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• A ratiometric fluorescent strip is designed based on IFE for detecting Sudan I-IV. • The fluorescent spectrum of Tm@Er has more overlap with the absorption of Sudan I-IV. • Single Tm@Er with core–shell structure provides a more stable ratiometric signal. • UiO-66 improve the adsorption and DMIPs realize the selective detection of Sudan I-IV. • Sensitive and portable application is realized in chilli powder with complex matrix. The addition of Sudan dyes with carcinogenic effects to food threatens human health. Herein, a ratiometric fluorescence strip consisting of core–shell upconversion particles (NaYF 4 :Yb,Tm@NaYF 4 :Yb,Er), metal–organic frameworks and dual-template molecularly imprinted polymers was developed to selectively and sensitively detect four Sudan dyes based on inner filter effect (detection time only takes 8 min). The high adsorption capacity of metal–organic frameworks and the greater overlap between the emission of NaYF 4 :Yb,Tm@NaYF 4 :Yb,Er and the absorbance of four Sudan dyes enable the signal responses to be more sensitive. The limits of detection in chilli powder samples are as low as 29.87 ng/g, 37.55 ng/g, 47.89 ng/g and 51.02 ng/g, with satisfactory recovery (93.32–103.4%) and minor relative standard deviations (≤4.3%). This method broadens the idea for low-cost and portable detection of multiple illegal additives in complex substrates with high selectivity and sensitivity based on one kind of fluorescent strip. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When the National Islamic Front (NIF) regime came to power in Sudan in1989, the international community was alarmed. Among other things, the treatment of Sudan's minorities was a chief concern. For instance, in his ten-hour visit to Sudan in 1993, Pope John Paul II warned against imposing Islamic law on the country's large Christian population. The concerns about the NIF regime's treatment of minorities were due to its ideological background, since particular interpretations of Islamic law discriminate against minorities. The paper examines the regime's policies toward the largest ethnic minorities in Sudan. It illustrates that the regime's treatment of minorities lacked coherence toward both Christian and Muslim ethnic groups. Furthermore, it demonstrates that the regime's minority policies were the result of shifts in alliances that followed internal divisions within the regime. As the Islamist leadership fractured, the ruling faction sought to coopt new allies, including ethnic groups, to strengthen its position in the face of relentless opposition from ousted Islamists. The paper draws on material collected through fieldwork as well as secondary sources to make its claims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper explores the changing Sudanese political landscape in the wake of the uprising, which toppled the Islamist regime in Sudan after 30 years in power. It provides an overview of various determinants that would propel shifts in the country's political map and the balance of political forces in any future democratic elections. The purpose of this conceptual study is to deliberate impact factors that will largely influence the Sudanese democratic political environment. These significant issues include the changing demography, decline of traditional forces, fragmentation of political forces, emergence of new actors and the loss of interest in political parties. The article is based on thematic review of these issues, and argues their dynamics underpin the contention upcoming electoral map in Sudan would be different. It discusses the potential scenarios in the political arena as a result of the ensuing impact of these factors. The fragmented electoral map could prompt continuous instability in the democratic system. The paper highlights the transitional period offers the prospect for energising the political forces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media platforms play a vital role in determining valuable tourist objectives, which greatly aids in optimizing tourist path planning. As data classification and analysis methods have advanced, machine learning (ML) algorithms such as the k-means algorithm have emerged as powerful tools for sorting through data collected from social media platforms. However, traditional k-means algorithms have drawbacks, including challenges in determining initial seed values. This paper presents a novel approach to enhance the k-means algorithm based on survey and social media tourism data for tourism path recommendations. The main contribution of this paper is enhancing the traditional k-means algorithm by employing the genetic algorithm (GA) to determine the number of clusters (k), select the initial seeds, and recommend the best tourism path based on social media tourism data. The GA enhances the k-means algorithm by using a binary string to represent initial centers and to apply GA operators. To assess its effectiveness, we applied this approach to recommend the optimal tourism path in the Red Sea State, Sudan. The results clearly indicate the superiority of our approach, with an algorithm optimization time of 0.01 s. In contrast, traditional k-means and hierarchical cluster algorithms required 0.27 and 0.7 s, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Along the western coastal plain of the Red Sea, the discovery of lithic tools proved that the occurrence of archaeological remains belonged to the Stone Age era. Unfortunately, until recently, most of the Stone Age site plans in the western Red Sea periphery have been unknown because of change in climate in addition to covering these sites with a large layer of sand. Recently, remote sensing (RS) data have proven to be effective at identifying buried archaeological sites using radar satellite imagery due to their ability to penetrate the land surface. This paper aims to identify and reconstruct several potential Stone Age sites using radar satellite images in the Tokar region, North-Eastern Sudan, on the western plain of the Red Sea. Radar (Sentinel-1 SAR GRD: C-band) data were processed utilizing the advantages of the Google Earth Engine platform and Snap software. The results of this research showed that some potential settlements belonging to the Stone Age era (expectedly dating back to the end of the Pleistocene and/or the initial phase of the Holocene) have subcircular shapes with some interior subcircles. These results shed new light on the potential construction technique, size, and function of the settlement in the Stone Age era and can provide some initial insights into the ancient lifestyle in this region. Additionally, this study can aid in future archaeological surveys and excavation missions in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper relocates the study of contemporary Islamic law from state judiciaries and reformist polemics to the learning circles of late colonial Sudan. It focuses on the careers of two Mālikī jurists: ʿUthmān b. Ḥasanayn Barrī al-Jaʿalī (d. 1960) and Abū Ṭāhir Ḥasan Fāy al-Bijāwī (d. 1984). Hardly indifferent to the pressures of modernity, each attempted to resuscitate a Mālikī school beset by colonial reforms from above and revisionist critiques from below. A Sufi, political advisor, and traditionalist, al-Jaʿalī composed an homage to the "slavish imitation" of Mālikī jurists (taqlīd) that nevertheless admitted the intervention and frequent rebuke of its author. al-Bijāwī did the opposite, employing his expertise in ḥadīth to recast demands for dissolving legal schools (madhhab s) in a clever justification of Mālikī doctrine. Together they highlight examples of internal reform, as well as the significance of Africa's jurists, that remain understudied in the contemporary history of Islamic law. Less the dissolution of the madhhab than its resilience, they attest to the ways in which Mālikī scholars continued to defend the classical legal tradition long after its presumed demise at the hands of modernity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to document Qatar's recent contribution of humanitarian, development, and peace-related efforts to the Sudanese in Darfur. It delves deeply into Qatar's involvement