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Direct Integration of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles on Bacterial Cellulose for Dye Degradation in Water
No full textNanocomposites derived from biomaterials are crucial in advancing sustainable and innovative functional materials for diverse applications, including environmental remediation and wastewater treatment. In this paper, we report the fabrication of a magnetic composite derived from magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MIONPs) and bacterial cellulose (BC) for the photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants in water. The magnetic films were fabricated by in situ co-precipitation of MIONPs into the BC matrix. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed the presence of Fe-O vibrations in the nanocomposite. Scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy further confirmed the presence of MIONPs on the surface of the bacterial cellulose, indicating the successful integration of MIONPs into the matrix. X-ray diffraction pattern of the nanocomposite exhibited the crystalline features of the MIONPs. The photodegradation capacity of the magnetic BC films was evaluated using methylene blue (MB) as a model organic pollutant. Results revealed the photodegradation efficiencies of approximately 68% and 73% after 120 mins of irradiation under ambient and ultraviolet (UV) light, respectively. Early onset of dye degradation saturation was also observed for samples exposed to ambient light condition. No significant changes in the optical absorption of the dye when treated with BC only with and without illumination, suggesting that the photocatalytic effect is primarily due to the MIONPs. This work presents a promising strategy for utilizing biological resources such as bacterial cellulose as a hybrid material for environmental and other advanced applications
Air Temperature and Gastroenteritis Among Rohingya Populations in Bangladesh Refugee Camps
Full text linkImportance
The Rohingya displaced population in Bangladesh is the largest stateless population in the world. Infectious diseases, such as gastroenteritis, respiratory infections, and fever, are among the major health problems the Rohingya population has faced. Although associations between gastroenteritis and air temperature have been reported in various regions, no study has yet been carried out among the displaced populations.
Objectives
To evaluate the association between air temperature and risk of gastroenteritis among the forcibly displaced Rohingya population in refugee camps in Bangladesh.
Design, Setting, and Participants
In this cross-sectional study, daily time series data derived from facility-based case reports were collected in 2 clinics organized by the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) in Kutupalong and Nayapara registered camps from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2021. Statistical analysis was conducted from April 2023 to September 2024.
Exposure
Hourly 2-m air temperature from ERA5-Land by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.
Main Outcomes and Measures
The daily number of gastroenteritis cases recorded in the camp clinics was the main outcome measure. Nonlinear lagged associations between daily temperature and gastroenteritis cases were modeled using a quasi-Poisson generalized linear model to account for overdispersion coupled with a distributed lag nonlinear model including a maximum 21-day lag. Covariates from the literature were adjusted in the model.
Results
A total of 33280 gastroenteritis cases (95% among individuals aged ≥5 years; 71% female) were recorded in Kutupalong and 31165 gastroenteritis cases (99% among individuals aged ≥5 years; 67% female) were recorded in Nayapara. Further examination revealed a potential U-shaped curve in Kutupalong with minimum risk temperature (MRT) set at 26 °C. Cumulative relative risk (RR) at the 10th percentile temperature (21.1 °C) was 2.31 (95% CI, 1.18-4.65), while RR at 90th percentile temperature (28.5 °C) was 1.78 (95% CI, 1.24-2.56) relative to MRT. In Nayapara, a nearly linear risk increase was observed with decreasing temperature. Cumulative RR at the 10th percentile temperature (21 °C) was 1.32 (95% CI, 0.78-2.24), while the RR at the 90th percentile temperature (28.3 °C) was 0.75 (95% CI, 0.56-0.99). Lagged effects were delayed in nature. In Kutupalong, cold temperatures (10th percentile) were associated with statistically significant gastroenteritis risks at approximately 15 to 20 days (range: RR, 1.06 [95% CI, 1.00-1.13] to RR, 1.10 [95% CI, 1.00-1.21]). In Nayapara, gastroenteritis risks were correspondingly higher at longer lags (lag, 18 days; RR, 1.05 [95% CI, 1.00-1.10]).
