro-environment parameters like ammonia, sulfate,  temperature, biomass changes, pH, moisture content, microbial load viz., total plate count, yeast and mold count, when  housed on various types of bedding materials. We observed that the bedding materials have no significant effect on cage  temperature, humidity and pH. The ammonia level in cages using corncob bedding (242 ± 3.65 mg/100g) was less when  compared to all other beddings (Saw dust, 454 ± 2.4 mg/100g) and so prolong the interval between cage changing. The  microbial monitoring also revealed less microbial load when corncob was used as bedding material. Hence, the present  study suggests that corncob is more suitable as bedding material for housing laboratory mice.
Study of the timing of Caesarean section and progesterone administration for routine microbiological decontamination of mice
Authors: Niimi Kimie , Ito Namiko , Nishioka Chieko , Arasaki Tomoko , Watanabe Kaori , Tsuji Akiko , Arai Takashi , Takahashi Eiki
Published: January 2025

Caesarean section (C-section) is conducted to decontaminate mice from microorganisms in our facility. In the present study,  pregnant mice (C57BL/6J) were administered progesterone on gestational days (GD) 17 and 18 and were C-sectioned on  GD 19 (normal schedule), 20 (1 day later than usual), or 21 (2 days later than usual). The fetal survival rates on GD 19 and  20 were similar, whereas on GD 21, it was quite low. In another set of study, pregnant mice (C57BL/6J) were administered  progesterone on GD 17 and 18 (normal schedule), 16 and 17 (1 day earlier than usual), or 15 and 16 (2 days earlier  than usual). The progesterone administration on GD 16 and 17 were as effective as the normal schedule in maintaining  pregnancy until GD 19, whereas administering progesterone on GD 15 and 16 did not maintain pregnancy until GD 19.  Administration of single shot of progesterone to pregnant (C57BL/6J) mice on GD 15, 16, 17, or 18 resulted in effective  maintenance of pregnancy until GD 19 only in GD 18 group. These findings will allow us to better manage work schedules.
Hepatoprotective activity of methanol extract of Asteracantha longifolia in rats
Authors: Tripathi Indu , N B Shridhar , K Jayakumar , K Sathyanarayana , M L Sathyanarayana , Tikare Vinay , G S Murthy
Published: January 2025

The study was conducted to assess the hepatoprotective activity of Asteracantha longifolia in carbon tetra chloride (CCl4) induced hepatotoxicity in rats. The hepatoprotective effect of methanolic extract of whole  plant of Asteracantha longifolia was studied by monitoring serum aspartate amino transferase (AST), serum  alanine amino transferase (ALT) and histopathological alterations. Pre-treatment with methanol extract of  Asteracantha longifolia in rats treated with CCl4 showed a significant inhibition (P<0.001) of rise in serum  ALT and AST at all the doses tested (600, 900 or 1200 mg/kg). Histopathological studies provided the added  evidence for biochemical analysis. Histopathological studies showed total recovery of liver damage caused by  CCl4 on treatment with silymarin as well as Asteracantha and such treated groups showed very less hepatic  damage with few areas of fatty changes. These studies revealed that the methanol extract of Asteracantha  longifolia has potent hepatoprotective activity. It showed even better efficiency than the well known hepato protective agent silymarin in reducing the ALT and AST concentrations in CCl4 treated rats
Sub-chronic administartion of Jojoba oil meal (simmondisa chinensis) induce thyrotoxicity in rabbits
Authors: L Kiran , V Nagabhushana , Nadoor Prakash , Jadhav NV , C B Madhavaprasad , Pawar Ashok , V B Shettar
Published: January 2025

Investigations were carried out to study the effect of supplementation of jojoba meal (Simmondisa chinensis) on  biochemical, haematological and thyroid hormone profile in broiler rabbits. A total of fourty New Zealand white  rabbits (4 week old) were randomly allotted to four dietary treatment groups, comprising ten rabbits in each group.  The control group (T0) was fed with complete feed with no jojoba oil meal and test groups were fed complete feed  with 5, 15 and 25 per cent jojoba oil meal in T1, T2 and T3 groups, respectively. Hematology and serum biochemical  profile indicated reduction in haemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV) and total erythrocyte count (TEC) in T2 and  T3 groups compared to T0 and T1groups on 30th day of study, while serum calcium, phosphorus, cholesterol and total  protein were not affected. It was observed that serum tri-iodothyronine (T3) and thyroxin (T4) levels in jojoba meal  treated rabbits were declined in dose-dependent manner due to thyrotoxicity. Toxicopathological lesions include  infiltration of inflammatory cells (T1) or inter-follicular thyroiditis in rabbits fed jojoba meal @ either 15 (T2) or 25 %  (T3).
Analysis of the mechanisms underlying the analgesic effects of the extracts of Phyllanthus amarus & Phyllanthus fraternus
Authors: Chopade Atul R , F J Sayyad
Published: January 2025

A great number of preclinical and clinical studies have not only confirmed but have also extended the medicinal uses  of species of the genus Phyllanthus mentioned in traditional medicine. We have examined some of the mechanisms  underlying the analgesic effects of the extracts of Phyllanthus amarus and Phyllanthus fraternus against formalin induced nociception in mice. In addition, we also investigated the action of both the species against capsaicin-mediated  pain. 20 μl of 2.5% formalin (0.92% formaldehyde), made up in phosphate-buffer solution, was injected intraplantarly  in the right hindpaw. Animals were pre-treated with the extracts of Phyllanthus amarus and Phyllanthus fraternus and 
with specific receptor antagonists for evaluating the mechanisms of analgesic activity. 20 μl of capsaicin (1.6 μg/paw)  was injected intraplantarly in the right hind paw. Animals were treated with the extracts of P. amarus and P. fraternus intraperitoneally (1-30 mg/kg) 30 min before, or orally (25-200 mg/kg) 60 min before capsaicin injection. Both the  adrenergic receptor antagonists prazosin and yohimbine (0.15 mg/kg, i.p.) had no effect on the antinociceptive action  caused by extracts of P. amarus (30 mg/kg, i.p.) and P. fraternus (30 mg/kg, i.p.). Treatment of animals with L-arginine  (600 mg/kg) had no significant effect against the analgesic properties of P. amarus and P. fraternus. The extracts of  Phyllanthus amarus and Phyllanthus fraternus given either intraperitoneally or orally caused marked and dose-related  inhibition of capsaicin-induced pain. The current study suggest that their antinociceptive action is unrelated to central  depressor action, interaction with α-adrenergic receptor or interaction with L-arginine nitric oxide pathway.
Pathological changes in the mammary gland of rabbits following intra-mammary inoculation of Mycoplasma agalactiae
Authors: S Uma , H D Narayanaswamy , M L Sathyanarayana , M R Gajendragad , Ramachandra S G , N Krishnaveni
Published: January 2025

Contagious agalactia is a disease predominantly of milking sheep and goats caused mainly by Mycoplasma agalactiae, clinically manifested as mastitis, arthritis, keratoconjunctivitis and pneumonia. Pathological changes in the mammary  gland of rabbits following intra-mammary inoculation of M. agalactiae were studied. Clinical mastitis developed within  24 hpi. It was initially acute but became chronic by the end of the experiment at 9 dpi. The disease was characterized by  atrophy of the infected mammary glands, resulting in marked agalactia. Histopathology revealed that the mastitis was acute  and purulent initially, followed by infiltration of mononuclear cells with fibroplasia in the interacinar tissue, and later by  massive fibrosis by 9 dpi.