in Darfur by tracing the flow of foreign assistance provided between 2011 and 2018, while analysing the relevant mediation efforts to settle the conflict in the region. The paper calls for adopting the Triple Nexus approach – or humanitarian development-peace nexus in dealing with Qatar's role as a third party in Darfur both as a donor and mediator. Contextualising Qatar's role in this context necessitates considering its foreign assistance and peace-related efforts in conflict-affected contexts and its positioning in relation to the Triple Nexus. While Qatar has not publicly committed itself to the Triple Nexus reforms directed to OECD-DAC donor countries, the paper argues that adopting the Triple Nexus approach might develop the prevailing humanitarian and development and peace-related assistance practices in Qatar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Africa, specifically Nigeria, has witnessed a dramatic increase in population over the last century, prompting efforts to ensure sustainable food production and quality. Concerns for soil sustainability and food security have led to the exploration of cost-effective methods, such as biochar, to enhance soil quality. Researchers in Nigeria and Africa as a whole have investigated biochar's potential to improve soil fertility and crop performance across various agroecological zones. This paper aims to review recent biochar research priorities on soil fertility and crop performance with an emphasis on various sole biochar applications and combinations with fertilizers to determine the research gaps that need to be developed more in biochar research in Nigeria. From the papers reviewed, sole biochar applications and biochar + macronutrients and biochar + manure combinations were studied more dominantly, while biochar + micronutrients research projects were scanty despite their low content in the semi-arid soils of Nigeria. The studies were spread across the country with the majority taking place in derived savanna and humid forest, while Sudan savanna and Sahel savanna received less research attention despite being characterized by a low-fertile soil and vast area of land. Research involving BC in the context of Sahel savanna (SLS) and Sudan savanna (SS) soils is strongly encouraged in Nigeria. This research should encompass a wide range of investigations, including sole BC applications and combinations of BC with macronutrients, micronutrients, and manure, as well as exploring its potential as a slow-release fertilizer. Incorporating exclusive biochar in substantial amounts appears economically unfeasible within the context of local biochar production. However, it can be utilized in the synthesis of slow-release fertilizers, requiring smaller quantities and potentially offering cost-effectiveness. This approach enhances soil condition and crop productivity. Challenges are faced due to less commercial production as a result of inadequate power and structural facilities. Exploring the modification of local biochar for slow-release fertilizers through future research offers potential profitability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ag nanoparticles were employed as signal amplification for detection of Sudan I. • Graphene oxide as flexible substrate was used to construct disposable electrode. • As-constructed paper-based electrode exhibited high sensitivity and selective for Sudan I detection in chili powder. In this study, a high-performance flexible reduced graphene oxide (rGO) paper electrode composed of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) for the detection of Sudan I was fabricated. Ag NPs were doped with rGO nanoheets by self-assemble and assembled into a paper electrode with layer-by-layer structure via vacuum filtration. Thanks to the highly efficient electrocatalysis of Ag NPs towards reduction of azo bond, the as-prepared hybrid paper can be used alone as a flexible sensor for the detection of Sudan I in chili powder, with the high sensitivity (22.93 μA μmol/L) and the low detection limit (41.3 nmol/L). The sensor also expressed good selectivity, repeatability, reproducibility, stability and recovery between 96.1% and 101.8% (RSD < 6%). With the advantages of low-cost and scalable production capacity, such Ag NPs/rGO functional papers can be used as flexible disposable sensors for electrochemical detection of Sudan I. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Middle Nile Valley offers exceptional environmental conditions that allow the preservation of organic materials, including textiles. This paper presents the results of the analysis of 17 samples collected from wool, cotton, and silk textiles excavated in the ancient capital of Old Dongola from layers dated to the 17th and 18th centuries CE. Chemical analysis using high performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HPLC‐MS/MS) have identified both plant and animal dyes. Locally produced textiles, mostly from wool and decorated with blue, green, orange, and yellow hues, were dyed with woad (Isatis tinctoria), flavonoid plants, and madder‐type roots, which were already known and used by medieval dyers in that area. For the first time, kermes (Kermes vermilio) and lac‐dye (Kerria species) have been also identified as a dye source in samples from this group. Imported fabrics, of cotton and silk, were dyed blue with woad (I. tinctoria) but also with indigo (Indigofera tinctoria); dyer's broom (Genista tinctoria) and kermes (K. vermilio) were other dyes identified in this second group. The results of this study provide the first dye identification for textiles produced in the 17th–18th c. Sudan and contribute new data to the research on textile production and trade in post‐medieval Sudan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by the author's experience of working at Sanam Temple, a 1st millennium b.c. site in northern Sudan previously excavated at the beginning of the 20th century a.d., this paper attempts to reframe current archaeologists' attitudes towards the backdirt of their predecessors. Using a symmetrical archaeology framework, it centers the concept of backdirt and analyzes it as a means by which different time periods and actors at the site influence each other, drawing them together into a network of relations. The strength of the relationship between these entities, facilitated through backdirt, produces surprising echoes and parallels across different historical periods, including between current and past archaeologists. Though backdirt is disdained, ignored, or rejected by different actors in the temple, it in fact repeatedly acts as a focus for creative engagement at the site and opens up new avenues of interpretation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the perceptual threshold in patterns of tonal timing (alignment) of Falling versus Low tones. The results indicate a remarkable sensitivity among the listeners. In a perception experiment with 30 participants, we tested how native speakers of the West Nilotic language Nuer responded to stimuli in which the timing of the F0 fall that distinguishes Low versus Fall following a High target is manipulated. We measured the threshold for the responses to shift tone perception from 25% to 75%. The results show that listeners only needed an average of 19 ms to differentiate between the melodic shapes and as little as 13 ms for one item. Perceptual sensitivity this fine-grained is not expected based on what is known about the Just Noticeable Difference (JND) from previous studies. Results from non-tonal languages report a sensitivity threshold for tonal timing of at least 50 ms at category boundaries. This difference suggests that whether or not subjects speak a tone language may be a determining factor in their JND. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The world battled to defeat a novel coronavirus 2019 (SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19), a respiratory illness that is transmitted from person to person through contacts with droplets from infected persons. Despite efforts to disseminate preventable messages and adoption of mitigation strategies by governments and the World Health Organization (WHO), transmission spread globally. An accurate assessment of the transmissibility of the coronavirus remained a public health priority for many countries across the world to fight this pandemic, especially at the early onset. In this paper, we estimated the transmission potential of COVID-19 across 45 countries in sub-Saharan Africa using three approaches, namely, R 0 based on (i) an exponential growth model (ii) maximum likelihood (ML) estimation and (iii) a time-varying basic reproduction number at the early onset of the pandemic. Using data from March 14, 2020, to May 10, 2020, sub-Saharan African countries were still grappling with COVID-19 at that point in the pandemic. The region's basic reproduction number ( R 0 ) was 1.89 (95% CI: 1.767 to 2.026) using the growth model and 1.513 (95% CI: 1.491 to 1.535) with the maximum likelihood method, indicating that, on average, infected individuals transmitted the virus to less than two secondary persons. Several countries, including Sudan ( R 0 : 2.03), Ghana ( R 0 : 1.87), and Somalia ( R 0 : 1.85), exhibited high transmission rates. These findings highlighted the need for continued vigilance and the implementation of effective control measures to combat the pandemic in the region. It is anticipated that the findings in this study would not only function as a historical record of reproduction numbers during the COVID-19 pandemic in African countries, but can serve as a blueprint for addressing future pandemics of a similar nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since its independence in 1956, Sudan faced major internal and external challenges that affect the national construction process. These challenges have cast its shadow not only over Sudan's past and present, but its future as well. The ongoing war in Sudan today is but a pivotal part of these challenges. This paper discusses the war in Sudan in terms of its nature and objectives, without tracing its operational paths and the militaristic conflict, as this may increase the distortion of the war, its objectives, and the stakeholders behind it. This paper focuses on understanding the nature of this war and its background, and Western hegemony over Sudan whether political and constitutional tools, or military tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oil has played a determinant role in the economic development of Sudan and South Sudan before and after their separation. The introduction of oil into the Sudanese economy in 1999 has been associated with many challenges, especially those related to export diversification, and institutional quality. Oil dependency increased with the growth of oil share in total exports. Therefore, the secession of South Sudan in 2011 represents a great shock to both economies. This event creates a situation in which the new country experienced a sudden influx of oil revenues. At the same time, the parent country witnessed a sudden loss of 70% of its proven oil reserves. This makes the case of Sudan unique and provides a very rare opportunity for macroeconomists to address the impacts of this shock on both economies. This paper uses the recent secondary data of both counties to analyze and compare the impact of oil revenues transfer on Sudan and South Sudan's economies in the post-secession period. The conclusion of this paper shows that oil loss has created incentives for better economic performance in Sudan. Reciprocally, South Sudan experiences a premature oil dependence that led to export concentration, institutional degradation, and macroeconomic instability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is based on the writer's experience and knowledge and observation of the Sudanese context. Data has also been collected from key informants using the interviews with three o members occupying leading positions in: civil society Organizations including, The Nuba Women Organization, The southern Sudanese women Organization and The Sudanese Council of Churches. This paper provides brief classification of faith-based organization (FBO) in Sudan, with an introduction to the evolution activities they perform and factors that led to minimum links between the (FBO) and Sudanese Women Empowerment for Peace and Development Network (SWEPD) and the way forward for possible links and engagement are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adoption of agricultural machinery in countries with a developing economy can have a significant impact on improving well-being and pro-poor growth. However, this requires farmers to buy into mechanized farming, which is more likely to happen if the machinery meets their needs. The objective of this paper is to identify deciding factors for traditional farmers to adopt machinery and identify design requirements. Payback models were developed based on these design requirements, willingness to pay, and expected returns. Thirty-six farmers in Sudan were interviewed throughout 2019–2021. Six of these farmers were provided tractors during 2020 and 2021. Differences in net-profits between the 30 control and 6 treatment farms during the mechanized farming seasons were used in the models for expected profits. There were no significant differences in tractor design preferences between the treatment and control groups. Two cost models were estimated using a 95% confidence interval: entire Δ profit (entire additional profit from mechanized farming above nonmechanized) and percentage of total profit (percentage of total net-profits willing to spend). For the average farm size in this study (44.39 acres) and a market available tractor that satisfied all farmer needs, payback was 3.92 years [2.34, 8.54] and 4.57 years [3.39, 6.38] for the models, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper outlines the ways in which the project is addressing the colonial legacy of Henry Wellcome as well as presenting the data from the first three field seasons at Jebel Moya, south-central Sudan. These data have substantially revised our chronological and socio-economic understanding of the site. Our excavations, initiated in 2017 and continued in 2019 and 2022, show a longer, more continuous occupation of the site than has been previously recognised. The faunal and botanical remains have implications for the spread of early domesticates in the eastern Sahel and for climate changes, and raise issues of resilience. There is confirmed human burial activity from at least the third millennium BC onwards, while the pottery continues to yield information about the variety of decoration and, for the final Assemblage 3, data on its usage. Overall, the continued importance of the site for the eastern Sahel is re-emphasised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims at studying the current situation of the production and consumption of red meat in Egypt, as well as estimating the market power (monopolistic practices) and estimating some indicators of the competitiveness of the most important exporting countries red meat to Egypt. The study concluded that the total production and the self-sufficiency rate of red meat in Egypt decreased during the period (2012-2020) at a rate of about 7.9%, 6% annually, respectively. And the values of the inverse elasticity of residual demand for Brazil, Sudan, and Paraguay are statistically positive and significant, meaning that these countries practice more monopolistic practices within the Egyptian market, and statistically positive and insignificant for India, Colombia, South Africa, which means the dominance of complete competition for these red meat exporting countries within the Egyptian market, and statistically negative and insignificant for Australia, America, New Zealand, meaning that these countries lose their market power within the Egyptian market. The study also found that the market share index for the most important countries competing for the export of red meat within the Egyptian market during the period)2010-2020( amounted to about 17.54%, 15.2%, and 12.65% for Brazil, Sudan, and Paraguay, respectively, meaning that the Egyptian market is able to absorb the largest amount of red meat from those countries. And that the market penetration coefficient reached its maximum for each of Sudan and Brazil by about 9.5% and 8.34%, respectively, and