bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Food Insecurity on Health Conditions among Women and Children of Orang Asli Kintak in Pengkalan Hulu, Perak, Malaysia
Authors: Hasni Nor Haidanadia , Halim Sharina Abdul , Aziz Sarah Aziz Abdul
Published: September 2024

Growing evidences have shown high overlap between food, well-being and forest conservation. Such circumstances are being faced by indigenous communities, in Peninsular Malaysia that are becoming more vulnerable due to health problems related to malnutrition. In this paper, we address effects of food insecurity and health conditions among Orang Kintak mothers and children in Pengkalan Hulu. A total of 35 mothers and 63 children were sampled using quantitative approach. Using (WHO) reference standards, main finding for BMI classification of women shows (20%) underweight, (60%) normal weight and (20%) obesity. Meanwhile, (86%) children were under weight and only (14%) are of normal weight. Understanding the health problems faced by Orang Kintak following unbalanced and nutritional diet are crucial in order for local authorities and communities to take critical action, such as to set up a basic food source production program in order to avoid over dependent on purchased food sources. Next, increase the productivity of human capital by encouraging involvement in the economic, education and health sectors. In general, policy-makers need to take into account indigenous knowledge, challenges and beliefs system when making a strategic decision so that it is beneficial and suitable for the planned strategy to be successful.
Paradoxy současných euroamerických rituálů: útlum blahobytem, hledání výsostného a nedůvěra v transcendenci
Authors: Karlová Jana
Published: September 2024

Text je zacílen na téma současných euroamerických rituálů, načrtává problém definice pojmu rituál a navrhuje využití konceptu liminality Victora W. Turnera. Ten věnuje pozornost vnitřnímu procesu rituálního dění, který vybočením z běžného řádu otevírá výjimečné situace, v nichž se může a má stát cokoli. Rituál tak odráží zásadní společenské zprávy, hodnoty a uspořádání – a zároveň otevírá možnost je reflektovat a přetvářet. Praxe a kontext současných euroamerických rituálů jsou v článku analyzovány zejména prostřednictvím motivů (1) rituální transformativní síly, (2) dis/komfortu, (3) distinkce mezi reálným a neskutečným.
Svatomatějská tradice k zajištění úrody ovocných stromů ve světle nových pramenů z východních Čech
Authors: Kučerová Barbara
Published: September 2024

Jedním z kalendářních zvyků v českých zemích byla tradice klepání na ovocné stromy na den sv. Matěje s cílem zajistit úrodu ovoce. Tato pověrečná praktika byla běžná ještě na přelomu 19. a 20. století v mnoha oblastech Čech a Moravy a původně měla podobu rodinného zvyku s prvky magie. V první polovině 20. století téměř všude zanikl. Až do 50. let se udržel v několika málo oblastech, z nichž v některých lokalitách fungoval i nadále v téměř totožné formě, zatímco věření v jeho účinnost postupně zanikalo, v dalších lokalitách již ve formě transformované do dětského koledování s tradičními říkadly, které však již vědomě nezachovávalo původní obsah. Příspěvek sleduje doklady o udržování zvyku ve východních Čechách v literatuře a v obecních kronikách a potvrzuje údaje zjištěné terénním výzkumem ve vybrané oblasti.
Baseline Survey of Plant Species Along Salang Road in Afghanistan
Authors: Karimi Abdul Ghani , Fritsch Reinhard Michael , Hassani Mustafa , Xiang Chun-Lei
Published: September 2024

The Salang Road, a critical transportation corridor, serves as a vital link connecting the northern and southern parts of Afghanistan. In response to the government's decision to upgrade this road, assessing and documenting the plant species in the region is crucial. This study was conducted to catalog the plant species along the Salang Road, aiming to establish a comprehensive understanding of the area's botanical diversity. Plants were recorded using the quadrate sampling method at 35 sampling points. A transect line was set up at each sampling point, 5 quadrats were established along each line, and the occurrence of plants within the quadrat frame was recorded. Quadrat sizes, determined using the minimal area method, were 10×10 m for trees, 2×5 m for shrubs, and 1 m2 for herbs. Plants were identified with the help of literature and by comparing with the deposited specimen of Kabul University Faculty of Sciences Herbarium (KUFS). Data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel. 135 diverse species, including trees, shrubs, and herbs, representing various ecological niches were documented. These species belong to 46 plant families, and the most abundant ones were Asteraceae, Apiaceae, Rosaceae, Lamiaceae, Fabaceae, and Polygonaceae. The survey additionally examined road construction's impact on plant species' distribution and diversity. The survey provides valuable insights into the Salang corridor area's botanical diversity and ecological significance, serving as a foundational dataset for future environmental conservation and land management efforts. The information obtained from this study can support qualified decision-making and sustainable development practices in the region.
Modeling the Transmission Dynamics of the Ebola Virus: Effects of Quarantine and Vaccination
Authors: Zgham Wahidullah , Sahani Sarojkumar , Rahimi Hezbullah
Published: September 2024