Conclusions and Relevance
In this cross-sectional study of the Rohingya displaced population in Bangladesh, cold temperatures were associated with an increase in the risk of gastroenteritis. It is important to understand the association of climatic factors with the health of displaced communities, whose population is expected to grow in the future
Exploratory Customer Discovery on Veblen Goods Using ChatGPT and Agent-based Modeling System for Business Simulation
No full textThe study of demand in a dynamic and complex market economy has been a point of discussion in observing consumer behavior. Entrepreneurs have struggled with market research as customer discovery can be costly and time-consuming. The concept behind non-intuitive demand curves has increased the complexities of predicting demand. Large language models (LLMs) are observed to be computational models for humans, having the innate capacity to simulate human behavior and decision-making. Through a simulation model and the agent-based modeling system (ABMS) approach, entrepreneurs can utilize LLMs by using their ability for customer discovery. By applying prompting frameworks and chain-of-Thought (CoT), LLMs such as ChatGPT-3.5 can generate customer willingness-To-pay (WTP) without fine-Tuning the model. The study experimented on two business models that pertained to Veblen demand and prompted GPT-3.5 to simulate WTP without any explicit references to Veblen to determine its inherent knowledge. The results show that some customer simulations generated with GPT-3.5 appear to form a non-inverted demand curve. Future studies may be considered to understand the LLM\u27s capability of perceiving socio-economic and psycho-emotional behavior regarding product demand and consumption
From Transactions to Transformation: Rethinking Business Management Education Through Service-Learning
Full text linkThis study examined the effectiveness of service-learning as a pedagogical approach in a course offered to business management students. Employing a quasi-experimental design, the research compared student outcomes between an experimental group that incorporated service-learning and a control group that underwent traditional teaching methods. These student outcomes included knowledge application, personal and professional skills, civic orientation and engagement, and self-awareness. The results revealed that students participating in service-learning significantly gained self-reflection skills, self-efficacy, and a sense of social responsibility compared to their peers undergoing traditional teaching approaches. However, no statistically significant differences were observed in the other areas. These results suggest that while service-learning offers unique advantages in specific areas, its broader impact may depend on the depth and duration of community immersion in service-learning. This study shows the transformative potential of service-learning in rethinking business management education, emphasizing its ability to bridge theory and practice while fostering socially responsible professionals
Indigenous Ministeriality for a Synodal Church in Asia: New Pathways for Mission
Full text linkThe paper explores the integration of Indigenous knowledge and practices into the Church\u27s mission in Asia, emphasizing synodality as a moment of grace to chart new pathways. It highlights the dynamic vision of the founding fathers of the FABC on ministries in Asia—which must evolve and adapt to changing needs, reflecting local cultures and traditions. The Church is called to be incarnate in particular human situations, fostering pastoral responsiveness through listening, openness, and flexibility. Indigenous knowledge offers opportunities for deeper understanding and healing of marginalized communities, and inculturation. Their understanding of the interconnectedness of life provides valuable insights for addressing climate crises and fostering community. Ministry stems from baptism, making all co-responsible for the Church\u27s mission. All baptized participate in Christ\u27s mission as priest, prophet, and king, emphasizing the sensus fidei, the instinctive sense of faith. Therefore, the Church must build participatory and inclusive structures, promoting the involvement of all members in decision-making processes. The Holy Spirit continues to inspire diverse and new forms of ministries, both among ordained and lay. Integrating Indigenous practices into the Church\u27s ministry is crucial for renewal and fostering a synodal Church that is open, inclusive, and responsive to local needs.