that the market share of New Zealand and America was low, and therefore the Egyptian market could absorb larger quantities in the future than those countries. New Zealand achieved the best relative price per ton of red meat, followed by Australia and then America. While New Zealand achieved the best rate of relative stability in red meat production, followed by Sudan and Brazil. The research recommends that the import policy should be directed to New Zealand, Australia and South Africa because they do not exercise any monopolistic pressures with in the Egyptian market, in addition to their high competitive capabilities and low market share, which opens the way for increasing their market share. And take advantage of the competitive advantage of the relative price index of New Zealand, Australia and America compared to the prices of competing countries. And an attempt to reduce the monopolistic pressures exerted by Brazil and Sudan within the Egyptian market by increasing reliance on New Zealand, Australia and South Africa in importing meat, With the same quality and specifications preferred by the Egyptian consumer [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 has caused far-reaching humanitarian challenges. Amongst the emerging impacts of the pandemic is on the dynamics of human trafficking. This paper presents findings from a multi-methods study interrogating the impacts of COVID-19 on human trafficking in Sudan—a critical source, destination, and transit country. The analysis combines a systematic evidence review, semi-structured interviews, and a focus group with survivors, conducted between January and May of 2021. We find key risks have been exacerbated, and simultaneously, critical infrastructure for identifying victims, providing support, and ensuring accountability of perpetrators has been impeded. Centrally, the co-occurrence of the pandemic and the democratic transition undercut the institutional and governance capacity, limiting the anti-trafficking response and exposing already vulnerable groups to increased risks of human trafficking. Findings point to increased vulnerabilities for individuals with one or more of the following identities: migrants, refugees, females, and informal labourers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Across a 1000‐km stretch of the River Nile, from the 1st Cataract in southern Egypt to the 4th Cataract in Sudan, many hundreds of drystone walls are located within active channels, on seasonally inundated floodplains or in now‐dry Holocene palaeochannel belts. These walls (or river groynes) functioned as flood and flow control structures and are of a type now commonly in use worldwide. In the Nile Valley, the structures have been subject only to localised investigations, and none have been radiometrically dated. Some were built within living memory to trap nutrient‐rich Nile silts for agriculture, a practice already recorded in the early 19th century C.E. However, others situated within ancient palaeochannel belts indicate construction over much longer time frames. In this paper, we map the distribution of these river groynes using remote sensing and drone survey. We then establish their probable functions and a provisional chronology using ethnoarchaeological investigation and the ground survey, excavation and radiometric dating of the structures in northern Sudan, focusing on the Holocene riverine landscape surrounding the pharaonic settlement of Amara West (c. 1300–1000 B.C.E.). Finally, we consider the historical and economic implications of this form of hydraulic engineering in the Nile Valley over the past three millennia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The small town of Maji in Southwest Ethiopia has long been considered the periphery of the periphery. It was founded as a kätäma (fortified settlement) in 1898 by officers of Emperor Menelik II's imperial army after its conquest of the area by his general Ras Woldegiorgis Aboye, and it developed as a small hub for trans-regional trade and as an imperial border post near British Sudan. It was founded in the territory of the Dizi people and was lightly "governed" and economically marginal. Well into the Dergue period, Maji was seen as an economic and social backwater, as a place of "exile" for political administrators and army officers who had "failed" or incurred the displeasure of their superiors. Its reputation was notorious, as it emerged basically a place based on exploitation or predation of the hinterland after its foundation in 1898: for foreigners (Baluchi and Swahili traders, gold diggers and big game hunters), Ethiopian state agents, long-distance traders, modern-day state bureaucrats, and today also for tourist visitors. Building on pioneer work by historian P. Garretson and a few others, in this paper I reconstruct the outlines of Maji's socio-cultural history as a microcosmos of Ethiopia's history and political economy, reflecting structures of power on the local and national level as well as cultural "ranking" and diversity. Following Garretson, I thereby rephrase its reputed "isolated" status then and now: while economic and political connections to the wider society, mediated by youth agency and Internet connection, are slowly emerging, its image of an "isolated place" is still dominant, buttressed by the town's geographic fringe location. Whether Maji's current modest growth and transport connectivity are redefining its status as a 'remote periphery' and reshape its link to wider political-economic-social networks remains to be seen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many applications in agriculture as well as other related fields including natural resources, environment, health, and sustainability, depend on recent and reliable cropland maps. Cropland extent and intensity plays a critical input variable for the study of crop production and food security around the world. However, generating such variables manually is difficult, expensive, and time consuming. In this work, we discuss a cost effective, fast, and simple machine-learning-based approach to provide reliable cropland mapping model using satellite imagery. The study includes four test regions, namely Iran, Mozambique, Sri-Lanka, and Sudan, where Sentinel-2 satellite imagery were obtained with assigned NDVI scores. The solution presented in this paper discusses a complete pipeline including data collection, time series reconstruction, and cropland extent and crop intensity mapping using machine learning models. The approach proposed managed to achieve high accuracy results ranging between 0.92 and 0.98 across the four test regions at hand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the economic effects of the US sanctions on Sudan. The paper aims to identify the concept of sanctions and their forms. The paper also aims at the most important US sanctions on Sudan. The paper also aims to identify the most important economic effects on the US sanctions on Sudan. The paper used both the historical approach and the methodology. Descriptive to identify the historical development of US sanctions on Sudan. The paper also uses the analytical approach to identify the most important economic impacts on US sanctions in Sudan. Forms of American sanctions on Sudan in political, economic and informational sanctions, the political administration in both Sudan and the United States of America should overthrow the principle of common interest in building relations between the two countries. Sudan should rely on investing its internal resources to cover the deficit caused by the American sanctions on Sudan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the dynamics of pastoralist herd mobility in West Darfur State, Sudan, a region affected by persistent conflict. The paper examines the annual cycle and seasonal trajectories of mobility for camels, cattle, and sheep, comparing mobility patterns by livelihood specialisation and reviewing the mobility of multi-species herds. Using social research tools and remote sensing livestock tracking technology, the study found diverse livestock mobility patterns within the region. Conflict and insecurity have reduced the freedom and flexibility of these movements. Persistent