Quarantine and vaccination of individuals suspected of exposure to infectious agents are fundamental public health strategies that have historically been employed to mitigate the transmission of contagious diseases within human populations. This study introduced a modified SEIVQRD deterministic model to evaluate the population-level effects of quarantine and vaccination on individuals potentially exposed to the Ebola virus. The study showed that the Model exhibits backward bifurcation when . This implies that even when the reproductive number  An unstable endemic and a stable disease-free equilibrium can coexist in less than one. This phenomenon arises from imperfect quarantine and indicates that while  is necessary for adequate infection control; it is no longer sufficient and creates additional challenges for effectively controlling Ebola. Furthermore, the sensitivity analysis revealed that the quarantine effectiveness parameter and the parameter related to the isolation of vulnerable individuals had less influence on the incidence of new Ebola cases. However, vaccinating non-quarantined susceptible individuals significantly affects the infection burden and can lower the reproductive value to less than one. Overall, the Model emphasizes the critical role of vaccination in reducing Ebola virus transmission. Although quarantine measures alone may not be sufficient, their combination with vaccination can significantly reduce infection rates.
Hubungan Higiene Sanitasi Pengolahan Makanan dan Pola Konsumsi Ibu Hamil Terhadap Kejadian BBLR (Berat Badan Lahir Rendah) di Wilayah Kerja Puskesmas Teruwai Kecamatan Pujut Kabupaten Lombok Tengah
Authors: Nurmaningsih Nurmaningsih , Zulhakim Zulhakim , Jannah Nurul
Published: September 2024

World Health Organization (WHO) mendefinisikan berat badan lahir rendah (BBLR) adalah bayi yang lahir dengan berat lahir kurang dari 2500 gram. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui hubungan higiene sanitasi pengolahan makanan dan pola konsumsi ibu hamil terhadap kejadian berat badan lahir rendah (BBLR) di wilayah kerja Puskesmas Teruwai Kecamatan Pujut tahun 2024. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan cross sectional. Teknik pengambilan sampel menggunakan total sampling dengan jumlah sampel 35 Ibu hamil dan pengumpulan data dilakukan menggunakan kuesioner. Penelitian ini dilaksanakan di wilayah kerja Puskesmas Teruwai Kecamatan Pujut, data yang dikumpulkan kemudian dianalisis yang terdiri dari analisis univariat dan analisis bivariat. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa dari 35 ibu hamil lebih dominan pada kategori tidak memenuhi syarat sebanyak 16 responden (13,1%), kategori kurang memenuhi syarat sebanyak 6 responden (5,7%) dan kategori memenuhi syarat sebanyak 4 responden (6,2%), dan melahirkan bayi BBLR. Hasil uji statistik menggunakan uji somers’d didapatkan nilai p =0,005 yang berarti p-value < 0,05. Terdapat hubungan antara higiene sanitasi pengolahan makanan terhadap kejadian BBLR.
Penerapan Higiene Sanitasi Makanan dan Uji Total Bakteri Pada Makanan Olahan di Yayasan Panti Asuhan Al-Ikhlas Ampenan
Authors: Lazwardi Solatyah , Naelasari Dian Neni , Nurmaningsih Nurmaningsih
Published: September 2024

Makanan dan minuman harus aman dari kontaminasi mikroorganisme patogen sehingga kebersihan sanitasi dalam mengolah dan menyajikannya menjadi hal yang utama. Pengolahan dan penyajian makanan dalam jumlah besar seperti di Panti Asuhan Al-Ikhlas Ampenan memerlukan perhatian lebih untuk mencegah terjadinya gangguan kesehatan seperti diare, hepatitis dan keracunan makanan dan minuman. Berdasarkan uji laboratorium, diketahui bahwa total kandungan bakteri yang terdapat pada makanan beras memiliki total bakteri sebesar 2x101 cfu/g, dan sayur labu siam dan timun jepang memiliki total bakteri sebesar 8x101 cfu/g. Pada sampel makanan, kangkung dan tauge yang ditumis memiliki total bakteri 22x103 cfu/g, dan ikan kering memiliki total bakteri 1x101 cfu/g. Terakhir, sampel pangan nabati kelor memiliki total bakteri sebesar 1x102 cfu/g, dan daging cabai goreng memiliki total bakteri sebesar 2x102 cfu/g. Penelitian ini dilakukan di Yayasan Panti Asuhan Al-Ikhlas Ampenan Kota Mataram pada bulan September 2022. Sedangkan uji total bakteri pada penelitian ini dilakukan di laboratorium pengujian dan kalibrasi kesehatan NTB.
Establishing the ESD and GCEd system in higher education: Analyzing the holistic approach of Yonsei University in South Korea
Authors: Shin Jae Eun , Rhee Eun Kyoung , An Shinki , Kang Younah , Lee Keeheon , Song In Han
Published: September 2024

