Lower Middle Research Articles

Lip print patterns in forensic investigation: Detectability, sex differentiation, and reliability

Lip print patterns are increasingly recognized as a vital resource within forensic investigations, providing a distinctive means for identifying individuals. This extensive investigation examines the detectability, possibility for sex distinction and forensic consequences of lip print patterns. Through both direct visualization and scoring procedures, a comprehensive examination was undertaken to analyze the intricate patterns of lip prints exhibited by male and female participants in Indonesia. The results of our study provide clear evidence for the infrequency of similar lip print patterns among individuals, confirming previous research conducted by Suzuki and Tsuchihashi. It is worth mentioning that type II lip print type was the prevailing type in Indonesian males and females. Furthermore, noticeable variances based on sex were seen in the upper left (UL) and lower middle (LM) quadrants. This research emphasizes the crucial significance of lip prints in criminal investigations, emphasizing their wide range of uses and relevance in diverse forensic contexts. The distinctiveness, singular nature, consistency, genetic transmission, and wide range of lip lines establish them as dependable means for personal identification. Lip print analysis has promise as a prospective means of scientific validation in forthcoming legal procedures, with the capacity to augment forensic methodologies and offer valuable contributions to the judicial process. The results reported in this study provide a foundation for creating a comprehensive set of criteria for assessing the lip line, which can serve as a valuable tool for the progression of forensic science and the pursuit of justice.

Rule of law and CO2 emissions: A comparative analysis across 65 belt and road initiative(BRI) countries

This article mainly compares different effects of political stability, corruption control and rule of law on CO2 emissions across 65 belt and road initiative countries from 2000-2016. We utilize across low income (LI), lower middle(LM), upper middle(UM) and high income (HI)countries. The results show that institutional factors such as political stability, corruption control and rule of law are highly important in lowering carbon emissions and improving environmental quality. The interacting effect between political stability and rule of law can reduce CO2 emissions. Foreign direct investment (FDI) shows a heterogeneous effect on carbon emissions across different income groups, confirming “Pollution Haven” and “Pollution Halo” hypothesis. Trade openness reduces CO2 emissions in low income and high income countries, which increases CO2 emissions in lower-middle income countries. It is important to enhance the enforcement of environmental law to decrease CO2 emissions.

The control of corruption and energy efficiency relationship: an empirical note.

This study aims at exploring the impact of corruption control on energy efficiency in 60 countries categorized by income: lower middle (LMI), upper middle (UMI), and high (HI). Panel methodology was utilized taking the period of 2000-2017. As cross-sectional dependence is confirmed among the tested equations, the Pesaran (J Appl Econ 22(2):265-312, 2007) unit root test and the augmented mean group estimator proposed by Eberhardt and Teal (2010) were utilized to overcome this matter. The results in general indicate that the lower the corruption is, the more the energy efficiency for all income group economies. Moreover, renewable energy reduces energy efficiency in lower-middle income and high-income economies while its effect is positive in middle-income economies. In addition, the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) found to be present in all income group economies. Lastly, causality relationships among energy efficiency, corruption, and GDP were present mostly in upper-middle income and high-income economies. From the results, it was recommended that the countries from all income groups should increase their corruption control for the purpose of enhancing energy efficiency.

CROP YIELDS ALONG THE TOPOSEQUENCE OF TERRACED ANDOSOLS IN NAROK, KENYA

<p>The principle objective of terracing is to reduce runoff and soil loss but it also contributes to increasing the soil moisture content through improved infiltration. A field experiment was conducted in Suswa, Narok County during the short and long rain seasons of 2013-2015 to assess the effect of terracing on crop yields. A randomized complete block design was used with maize and beans as the test crops. The study examined maize plant height, leaf area index (LAI), above ground biomass yields, number of bean pods and grain yields in the upper (U), upper middle (UM), middle (M), lower middle (LM) and lower (L) terrace, slope positions with farmers’ fields where terraces were not maintained were used as the control. The results showed that yields were significantly (P<0.05) higher in L>LM>UM>M>U, with values ranging from 7.2 t ha<sup>-1</sup> to 3.0 t ha<sup>-1</sup> for maize and 1374 kg ha<sup>-1</sup> to 306 kg ha<sup>-1</sup> for beans. Significant differences (P<0.05) were also observed according to cropping patterns with CP2 on average recording the highest (803 kg ha<sup>-1</sup>) bean yields and CP4 (control) the lowest (576 kg ha<sup>-1</sup>) in season I. CP3 had the highest (4.97 t ha<sup>-1</sup>) maize yields compared to CP4 (3.25 t ha<sup>-1</sup>) in season II. From the results of the study, it was possible to conclude that soil conservation measures and cropping patterns implemented at Suswa increased crop yields and the technology should be promoted for improved livelihoods.</p>

Avoiding middle income growth trap through innovation

The previous paper presented the analysis of binding constraints on growth [22], In this paper we extend diagnostics to problems of long-run growth slowdown and Middle Income Growth Trap (MIGT), Countries caught in the MIGT are unable to compete with low-income, low-wage economies in manufactured exports and also unable to compete with advanced economies in high-skill innovation goods, The root cause of the MIGT is failure to shift out of lower middle (LMI) income to upper middle income (UMI) growth strategy, The former is designed to support supply-oriented capital accumulation and labor relocation from agriculture to higher productivity industry, while the latter seeks to support skill (knowledge) intensive manufacturing activities ('moving up the value chain') and business services, LMI strategies embrace diversification and simple export expansion, while UMI strategies foster specialization and export growth based on innovations (new processes, new products, new markets) and highly-educated labor force; they also promote a blend of competition and public support in guiding the 'discovery process' that leads to 'smart specialization' and innovation based growth, Hence, MIGT can best be avoided through strong research and innovation systems, which critically depend on: (i) Research excellence, including scientific collaboration, involvement of diaspora, and merit based financing and incentive systems; (ii) Modern research infrastructure and other innovation inputs; (iii) Closer collaboration between research organizations and enterprises, better technology transfer offices, protection of patents, trademarks and other industrial property rights (IPR); (iv) Better financing at all stages of the innovation process, especially early stages where existing financial markets have limited knowledge and instruments; and (v) Better governance of the R&I process and financing.