insecurity combined with climate shocks have led to adaptations, including changes in herd species composition and owner preference, and a shift from long to short-distance mobility closer to the home area. Ultimately these changes have undermined the resilience of the pastoral system. The paper considers the implications of these changes in pastoralist mobility for humanitarian needs, building livelihood resilience and promoting peaceful integration with other users of natural resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional medicine is a reliable source for treating many diseases in Sudan. It is widely recognized in Sudan, as no Sudanese house is devoid of medicinal herbs. The Sudanese people and their historical stock of knowledge are distinguished by their knowledge and the many applications of herbs in treatment. This reference paper aims to collect all the available information about the use of medicinal plants in Sudan to treat disease or prevent it. Sudanese medicinal plants include a variety of plants and there are many medicinal applications for these plants in the world. According to the information reached by the paper, there are many therapeutic medical applications of these plants in the treatment of various bacterial infections, including digestive diseases, malaria, diabetes, rheumatic pain, respiratory diseases, jaundice, urinary tract infections, wounds, cancer and various microbial infections, according to the information reached by the paper. This reference is for a few groups of Sudanese medicinal plants such as tamarind, hibiscus, Acacia nilotica, Combretum hartmannianum, and Guiera senegalensis, etc. This review article also showed that these plants contain many biologically active substances as active ingredients, including flavonoids, saponins, alkaloids, stimulants, terpenes, tannins, fatty acids and essential oils. Even though Sudanese people use herbal medicine to treat a wide range of illnesses, more research is needed to show that these plants are safe and effective for people to use. For example, phytochemical analysis, biochemical activity tests and toxicology studies should be done to show that these plants are safe and effective for people to use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper illustrates the GIS-based Applications web marketing: Turkey Historical Site in Khartoum, The Motivation depend on Role Geoinformatics Technology for Evaluate the historical sites. The objectives are Analysis, Design, and Implementation Turkey Historical Site in Khartoum. The Importance to support the decision Makers/ Supports. The Methodology is Geoinformatics Phases (Analysis, Design, and Implementations). The importance Results: Design Turkey GeoHistorical Data Model, Build Turkey GeoHistorical Geodatabase, implementation Turkey GeoHistorical Applications Map, Develop Turkey GeoHistorical thematic Map. We recommendations: Design Turkey GeoHistorical virtual Reality, Implementation Turkey GeoHistorical Map in Sudan, Implementation Turkey GeoHistorical Application in Sudan. The Future Papers: Implementation Turkey GeoHistorical 3D Model in Sudan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper exploits the rich but little-studied corpus of archaeological textiles found in modern Sudan and Nubia and dated to the Meroitic and Postmeroitic periods (c. 350 BCE–550 CE). It allies current approaches developed in the field of mortuary archaeology with an in-depth analysis of textile artefacts discovered in situ in the graves of the ancient Sudanese people. Going beyond the simple description of textile items and their potential place in the tomb, the concept of funerary chaîne opératoire is used to trace and interpret textile gestures around the deceased. Through many examples and the detailed case study of an 'archer' grave from Gebel Adda (Lower Nubia), this article aims at demonstrating the active and important role of textiles in the transformation of the dead, from an inert body to a revered ancestor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study discusses the methodological component of a research project with Sudanese musicians and their associated activist groups. The methodology included song-writing and, as such, is an example of collaborative creative research practice. Proponents of collaborative creative practice argue that the combination of aesthetic methods with ethnographic and participatory research methods brings both epistemological and ethical dividends. This paper considers whether these alleged epistemological and ethical advantages bore out in this research project. While confirming some benefits, my study also shows evidence of underlying tensions between aesthetic 'micro-methods' and ethnographic and participatory traditions of knowledge production. In relation to the alleged epistemological dividends, I argue that autoethnographic embedding in collaborative creative practice is alone insufficient. It requires a theoretical framework which theorises the relationship between one player's musical experience and another's. Only with this, can the sensory experiences of the researcher be used to inform analysis of participant observations and interviews. The autoethnographic experiences of the researcher are not findings in themselves. In relation to the ethical dividends, unlike other arts-based research, I found that the aesthetic micro-methods in this study did not naturally lend themselves to participant empowerment. The pursuit of aesthetic goals has its own division of labour which can lead to the deprioritisation of self-expression and co-learning which constitute the primary aims of classical participatory research. Overall, collaborative creative practice did enhance this research project but there are important caveats. To reflect these, I aruge that creative collaboration should not be considered as a simple sub-set of either ethnographic or participatory research but as a method in its own right. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Old Dongola, with a history reaching back to the 5th century AD, was originally the capital of Makuria, one of the three medieval Nubian kingdoms. After the collapse of Makuria, its capital city saw migratory movements and political changes that resulted in the emergence of new power relations. In the 16th and 17th centuries, the city was the seat of a local ruler subordinate to the Funj Sultanate. New communities that emerged in this setting inhabited the city until the colonial era. This paper examines the ways in which Funj-period households, as fundamental social units in Old Dongola, were mutually constitutive with houses, engaging with their spatiality and materiality through social practices. The authors investigate domestic labour, which was an essential factor in the negotiation of social differences and identities within the household. Differences in building techniques are analysed to compare various ways in which dwellers engaged with houses and to assess their implications for social differentiation within the city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research is an analysis of the social discourse of Active Sudanese youth in social media, especially (Facebook). Using pragmatic and interactive method, research sample was selected from youth writings on the floods that swept Sudan in the rainfall of 2020 AD, which caused great losses and constituted great attention to public opinion and the media. This research concluded with many results, the most important of which are: The discourse of the research sample was built from a combination of vocabulary from the Arabic language at its standard level mixed with vocabulary from the Sudanese colloquial dialect; because the latter is sometimes used to convey intended meanings, to create a desired interaction, and deliberation intended by the letter's writer. Likewise, the nature of the social discourse of Sudanese youth on Facebook, who wrote about the ordeal of torrents and floods, is mostly interactive and does not care about preserving sacred level and does not take them into account. The writer of the speech is from the public, and he targets the public and those who are both higher and lower than him. The study confirmed the adoption of a free agenda in the posts of Sudanese youth on Facebook regarding floods and torrents, and the presentation and discussion of the discourse that was studied in this paper focused on the topic (i.e. the meaning), not the form. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adoption of agricultural technologies in developing economy countries has the potential to reduce poverty through sustainable intensification. Mechanized farming can also improve perceptions of farming and mitigate rural out-migration. However, many traditional farmers do not have access to machinery and/or machinery is cost prohibitive. The objective of this paper is to quantify how the use of machinery affects costs, revenue, net-profits, and returns on investment for a case study of farmers in Sudan, Africa. A treatment control study (N = 36) was performed across the 2019 (baseline), 2020, and 2021 farming seasons, where the treatment group was provided tractors. ANOVAs and t-tests were used to compare financial values between these groups across the farming seasons, to quantify economic differences associated with farming machinery. We show that all farmers had similar net-profits when farming without machinery, while mechanized farming yielded significantly higher net-profits (USD 16.61/acre more in 2020, USD 27.10/acre more in 2021). Our study also finds that the volatility of the black-market exchange rate and labor shortages have a significant impact on farming net-profits. These results provide a quantified difference between farming with and without machinery, which can provide a financial basis for purchasing and borrowing models, machinery design requirements, and educational value to farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most readers of this paper will likely have written a PhD thesis, will be in the throes of writing one, or perhaps will be aspiring to write one. There is a huge literature on the practice and experience of PhD research – on designing a thesis, on writing and research, on the student–supervisor relationship, on the doctoral student experience, and so on. In this paper, however, I reflect on a specific question less often asked: in what ways does a PhD thesis live on beyond the time when it can only be thought of as "work in progress"? I develop an answer to this question along four dimensions – the material, instrumental, epistemic, and personal afterlives of a PhD thesis. For this reflection I use my own PhD thesis, awarded in 1985, as the case study. While the paper is therefore autobiographic, it is intended to provoke more general considerations about the longevity of PhD theses and their formative role for their authors and their authors' subsequent careers. While a PhD thesis can be understood as having a variety of afterlives, those that matter the most are perhaps also those that are less easily recognised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Undernutrition (stunting, wasting and underweight) among children remains a public health concern in North Africa, especially following recent conflicts in the region. Therefore, this paper systematically reviews and meta-analyses the prevalence of undernutrition among children under five in North Africa to determine whether efforts to reduce undernutrition are on track to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. Eligible studies published between 1st January 2006 and 10th April 2022 were searched for, using five electronic bibliographic databases (Ovid MEDLINE, Web of Science, Embase (Ovid), ProQuest and CINAHL). The JBI critical appraisal tool was used, and a meta-analysis was conducted using the 'metaprop' command in STATA, to estimate the prevalence of each undernutrition indicator in the seven North African countries (Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, and Western Sahara). Due to the significant heterogeneity among studies (I2 >50%), a random effect model and sensitivity analysis were conducted to examine the effect of outliers. Out of 1592 initially identified, 27 met the selection criteria. The prevalence of stunting, wasting and being underweight were 23.5%, 7.9% and 12.9%, respectively. Significant variations between the countries with the highest rates of stunting and wasting were reported in Sudan (36%, 14.1%), Egypt (23.7%, 7.5%), Libya (23.1%, 5.9%), and Morocco (19.9%, 5.1%). Sudan also had the highest prevalence of underweight (24.6%), followed by Egypt (7%), Morocco (6.1%), and Libya (4.3%) with more than one in ten children in Algeria and Tunisia having stunted growth. In conclusion, undernutrition is widespread in the North African region, particularly in Sudan, Egypt, Libya, and Morocco, making it challenging to meet the SDGs by 2030. Nutrition monitoring and evaluation in these countries is highly recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the contribution of the consumption share to GDP from 1970 to 2019 to assess how income groups contributed to the share's stability, as well as the factors influencing its path and policy implications. Because the dependent variable is expressed in percentages and is not normally distributed, the Beta regression finite mixed model is the best tool for detecting latent income groups. We used Robust standard error to ensure the stability of the consumption share (i.e. the average propensity to consume APC). The analytical tool predicts the discovery of three previously unknown income groups. The following three latent groups were identified by the group means following the analysis: 0.82, 0.87, and 0.90 represent low-, medium-, and high-income groups, respectively, with probabilities of 0.27, 0.47, and 0.26 for their share contribution. The explanatory variables include employment, human capital (hc), total factor productivity at constant national prices (rtfpna), and the share of labor compensation in GDP. Each estimated parameter has a high significance and the expected sign. The policy implication is that the consumption share should be reduced in favor of the saving share by increasing employment opportunities and total factor productivity because it is relatively high. Furthermore, fighting inflation increases consumption while increasing spending on health care, education, and training stimulates economic growth by increasing the percentage saving ratio but at different levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Christian Nubia was a region with intensive transcultural connections that are visible through the understudied overseas glass bead imports found there. This paper presents the results of an analysis of 20 glass beads from Banganarti, a Christian pilgrim site active during the Makuria kingdom (mid‐sixth to 14th centuries CE). Compositional analyses using laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA‐ICP‐MS) have identified glass belonging to a number of broad compositional groups. Two beads were made of mineral soda‐lime glass, dated before the mid‐ninth century CE. Numerous beads were made from plant ash‐soda‐lime glass associated with "Mesopotamian" production dated between the eighth and 10th centuries CE. Lead‐soda‐silica glass has parallels in the ninth–10th centuries glass found in Africa and Europe. One plant ash‐soda‐lime bead was of eastern Mediterranean origin dated after the 10th century CE. Results of this study provide new evidence for provenance and chronology of glass beads available in the mediaeval Northeast Africa as well as contribute new data to the research on the pilgrim and/or trade routes of that time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of fauna in South Sudan during the first two-thirds of the twentieth century relied on a web of collection stations, a vast field network of observers, the assembly of many disparate facts, and the collection of animals to be sold for display and study in zoos and museums in Sudan and other countries. This work of zoological study and the trade in animals mobilized great numbers of South Sudanese, relying on their labour, observations, and knowledge about how to capture and care for animals. These participants have rarely been credited for their own contributions to knowledge about the natural history of their