Purpose: This study assesses the Global Citizenship Education (GCEd) and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) initiatives at the Yonsei Institute of Global Engagement and Empowerment (IGEE). The objective is to identify strengths and areas for improvement in promoting ESD and GCEd principles and contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).Design/Methodology/Approach: This research employs a comprehensive analysis framework to evaluate Yonsei IGEE's initiatives, including the "Understanding Sustainable Development with Ban Ki-moon" lectures, "Social Engagement Fund (SEF)" research program, "SDG Initiative," and "Global Engagement and Empowerment Forum (GEEF))." It considers objectives, environmental focus, pedagogical strategies, topic coverage, learning dimensions, and outcome measurement.Findings: Yonsei IGEE initiatives demonstrate strengths in terms of clear objectives, environmental focus, and pedagogical strategies. They complement each other, fostering synergy in promoting ESD and GCEd principles. The lecture series offers a holistic view of SDG issues, whereas SEF empowers students to address challenges practically. The SDG Initiative guides Yonsei's research community, and GEEF disseminates SDG knowledge and fosters collaboration.Originality: This study contributes originality in two aspects. First, it presents an innovative evaluation framework specifically designed to assess the diverse GCEd and ESD programs at Yonsei IGEE. This framework serves as a valuable tool for future evaluations of similar initiatives in higher education institutions. Second, the data and contents analyzed in this research, drawn from Yonsei IGEE's programs, are novel and provide unique insights into the efficacy of the GCEd and ESD efforts.
Revitalization and Awareness of Domestic and International Food Upcycling Industries†
Authors: Kim MinJoo , Choi JiHyun
Published: September 2024

Food upcycling refers to the process of reprocessing food by-products generated in the food production process into new products with higher added value. This study aims to achieve a sustainable food system by promoting consumer awareness of food upcycling and revitalizing the domestic food upcycling industry in alignment with UN-SDGs 17 and 2.We utilized the 5 Forces Model and SWOT Analysis to evaluate the domestic market and analyzed financial statements from CRETOP for food upcycling companies. Additionally, we conducted interviews with industry CEOs to understand trends and consumer perceptions.The market analysis indicates that while the industry faces initial profitability challenges, its growth potential is strong, driven by increasing sales and positive market conditions. The analysis highlights the need for consumer awareness and producer sustainability. Through consumer surveys and corporate interviews, we identified a rejection and prejudice towards "food upcycling" and "upcycling jam," as well as effective marketing strategies.South Korea's food upcycling industry shows promise despite its smaller scale compared to North America and Europe. Positive market conditions and consumer responses suggest significant growth potential through in-ternational benchmarking and private investments. Government support and corporate involvement are crucial for sustaining operations and achieving long-term economic, nutritional, and environmental benefits. The government can facilitate a long-term sustainable food system through policies that boost private investments and enhance funding to ensure product safety and reliability. Establishing food upcycling certification systems and legal proposals will be essential in this process.
PROBLEMA DE DESPLACAMENTO CERÂMICO EM OBRAS VERTICAIS
Authors: Torres Natanias Amancio , Pereira Igor Nonato Almeia , Pinheiro Érika Cristina Nogueira Marques
Published: September 2024

Before the arrival of the Europeans, the Brazilian indigenous peoples already practiced the use of ceramic production in an advanced way. Ceramic tiles can be found in different forms, such as floors, tiles, and tiles, and are available in a variety of colors, textures, and patterns, allowing for extensive customization of spaces. These materials are especially popular in areas such as kitchens, bathrooms, and outdoor spaces, where water and wear resistance are crucial. In addition, ceramic coating is a good thermal and acoustic insulator, contributing to the comfort of environments. Thus, this article aims to show the reader the importance of quality in the process of performing the service to avoid the inconvenience caused by the fact of the detachment. The research began through a literature review of the main authors on the subject of displacement. Based on studies carried out through articles, monographs, dissertations, theses, among others, it is clear that the peeling of tiles or ceramics is considered the most common and serious problem in civil construction and its cause is the most varied. Therefore, it is concluded that the main causes of ceramic peeling is nothing more than a defect in the system that did not allow the correct adhesion between the plates, the mortar and the wall or floor, causing the pieces to detach.
تلخيص كتاب "في أصول النحو" لسعيد محمد أحمد الأفغاني
Authors: السكافي حلى
Published: September 2024

The researcher summarized a book from Saeed Al-Afghani’s books, entitled “On the Origins of Grammar,” which is a set of lectures written by Saeed Al-Afghani for students of the College of Arts - Department of Arabic Language - in the hands of the Grammar and Morphology Curriculum in the Arabic Language Science Certificate, and they are arranged in succession as follows: (the protest, analogy, derivation, and the disagreement between the Basrians and the Kufics). This book aims to enrich the historical view of language, grammar and morphology for the reader; As this view is no less important than knowing the rules of the language, exchanging them and towards them, it is necessary to know the path that the ancients took in formulating those rules. Recognizing their efforts helps in meeting the linguistic need of the age represented by keeping pace with scientific and civilizational developments that require linguistic development to find alternatives from the heritage. Or by following the methods of the early scholars for the huge amount of scientific, technical and civilized terms, in addition to facilitating grammar except for what can be excluded for the learner while preserving the grammar in its details, history, modern and old, to study with specialists in universities and institutes, so it became important that Know the means of the ancients and are viewed.
Examining Metal Complexes Formed from New Schiff Base ‎Ligand ‎Derived from Benzene Carbaldehyde: Evaluation of Anti-‎biofilm and ‎Anti-bacterial Properties
Authors:   University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq, Waheed Enass J.
Published: September 2024