Ilang Retrospektibo at Pagpapalawig sa Kaisipang Reyes Hinggil sa Aralín at Pagtuturo ng Kulturang Popular Ngayon
No full textLayon ng sanaysay na ito na maghain ng retrospektibo o, wika nga ni Soledad S. Reyes, “balik-tanaw” sa dalawa niyang sanaysay na matatagpuang pampinid sa Pagbasa ng Panitikan at Kulturang Popular: Piling Sanaysay, 1976–1996 (1997) at sa pinatnugutan niyang teksbuk na Katha (1992) para sa Pamantasang Ateneo de Manila noong dekada 1990. Ang mga ito ay mahalagang pagtatala at pagninilay ng pangunahing iskolar ng kulturang popular sa Filipinas hinggil sa kaniyang mga kaisipan sa aralín at pagtuturo ng kulturang popular. Sa mga akda ring nabanggit, pinahahalagahan niya ang animasyon ng saliksik hinggil sa kulturang popular sa pedagohiya o pagkasangkapan sa mga teksto at penomena bílang materyal na panturo sa silid-aralan. Ang ganitong praktika ay produkto ng kaniyang maatikabong pagbuwag sa mga halagahang kultural. Matapos ng retrospektibo, isasalaysay ng awtor ang sariling sapalaran at nilay hinggil sa pagaaral at pagtuturo ng teleserye simula 2014, o sampung taon na ang nakalilipas. Sa hulí, matapos na iulat din ang mga katulad at nakasabayang lunggati sa aralín at pagtuturo ng kulturang popular, maikakatwirang pawang solidipikasyon ng legasiya ni Reyes, magmumungkahi ang awtor ng ilang susing pagpapalawig sa mga naunang prinsipyong inilatag hinggil sa kulturang popular sa klasrum, lalo sa Filipinong konteksto at sa panahon ng communicative violence at death of truth. This essay aims to offer a retrospective or, in the words of Soledad S. Reyes, a “balik-tanaw” of two of her essays found, respectively, at the end of Pagbasa ng Panitikan at Kulturang Popular: Piling Sanaysay, 1976–1996 (1997) and in the textbook Katha (1992), which she edited for the Ateneo de Manila University in the 1990s. These texts serve as important records and reflections by a foremost scholar of popular culture in the Philippines, laying out her insights on the study and pedagogy of popular culture. In these works, Reyes underscores the value of animating pedagogy with a scholarly engagement with popular culture—mobilizing texts and phenomena as instructional materials within the classroom. This pedagogical practice emerges from her vigorous critique and dismantling of entrenched cultural hierarchies. Following this retrospective, the author recounts their own journey and reflections on studying and teaching the teleserye beginning in 2014, which is now a decade-long undertaking. Finally, after surveying similar and parallel efforts in the study and teaching of popular culture, the author argues that these signify the consolidation of Reyes’s intellectual legacy. Building on this, the essay proposes several key directions for expanding Reyes’s foundational principles on popular culture in the classroom, particularly within the Filipino context and in an era marked by communicative violence and the death of truth
Day-Night Shifts in Water-Soluble Ions of Size-Resolved Aerosols before and after the COVID-19 Lockdown in a Coastal Megacity: Metro Manila, Philippines
No full textThe COVID-19 pandemic-driven lockdowns offer a unique opportunity to examine how reductions in anthropogenic emissions impacted atmospheric aerosol composition in urban environments. This study investigates the day-night variability of size-resolved water-soluble ions in ambient particulate matter (PM) collected in Metro Manila before (November 2019–February 2020) and after (November 2020–February 2021) lockdown implementation. Using tandem Micro-Orifice Uniform Deposit Impactors (MOUDIs), aerosol samples were collected during daytime (06:00–18:00) and nighttime (18:00–06:00) periods and analyzed for key ionic species (sulfate, ammonium, nitrate, oxalate, sodium, chloride, calcium, and magnesium) via ion chromatography. Submicrometer water-soluble mass declined post-lockdown, particularly during daytime, reflecting suppressed secondary formation under reduced anthropogenic activity, with substantial reductions in sulfate and ammonium. In contrast, concentrations in the supermicrometer range increased due to naturally higher sea salt levels. Chemical ratios reveal notable features post-lockdown and during daytime due to especially reduced sulfate levels: reduced chloride depletion (on percent basis), higher ammonium-to-sulfate ratios pointing to more excess ammonia available for reactions beyond neutralizing sulfate, and support for aqueous-phase processing preferentially forming more oxalate relative to sulfate. These findings underscore how both photochemistry and changes in anthropogenic activity influence aerosol composition, with implications for air quality and atmospheric processing in coastal urban cities
Framing Crisis in Metaphors: Baguio LGU’s Communication Strategies on Covid-19
No full textThis article demonstrates the role of language use in the formulation of responsive policy communication in times of crisis. It examines the framing effects of metaphors used by the Baguio local government unit (LGU) in presenting the Covid-19 crisis situation and the necessary steps to curb the disease. The article points out that, on one hand, these metaphors worked because they emanated from the LGU’s understanding of local contexts, needs, and assets, and this local knowledge informed the formulation of communication policies for adaptive and successful crisis management. On the other hand, certain metaphors constrained the LGU’s health messaging because of contradictory images packed in particular forms of communication