country. This paper examines the work of Solomon Col Adol who was based at the zoological collection station in Bor, a small town on the White Nile, where he was a Game Ranger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current paper investigates the impact of monetary policy and its transmission mechanism in Sudan, using the structural vector autoregressive (SVAR) model utilizing monthly data from Jan 2000 to the end of 2021. The findings show that Sudan's monetary transmission mechanism for credit and exchange rate channels performs poorly due to the salient features of the Sudanese economy and the financial and banking sector. The policy implication arising from this finding is; the role of the conduct approach for monetary policy should be clearly defined. Moreover, it is necessary to restore the credibility and reliability of the Central Bank of Sudan (CBOS) for conducting monetary policy. Sudan's monetary and credit policies must rely on indirect instruments, and the exchange rate should be determined by the market. The banking sector should be subjected to a program of reform and recapitalization. Other financial institutions, such as insurance companies and pension funds, must play a greater role in the economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal-lens spectrometry is a sensitive technique for determination of physicochemical properties and thermophysical parameters of various materials including heterogeneous systems and nanoparticles. In this paper, we consider the issues of the correctness (trueness) of measurements of the characteristic time of the thermal-lens effect and, thus, of the thermal diffusivity determined by dual-beam mode-mismatching thermal lensing. As sources of systematic errors, major factors—radiation sources, sample-cell and detector parameters, and general measurement parameters—are considered using several configurations of the thermal-lens setups, and their contributions are quantified or estimated. Furthermore, with aqueous ferroin and Sudan I in ethanol as inert colorants, the effects of the intermolecular distance of the absorbing substance on the correctness of finding the thermophysical parameters are considered. The recommendations for checking the operation of the thermal-lens setup to ensure the maximum accuracy are given. The results obtained help reducing the impact of each investigated factor on the value of systematic error and correctly measure the thermophysical parameters using thermal-lens spectrometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, by capitalizing on z-scan technique and using cw He–Ne laser at 632.8 nm, we investigated the impact of added MgO nanoparticles on nonlinear optical properties of 6CHBT liquid crystal which was doped with Sudan black B dye. The applied cell had homogeneous alignment. MgO nanoparticles were added to 6CHBT liquid crystal which was doped with 0.3 wt.% Sudan black B dye at three concentrations of 0.1, 0.3 and 0.6 wt.%. It was found that the added MgO nanoparticles did not significantly change the nonlinear refractive index of the compound at 0.1 and 0.6 wt.% concentrations; however, they enhanced the nonlinear refractive index of the compound at 0.3 wt.% concentration. The accumulation of nanoparticles in high concentrations causes high scattering of light which can reduce the intensity of transmitted light and, as a result, nonlinear effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are different feminist perspectives of education which focus on women’s empowerment. Some of these perspectives address instrumental and intrinsic circumstances influencing motivations and choices for schooling, whilst others look into the role of schooling in shaping and constraining perceptions of empowerment and self-esteem among women. There are also studies which look into the role of the school system in reproducing gender divisions and oppression. As a result, many educational researchers and feminists are concerned about the influence of the family and school systems on women’s/girl’s roles, self- esteem and aspirations. This paper is based on a qualitative case study which analyzes the impact of the schooling process on girls’ educational aspirations and gender inequality in the disadvantaged communities in Sudan. The data was collected by means of in-depth interviews, life history journals and focused group discussions. The sample comprised 30 teenage girls between the ages of 12 – 20 years at two disadvantaged communities’ basic schools in Juba and Khartoum, Sudan. This paper looks at the effects of structure and socio-cultural practices of mixed schools on girls’ educational aspirations, perceptions and inequalities and their implications for the conceptualization of gender within an empowerment framework. In this paper it is argued that whilst education is perceived as a means of women’s liberation and empowerment, it can also have negative effects on girls’ educational aspirations and expectations. The paper concludes that schooling perpetuates gender inequalities through schooling system as well it shapes girls’ educational aspirations among disadvantaged communities in Sudan. This study concludes that girls’ educational aspirations and perceptions are constructed and shaped within the gender role socialization and the traditional and patriarchal social system in Sudan. The home and the school environments in disadvantaged communities of Sudan appear to reinforce gender inequality in the manner in which parents and teachers treat children. The entrenched socio-cultural practices and pressures seem to impact negatively on the school girls’ educational aspirations, expectations and self-esteem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) is considered a highly promising candidate for elimination within the next decade. This paper argues that the experiential knowledge of frontline health workers will be critical to achieve this goal. Interviews are used to explore the ways in which HAT workers understand, maintain, and adjust their skills amidst global and national challenges. We contrast two cases: South Sudan where HAT expertise is scattered and has been repeatedly rebuilt, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where specialised mobile detection teams have pro-actively tested people at risk for almost a century. We describe HAT careers where skills are built through participation in HAT technology trials and screening programmes; in the DRC expertise is also supported through formal rotations in screening teams and HAT referral centres for new health workers. As cases fade, de-skilling is a real threat as awareness of populations and authorities diminishes and previously vertical programmes evolve, re-configuring professional development and career paths and associated opportunities for HAT practice. To avoid repeating the mistakes of the 1960s, when elimination also seemed close at hand, we need to recognise that the 'last mile' of elimination hinges on protecting the fragile expertise of frontline health workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2020 Russia acquired a new naval base or logistic support centre off Sudan's coast in Port Sudan. This base represents the culmination to date of Moscow's quest for bases in and around the Mediterranean, Horn of Africa, and even the Indian Ocean. While the politics of obtaining and developing this base pertain largely to Moscow's Africa policy; this paper focuses upon Russia's overall naval strategy and its linked power projection programme. These strategies have hitherto been insufficiently appreciated abroad and it is hoped that this assessment will galvanise greater attention to them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research considered the strategic relations of Sudan with regional countries and beyond during the factions within the period of the Salvation government. It also showed that the political quarrels among the Islamic Movement on how to design the general scope and settings for Sudan's external policy, with its requirements at all levels. The research used a semi-empirical method and also a descriptive method to study the foreign policy of Sudan (2010-2018) including experiences and challenges. It basically