One of the most difficult tasks in modern medical societies is the process of identifying a cure for many infectious diseases caused by drug-resistant microbes. Therefore, it has become necessary to discover new compounds that work in this regard. The currently prepared Schiff base, derived from thiazole, has a biological activity against bacteria and biofilms and its activity increases when it is associated with copper, zinc and platinum ions and forms metal complexes. This study highlights the synthesis and evaluation of novel biological compounds as inhibitors of bacterial growth and biofilms. A three newly complexes are resulting from the reaction of a new Schiff base ligand (LC) with metal ions (Zn, Cu, Pt). The new ligand (LC) was prepared from the reaction of precursor (P) and benzenecarbaldehyde. The prepared compounds were characterized by 1H&13CNMR, FTIR, UV-Vis, Magnetic susceptibility, CHNS and Molar conductivity. It was determined that the anti-bacterial activity of the newly synthesized Lc and (Cu-Lc) was mightily significant towards more antibiotic-resistant bacteria and had low (MIC) values. Like that, anti-biofilm inhibitory of the same compounds showed 100% of clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa and S. aureus in 16 and 32 mg/ml respectively, whereas (Zn-Lc) were inhibited 100% in 4 mg/ml. On the other hand (Pt-Lc) inhibited 100 % in 2 mg/ ml. Good yield was obtained from the synthesis of new compounds from the starting material. They can be potential candidates as inhibitors of bacteria and biofilms.
Caminhos para a formação profissional em gastronomia: o pioneirismo do curso de bacharelado da Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE)
Authors: Castro Neto Antonio Gomes de , Silva Arthur Victor da , Shinohara Neide Kazue Sakugawa
Published: September 2024

Criado no Brasil em meados dos anos 2000, o inovador curso de bacharelado em Gastronomia oferecido pela Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE) surgiu para suprir a demanda social de profissionais que não só dominassem as técnicas de produção, mas que para além disso, compreendessem o alimento de forma social, antropológica, geográfica e política. O objetivo desta narrativa foi registrar as movimentações que precederam o desenvolvimento do curso da UFRPE, desde sua conceitualização até os percursos sinuosos de seus primeiros anos de funcionamento em uma Instituição de Ensino Superior Pública. Além disso, discorrer sobre a oferta de cursos nas modalidades de tecnólogo e bacharelado e dialogar sobre os desafios da formação e atuação profissional diante da pouca regulamentação oficial, tanto para o ensino superior e técnico, como para o exercício profissional. A partir de uma entrevista concedida pelas professoras que idealizaram o curso pioneiro, foi possível ter conhecimento do projeto de extensão que fundamentou a ideia de abertura do primeiro bacharelado em Gastronomia do Brasil, na UFRPE, na cidade de Recife, capital do estado de Pernambuco.
Notas sobre a importância de pensar o conceito de Gastronomia
Authors: Soares Cláudia Mesquita Pinto
Published: September 2024

A partir da pesquisa que teve como objetivo cartografar os movimentos do campo teórico-acadêmicos das Gastronomias algumas questões aparecem com muita intensidade. Escolhemos abordar a importância de pensar sobre o conceito e seus usos nas pesquisas e também como escolha ética, estética e política para os cursos superiores e o que se desenha como espaço de pensar e problematizar a Gastronomia.
The Spectacle of War: Insurgent video propaganda and Western response
Authors: Exum Andrew
Published: September 2024

To those who watched the American-led war on Iraq unfold in the spring of 2003, the fighting in most cases seemed distant and confused. No matter which television station one watched or which internet site one monitored, it was very difficult to gain a clear understanding of the events taking place during the American march to Baghdad. Reporters and bloggers could only offer their own limited perspective of the events, and watching and listening to multiple sources (which often contradicted one another) made for a cacophony of noise from which it was very difficult to gain a clear understanding of the situation in Iraq and within the collation military efforts. For the officers and soldiers of the U.S. military, by contrast, the war made sense. The fog of war was dense at times, sure, but the way the war was fought – by armored and infantry units backed by air support and commando operations – was entirely logical and in keeping with the warfighting doctrine developed by the U.S. military since the end of the Second World War. The Iraqis played by the rules, and they lost to a U.S.-led military machine far more accomplished at large-scale maneuver warfare than its nearest rivals, much less Saddam Hussein’s weakened army. The years that have followed, by contrast, have been fairly confusing for the U.S. military. It took a full three years for the U.S. Army and Marine Corps to adopt the kinds of population-centric counter-insurgency tactics that have helped create a little breathing room for U.S.-led forces and Iraq’s politicians in 2007. During that time, the “enemy” quite often refused, as successful guerrillas usually do, to play by the established rules of maneuver warfare. These same guerrillas also proved more than capable in manipulating the imagery of war to further their political aims, causing General David Petraeus’s chief counter-insurgency strategist to remark that the enemy’s efforts could all to often be described as “armed propaganda” campaigns. Not only did the U.S. military have little idea how to fight a proper counter-insurgency campaign in 2003, it also had no real conception of information operations and how such operations fit into the strategy of both the insurgents and the U.S.-led coalition.
Reading Lohaidan in Riyadh: Media and the struggle for judicial power in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Hammond Andrew
Published: September 2024

Along with a reported one in seven viewers across the Arab World, Saudis were glued to their television sets during 2008 watching a Turkish soap opera called Noor.[i] The show was dubbed into Levantine Arabic and broadcast three times daily during Ramadan by MBC, a pan-Arab satellite network owned by Walid al-Ibrahim, a brother-in-law of the late Saudi king Fahd bin Abdelaziz Al Saud. Starring an economically independent, unveiled female lead and her tender Casanova of a husband, Noor was so popular that it spurred a large number of Gulf Arab tourists to visit Turkey, including the Saudi first lady Princess Hissa Al-Shaalan, and its blonde and blue-eyed star Kivanc Tatlitu became a heart-throb for Saudi and other women. The drama had a particular grip on the public because, unusually, it was dubbed into colloquial rather than classical Arabic, and its Turkish milieu had a familiarity for Arab audiences that other foreign soaps lack. The popularity of Noor prompted some Saudi ulama to warn that “secularism” was making its subversive way into Saudi society through the cathode ray. “It is not permitted to watch the Turkish series...They are replete with wickedness, evil, moral collapse and a war on virtues that only God knows the truth of,” Sheikh Abdulaziz Al al-Sheikh, the official voice of the government on religious affairs, said in July.[ii] In this context, public comments made last Ramadan by one of the most powerful Wahhabi clerics of all, Sheikh Saleh al-Lohaidan, head of Saudi Arabia’s Islamic Sharia courts, seemed calculated to create the perfect storm of media controversy. Speaking on a religious radio show, Lohaidan claimed that owners of television networks who broadcast “indecent programming” could be executed if tried for their celluloid crimes.[iii] Pan-Arab, self-styled liberal outlets such as MBC’s al-Arabiya and Elaph, whose owners have strong connections to the royal family, breathlessly relayed the story with the implication that Lohaidan was inciting vigilante violence against media moguls. Western media, in turn, quickly picked up the story, eager to trumpet what they framed as simply yet another case of the whacky excesses of Saudi Arabia’s puritanical Wahhabi doctrine.
Historicizing Arab blogs: Reflections on the transmission of ideas and information in Middle Eastern history
Authors: Ulrich Brian
Published: September 2024

Arab blogs have caught the attention of Middle East watchers. Much of the attention dedicated to them, however, has dealt with their political importance, whether as a mobilizing tool for activists or as an alternative source of news reporting. Blogging is also interesting, however, as a new and perhaps significant departure in the history of media in the Middle East. By this I do not mean “media” in the common late 20th century usage in which it applies primarily to those who work within unidirectional mass media, but rather as a medium of communication. In particular, I am interested in the way media enables and structures relationships between and among senders and receivers of ideas and information, as well as in the mechanisms of reception of messages and the perceptions of media forms and transmitters which circumscribe their authority. This article is not designed to answer such questions, but to raise them through a brief survey of the immediate impacts of new media forms as currently understood by historians. Its approach to the history of technology is that while new media forms can enable certain changes in social practices, both the development of new forms and their utilization and impact are heavily, if not decisively, influenced by cultural, social, economic, and political factors. The intent is to use this survey to provide a general background giving rise to new comparisons and models which scholars may find useful, both in evaluating blogging in the Middle East as an activity and situating it in its historical context. It is necessarily preliminary, as many topics within the history of communication in the region require further investigation.
Obama’s Egyptian report card: His first 100 days and the Cairo speech
Authors: Simons Joseph
Published: September 2024

American President Barack Obama promised to turn the page in US relations with the Middle East and Muslim world, calling for “a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect.” During his first 100 days in office he made good on that promise with a number of initiatives in which he reached out to Arabs and Muslims across the globe. Obama granted his first interview to the Arabic-language news channel Al Arabiya, to which he explained that his Special Envoy for Middle East Peace George Mitchell had been instructed to listen, “because all too often the United States starts by dictating.” He later offered a New Year’s greeting of hope and peace in a video message to the Iranian people and their government, and in Ankara told the Muslim world that “the United States is not, and will never be, at war with Islam.” And although slightly behind schedule, he finally delivered a much-touted speech in Egypt in which he highlighted America and the Muslim world’s shared interests, again seeking “a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world.” Given the challenges posed by the global financial crisis and the historical significance of his being the nation’s first African-American president, it is no surprise that much was made in the US of Obama’s first 100 days in office. Western media outlets such as CNN devoted special segments to analysis of the president’s first few months at work, while commentators and editorial pages picked apart his opening policies. Politicians, scholars, and pundits on Salon.com and in Foreign Policy magazine even issued report cards for Obama, grading his handling of a host of issues both foreign and domestic. He passed with flying colors. And when his Middle East outreach initiatives are viewed alongside his reversals of US policies on Iraq, offshore prisons, and torture, it is not surprising either that the Arab and Muslim worlds have also watched President Obama closely since he assumed office in late January. So how did Arabs and Muslims in the Middle East, on the receiving end of so much of US foreign policy, grade Obama’s first 100 days in office and his historic Cairo speech? In their view, did he pass or fail?
Gaza: Of media wars and borderless journalism
Authors: Pintak Lawrence
Published: September 2024