explained the international relations which characterized the policy bargain between countries. The findings of the research are that, although Sudan during the period covered by the present study, Sudan's external relations confronted with several challenges especially so in then. Prevailing situation characterized by the diplomatic confrontations among the major countries. Although Sudan's government kept carefully monitoring that situation to maintain careful steering amid those challenges, yet the country couldn't quite successfully develop an external policy with an effective strategic dimension both regionally as well as internationally. The most notable recommendations in the paper also refer to the fact that Sudan should have adopted a more balanced policy so as to maintain the country's own political stability, and to share benefits with its external partners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ever increasing applications of bioinformatics in providing effective interpretation of large and complex biological data require expertise in the use of sophisticated computational tools and advanced statistical tests, skills that are mostly lacking in the Sudanese research community. This can be attributed to paucity in the development and promotion of bioinformatics, lack of senior bioinformaticians, and the general status quo of inadequate research funding in Sudan. In this paper, we describe the challenges that have encountered the development of bioinformatics as a discipline in Sudan. Additionally, we highlight on specific actions that may help develop and promote its education and training. The paper takes the National University Biomedical Research Institute (NUBRI) as an example of an institute that has tackled many of these challenges and strives to drive powerful efforts in the development of bioinformatics in the country. Author summary: Bioinformatics is gaining recognition globally and in Sudan as an important subdiscipline of biological sciences, one that enables researchers to efficiently interpret complex biological data. A limited number of Sudanese academic institutions have acknowledged this field despite its increasingly recognized importance. The development of bioinformatics in the country requires interdisciplinary collaborations involving experts in life sciences, research methodology, healthcare, computer, and data sciences. This can be achieved through designing educational programs and workshops alongside proposing and establishing effective collaborative research projects. In this context, we comprehensively discussed the present state of bioinformatics in Sudan, the challenges faced, as well as the efforts exerted by academic institutions including NUBRI, to upgrade infrastructure and establish local and international collaborations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the evaluation of the performance of the Sudanese macroeconomic indicators such as inflation, gross domestic product, exchange rate, export, economic growth during the period 2000-2019 using data from the Central Bank of Sudan and the Central Bureau of Statistics, for each observation. The study employed the FTOPSIS method. One of the most important results of the study is the most successful economic performance in the year 2019. It's followed by the second rank in 2016. 2006 is the year with the lowest macroeconomic performance in Sudan. According to the results of the study, there is a direct skip from bottom to top not step by step, for example, the rank of 2008 is 7 while 2007 is 19. The reason for that is economic crises and the civil wars in Sudan. Using same data, TOPSIS is applied to make comparison of the results obtained by two methods. For most year, the ranks of two method have the results, near to its corresponding year, except the years 2000, 2006, 2012 and 2014. This is the first paper using a multi-criteria decision-making approach to assess the success of the Sudanese economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to present pictorial graffiti executed on the walls of the Northern Church of the Ghazali Monastery located in what is today the Northern Province of Sudan. The graffiti were recorded during research by the Polish-Sudanese mission at the monastic complex. This paper explores the symbolic meanings of the graffiti as well as possible rationales behind their locations. Some of the depictions have overt religious meanings and may be interpreted as "graphic" prayers. This category of graffiti includes representations of Christ, angels, saints, female figures and horse riders. Other depictions seem to refer to daily life in Nubia – the graffiti abound in motifs such as camels, horses, boats and human beings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the name of development, water management, and economic growth, the government of Sudan has made the construction of hydroelectric dams a national priority. In the case of the Merowe Dam, it is estimated that around 60,000 people have been affected by the government's hydropower programmes, including loss of land, livelihood, and even life. These struggles have led to a number of litigation efforts, using both national and international judicial bodies. From a research perspective, this unfolding struggle provides a unique opportunity to follow both the trajectory and impact of norms. Do international norms travel locally to support the struggle? Do domestic norms, perhaps newly established, drive the struggle on the international stage? This paper studies a particular set of international norms around indigenous rights and their role in the struggle. Although only one local population of the several affected is technically classed as indigenous, other non-indigenous groups are using the indigenous rights framework in seeking justice, contributing to the strategic regional movement to extend these rights and develop African jurisprudence. This paper explores whether this is evidence of groups 'becoming indigenous' in order to access justice or whether this is an example of organisations directing, or perhaps even overpowering, vulnerable communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The significance of integrated water resources management (IWRM) is broadly recognized, but practical implementation methods are little known. This paper proposes a Practical IWRM approach that has the potential to accelerate consensus-building and problem-solving relating to water resources based on the formation of an aligned perception of natural and human-made water resource systems among stakeholders, and the establishment of a properly functioning multi-stakeholder partnership (MSP). This approach was applied in four countries – Sudan, Bolivia, Indonesia and Iran – where it has worked well in different contexts, and can be an effective methodology usable elsewhere in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building an optical filtration function into a microfluidic chip is a promising way of simplifying the optical detection system of a microfluidic device. In this paper, a PDMS microfluidic chip filter that is capable of transmitting chlorophyll fluorescence and blocking interfering light in the visible wavelength range was developed for living algae detection with a smartphone. The chip was fabricated by sealing a layer of crystal violet solution in a PDMS layer on the top of the Sudan II-doped PDMS slab, which has a straight microchannel. Optimum dye concentrations and thicknesses for the crystal violet solution layer and Sudan II-doped PDMS slab were investigated and determined by spectrum measurements. It was found that the cut-on range of this integrated microfluidic chip is extended to about 625 nm and the transmittance in the chlorophyll fluorescence range (650 nm to 710 nm) is as high as 95%, when 25 mg L−1 Sudan II-doped PDMS slab (with a 3 mm thickness) and 2 mg L−1 crystal violet solution (with a 0.3 mm thickness) were used. Living algae detection using this chlorophyll-fluorescence-filtering PDMS microfluidic chip and a smartphone-based imaging platform was achieved, and the results compared favorably with those using a commercial filter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]