Yet again, the disconnect. Yet again, American and Arab viewers are seeing two vastly different conflicts play out on their television screens. Yet again, the media has become a weapon of war. Add Gaza to Afghanistan, Iraq, the sieges of Jenin and Ramallah, and Lebanon; another conflict that Arabs and Americans see through completely different lenses. More fodder for the stereotypes. More reason each side fails to understand the other. More reason to hate. As with the 2006 Israeli war with Hizbullah, I spent the first two weeks of this conflict on a family vacation in North America. The domestic U.S. media was, once more, reporting from behind borders built of pre-conceived notions, simplistic explanations and an Americentric view of the world. Put simply, Gaza was background noise. Yes, it generally made the front page of the newspapers and the main newscasts, but – particularly on television – the humanity, the scale and the context of the conflict were AWOL. Arabs and Israelis were at it again; now let’s get back to Obama, the economy and New Year’s Eve. And the carefully-scripted talking points of the Israeli spokespeople who dominated the airwaves made it clear that, yet again, the Arabs deserved what they were getting. Driving through Washington State, I listened to a fawning half-hour interview with an Israeli consul general on a Seattle talk show. In San Francisco, I saw another Israeli official on TV fielding marshmallows from a local anchor. On CNN, it was more of the same. And for the most part, U.S. politicians were working from those same talking points, as a montage on Comedy Central’s Daily Show made so clear. Arabs, or those presenting their perspective, were few and far between.
Salafi satellite TV in Egypt
Authors: Field Nathan , Hamam Ahmed
Published: September 2024

According to conventional wisdom in Western media, an ultra-conservative form of Islam is gaining traction in Egypt, pushing aside other moderate interpretations and threatening the country’s cosmopolitan nature. Often cited as evidence of this trend are popular “Salafi” satellite television stations, which since 2006 have been licensed to operate inside the country. While religious television is not new in Egypt, traditionally stations have focused on prayer recitation or readings from the Qur’an. Since 2006, however, roughly corresponding with the Muslim Brotherhood’s capture of a fifth of the seats in the 2005 Parliamentary elections, several new stations have been founded that focus on preaching from a more puritanical perspective that does not emphasize politics. Many Egyptian experts such as Khalil Anani believe that these stations are the most watched in Egypt. Since the Egyptian government does not allow the more politically-active Muslim Brotherhood (al-Ikhwan al-Muslimin) to base their own satellite stations in the country, some critics claim that this is part of a strategy to cultivate Salafism as a counterweight to the Brotherhood. According to Egyptian novelist and cultural commentator Alaa Aswany, “the political quietism of the Salafis and their injunctions to always obey the ruler are too good an opportunity for established Arab rulers to pass up,” adding that Salafism is “a kind of Christmas present for the dictators because now they can rule with both the army and the religion.”
The Islamist opposition online in Egypt and Jordan
Authors: Ajemian Pete
Published: September 2024

An October report from Reporters without Borders indicates that the level of media freedom in both Egypt and Jordan has deteriorated over the past year following the jailing of several journalists and political activists in both countries. This warrants a look at how opposition groups in these two states are using the internet to adapt to increasingly hostile print and television media environments. While Egypt and Jordan have relatively low internet penetration rates, 8.3% and 14.8% respectively, both countries are currently undertaking programs to promote and expand access, thus making online media activism increasingly relevant to political developments. In Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) has been raising its online profile at a time when the group is making limited gains in the official political process. In Jordan, regime policies have not been as hostile as in Egypt, but a series of recent measures limiting media freedom encouraged the Islamist opposition group, the Islamic Action Front (IAF), to launch an internet campaign supporting its candidates in the November 2007 elections. Although both groups share a Muslim Brotherhood ideological background, the use of the internet has varied between these two organizations, and is shaped by the organizational dynamics of these groups and the wider political context in which they function. Accordingly, while both the MB and the IAF have used websites to support short-term political objectives like election campaigns, the use of individualized online platforms such as blogs for media activism has been so far limited to the Egyptian MB. The IAF’s current internet strategy appears to be motivated by success at the polls rather than participating in broader liberal discourses enabled by new media. I suggest that while both countries have experienced setbacks in media freedom, the ways in which their respective Islamist opposition groups have utilized new media have played out differently according to factors internal and external to these groups as political actors. Furthermore, I argue that while new media technologies have provided some newfound benefits to opposition groups, they can bring potential challenges as well.
BOOK REVIEW | Popular Culture and Political Identity in the Arab Gulf States
Authors: Abboud Samer
Published: September 2024

The premise of this collection of essays edited by Alanoud Alsharekh and Robert Springborg is a simple one: indigenous Gulf[i] culture remains peripheralized in the broader study of popular culture in the Arab World. Indeed, this is not merely an academic bias, but one that is reflected in the relative lack of Gulf cultural penetration of the region. This marginalization of Gulf culture tends to be reinforced by two contradictory stereotypes of the region. First, that it is a backwards region defined by tribalism, and second, that cosmopolitanism has undermined traditional culture (9-10). This collection of essays aims at confronting these stereotypes and engaging key questions of identity and culture in the contemporary Gulf. To do so, the contributions are framed by four overarching themes: the historicization of contemporary Gulf identity that links the region with its pre-oil past; how states foster collective memories of shared pasts; contemporary cultural expressions; and, finally, the implications of a dynamic regional popular culture on political cohesion, identity and authority. Lawson and Naboodah begin the collection with an engaging chapter on the attempts by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government to preserve and display its cultural heritage. The authors detail a series of exhibits, symposiums and historical projects that they claim reflects a nascent nationalism in the UAE. Nadia Rahman discusses an oral history project, which is a part of these government efforts. Her contribution offers personal stories of elderly citizens of the UAE. The narratives of this older generation suggest both nostalgia for the simplicity of the past, and a pride in contemporary realities, including rapid economic development, growth and modernization.
Baghdad Burning: The blogosphere, literature and the art of war
Authors: Hunt Wayne
Published: September 2024

In an age of embedded reporters and homogenized news reports, how can people dispense with the instant experts of the punditocracy and find out what is really happening? Quirky, edgy and raw, new media sources such as blogs have a freshness and an immediacy to them that does not come from standard-issue news reports. This is particularly apparent with bloggers covering the war in Iraq. In one sense, new media offer us “history from below,” before it hardens into the work of professional historians. Some serving in the U.S. armed forces are putting out their own blogs, the so-called “milblogs,” while their opponents in the insurgency are doing the same and turning cyberspace into a zone of “information wars.” As one commentator has noted, these activities have “repictured war as drastically as William Howard Russell’s telegraphed dispatches” from the front did in 1855. It was this new media constellation of “milblogs,” intermilitary email rings, and mobile phones which brought the images of Abu Graib into general circulation. This military sub-culture, it is maintained, has now “fed into the mainstream of the nation’s reading matter, and its high impact, wham-bam style has become fashionable. The most successful among these are cleaning up in book launches and moving in on the big literary prizes.
EXPLORATION OF PRAGMATIC MARKERS IN MULTILINGUAL WORKPLACE COMMUNICATION
Authors: Yuwana Rawuh Yuda
Published: September 2024

This research explores the intricate use of pragmatic markers in multilingual workplace communication, delving into the dynamics of communication within the context of globalization and technological advancements. Drawing from a rich theoretical foundation, the study investigates the role of pragmatic markers in managing face-threatening acts, resolving conflicts, and preserving relationships in a multicultural workplace. Recent research underscores the increasing relevance of pragmatic markers in the globalized workforce and the impact of electronic communication on their use. Additionally, the study highlights the necessity for pragmatic marker-focused training programs to enhance intercultural communication. By examining the novel insights derived from this research, we gain a deeper understanding of how pragmatic markers function in multilingual workplace interactions, particularly in the era of electronic communication, thereby contributing to more effective cross-cultural understanding.
Pathological changes of Aortic Valve Calcification in Experimental Animal Models
Authors: Sherzad Abdul Ghafar , Behsodwal Khalil Ahmad , Azimee Mohammad Azim , Shinwari Muhibullah , Zafarzai Imran , Zaheer Shafiullah , Arash Nemat , Osama Alsarhan , Zeng Qingchun
Published: September 2024

Calcific Aortic Valve Disease (CAVD) is a sluggish and progressive disease that comprises “early sclerosis, characterized by leaflet thickening without left ventricular outflow obstruction, to late stenosis with stiffened leaflets, obstructed flow and compromised cardiac function”. CAVD was formerly believed to afflict the tricuspid or congenitally bicuspid aortic valve and be a passive, senile, or degenerative disorder. However, recent investigations have demonstrated that this is a pathobiological activity that is active and heavily cell-mediated, which shares several risk factors with atherosclerosis. Numerous studies show that CAVD are not a normal aspect of aging and may be linked to certain risk factors. Nevertheless, no pharmacological therapy available to halt or arrest the development of CAVD in a clinically relevant way, and surgery is the only effective treatment option. As a result, there is an urgent scientific need to determine pathobiological mechanism of CAVD and to find new ways to treat CAVD. Animal models are developing as crucial instruments to this aim, assisted by the development of new models and greater knowledge of the efficacy of old models. In this review paper, we will present the most extensively utilized large and small animal models that were used to explore CAVD.
Effects of Probiotics on Oral Health
Authors: Rahmani Abdullah
Published: September 2024

Studies examining the function of the microbes living inside the human body in various contexts over the past few decades have shown how easily they can be controlled to treat and prevent diseases. For more than a century, probiotics have been used to treat infections and inflammation, one of their most notable uses. Despite the advantages of other probiotics, gastrointestinal infections, urogenital infections, tooth decay, and periodontal disease can all be treated or prevented with the help of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus species, the ones that are most often used. Influence of the gut microbiota, a probiotic therapeutic target, since a variety of bacteria species reside in the gastrointestinal tract that influences host metabolism and immune response either directly or indirectly, and can also be seen in the biology of the defense system. Therefore, it is not unexpected that probiotics have shown promise in reducing the symptoms of inflammatory disorders that affect humans, including inflammatory bowel illness; type 1 diabetic, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis, among others. This review's goal is to evaluate the possibility of probiotic-based treatment techniques to limit infection and the onset of inflammation in human patients.
In-vitro propagation of pre-pubertal bovine Spermatogonial Stem Cell in prepation for transplantation
Authors: Wardak Mohammad Kazim , Khalid Aziz Ur Rahman , Jameel Zabihullah
Published: September 2024

‌Backgroud: We investigated the expression of stem cell markers in in -vitro cultivated speramatogonial stem cells (SSCs) with the intention of developing a useful system to produce progeny of SSCs. Materials and Mehtods: Testes from 3, 5 and 7 months old calves were utilized to examine isolation, purity and in –vitro propogation of SSCs. Cells were isolated and purified with two-stemp enzymatic digestion combined with centrifugal separation on discontinuous Percoll density gradient layers. Findings: Cell propagation and SSCs marker expression were determined at 5, 10 and 15 days post-culture. Immunostaining in conjunction with transcrioption based marker expression of cultured cells showed that stem cell markers (DBA, UCHL1, Oct4 and Sox2) were expressed in SSCs. Conclusion: The results demonstrated marker expression of bull spermatogonial stem cells and showed that prior to transplantation in-vitro culturing of bull SSCs is implementable.
Norfloxacin-Repeated Dose Toxicity on Liver of Broiler Chickens
Authors: Darmel Mohammad Bayer , Safi Mohammad Amin , Hashimi Sayed Azizullah
Published: September 2024

Background: Norfloxacin is a second generation fluoroquinolone, primarily used in the treatment of urinary tract infections. However, later clinical studies have documented the efficacy of norfloxacin for a variety of Gram-negative infections including pneumonia, CNS/CSF infections, prostatitis and septicemia. The present study was conducted to investigate the toxic effect of norfloxacin during 28 day repeated dose toxicity on the liver tissue of broiler chickens. Materials and Methods: The experimental birds acclimatized to laboratory housing condition were assigned as vehicle, control, treatment, and satellite groups (each group contained 6 birds). Stellate group, without administering Norfloxacin solution with partial control group was maintained for extra two weeks after the 28-day period. Findings: Gross lesions in the liver of group IV and V observed were fatty change, enlargement, and increase of size and petechial hemorrhagic. Hepatocytes were swollen with mild vacuolar changes with granular cytoplasm. Focal areas of hepatocytes with degeneration infiltration of mononuclear cells, dilation of sinusoid, perivascular infiltration of inflammatory cells, bile duct epithelial hyperplasia and perivascular infiltration were noticed in the present study.  The organ/body weight ratio percentages of liver for groups I, II, III, IV and V on 29th day were 2.81, 3.53, 3.54, 3.98 and 5.03 respectively. There was significant (P<0.001) increase in organ/body weight percentage ratio of group V as compared to the control group. On day 21 of treatment the serum ALT concentration was significantly increase in group V (P < 0.001) when compared to group I birds. On day 28 of treatment the mean serum ALT concentration was significantly (P < 0.01) higher in group V birds compared to group I birds.  On 21st day of treatment the serum AST level of group V was significantly increased (P < 0.001) when compared to group I birds. On 28th day of treatment the mean serum AST was significantly high in-group V (P < 0.001) birds when compared to group I birds. These findings were accordance with finding of other authors. Conclusion: According to gross pathology, histopathology and biochemical findings in the present study it was concluded that the norfloxacin has toxic effect on the liver tissue of chickens at the dose of 333 and 1100 mg/kg orally.
Prevalence of Systolic and Diastolic Ventricular Dysfunction in Nangarhar University Teaching Hospital
Authors: Hadi Saifullah
Published: September 2024

Background: Heart failure occurs when the heart cannot efficiently circulate blood throughout the body. Due to the increasing use of echocardiography, a brand-new condition called heart failure has developed. CAD is the most common cause of heart failure. Patients with left heart failure may have dyspnea, even after rest, fatigue, weakness, cough, inability to sleep lying flat, reduced cardiac output, and increased pulmonary venous pressure. Heart failure affects around 6.2 million people in the US, and by 2030, it is expected to affect at least 8 million people. Ten percent of people over the age of 80 have heart failure. Our aim was to determine systolic and diastolic heart failure in Nangarhar University teaching hospital in the medical ward. Methods and Materials: It is a cross-sectional hospital-based study carried out in the Nangarhar University Teaching Hospital of Internal Medicine ward in 2000 on heart failure from 2021 to 2022, which represents 323 patients. Findings: We studied 2000 heart failure patients in Nangarhar University teaching hospital from 2021 to 2022, which represents 323 patients. In terms of gender, 153 (47.36%) patients were female and 170(52.63%) patients were male. In terms of age, 190(58.82%) patients were over 50 years old and 133(41.17%) patients were under 50 years old. The STDEV age was (57±11). 190(58.82%) patients had diastolic dysfunction, 133(41.17%) had systolic dysfunction, and 64(19.81%) had combined systolic and diastolic dysfunction. 198(61.10%) had a preserved ejection fraction and 125(38.69%) had a reduced ejection fraction. 160(49.53%) patients had shortness of breath, 163 (50.46%) patients had chest pain, and 38(11.74%) patients had combined shortness of breath and chest pain. Conclusion: It is a cross-sectional study fulfilled in the internal medicine ward of Nangarhar University Teaching Hospital. The prevalence of heart failure is lower in females (153) (47.36%) than in men (170(52. 63%).According to the age group, heart failure is more common in over-50-year old patients 190 (58.82%). The overall prevalence of diastolic heart failure is 9.5% and systolic heart failure overall prevalence is 6.65%. Diastolic dysfunction 190(58.82%) is more common than systolic dysfunction 133(41. 17%).Chest pain 163(50.46%) is more than shortness of breath of 160(49. 53%).The ejection fraction is preserved in 198(61.30%) patients and reduced in 125(38. 69%). Heart failure is diagnosed with clinic and echocardiography.