Asia Pacific Academy of Science Pte. Ltd.
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The role of sustainability and sustainable development in climate change mitigation and adaptation
Get PDFToday, the best way to discern the interlinkages between climate change and sustainability and/or sustainable development is the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13—Climate Action framework. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted in 2015 presents a shared blueprint for the peace and prosperity of humanity and the planet both now and in the future. At its core lie the 17 SDGs, which cover the 169 targets by constituting calls for urgent action in global partnership among developed and developing nations. Within this scope, countries acknowledge the imperative need to engage in strategies that simultaneously eradicate poverty and other deprivations, combat climate change, safeguard oceans, forests, and biodiversity, improve health and education, reduce inequality, and promote sustainable and climate-resilient economic growth. This article will briefly evaluate the various geographical, environmental, educational, and social dimensions of sustainable and climate-resilient socioeconomic development, considering the nexus between combating climate change and adaptation to climate change, as well as the adverse effects of climate change
Commercialization: A hatch in the sociological diagnosis of our time
Get PDFMax Weber feared a social future dominated by rational specialists “without spirit”. He considered this development a possible outcome of the interplay between all-embracing commercialization (marketization, monetization) with the rationalization (bureaucratization) of structures and processes in industrialized societies. Another observation of Weber concerned the ongoing replacement of medieval religious values with secularized-rationalist and profit-oriented ones. The predominance of such values usually fosters work productivity but also raises profound questions about the changing specifics of money. They have become central to the value systems at local, regional, and global levels. Weber was pessimistic concerning the fate of commercialization. Edward A. Ross substantially contributed to the study of commercialization as part and parcel of his efforts to put a sociological diagnosis on American society after WWI. He selected and analysed a dozen constructive and destructive cases of commercialization. Talcott Parsons studied the phenomenon in detail and called it “instrumental activism”. George Ritzer’s study on McDonaldization as a rationalization process is an effort to put a sociological diagnosis on global society. There are open questions concerning the capacity of contemporary societies and individuals to manage innovations for coping with commercialization. The empirical reference for the discussion is SpaceX, led by Elon Musk
A novel method for glucose detection using dual-modal carbon dots for colorimetric and ratiometric fluorescence analysis
Get PDFIron-based nitrogen co-doped carbon dots (Fe, N-CDs) were synthesized from taro leaf biomass via a hydrothermal process using ammonium ferric sulfate dodecahydrate and urea. The synthesized Fe, N-CDs exhibited peroxidase-like activity and strong fluorescence at 450 nm. A dual-mode colorimetric/ratiometric fluorescence assay for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) detection was developed using Fe, N-CDs and o-phenylenediamine (OPD) as probes. In the presence of H2O2, OPD was oxidized to 2,3-diaminophenazine (DAP), which is yellow and absorbs at 420 nm. Under 360 nm excitation, DAP emits fluorescence at 550 nm and quenches the fluorescence of Fe, N-CDs at 450 nm due to the internal fluorescence filtering effect. This enables the quantitative analysis of H2O2 using the absorbance at 420 nm (A420) and the fluorescence intensity ratio of DAP to Fe, N-CDs (I550/I450). Since glucose oxidase can convert glucose to H2O2, the assay was extended to glucose determination. At pH 5.4, 40 ℃, with 1.75 mmol/L OPD and a 25-minute reaction time, the method showed a linear relationship between the A420 and I550/I450 values and glucose concentration in the range of 1.0~100 μmol/L, with detection limits of 0.8 μmol/L (colorimetry) and 0.6 μmol/L (ratiometry). The method was validated for glucose detection in human serum
Characterization of polyribosylribitol phosphate by high performance molecular exclusion chromatography with ultraviolet detection
Get PDFHaemophilus influenzae type b is an important human pathogen causing several invasive diseases in children under five years of age, against which glycoconjugated vaccines based on polyribosylribitol phosphate have been licensed. Quimi-Hib® is the first and only vaccine against this pathogen using the polysaccharide obtained by chemical synthesis. The Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient is produced by the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology and is obtained from its conjugation to tetanus toxoid. In the present report, a characterization of polyribosylribitol phosphate was performed using the high performance molecular exclusion chromatography technique with ultraviolet detection at 215 nm. Three batches were evaluated in the study and the elution profile was determined on a SuperdexTM 75 10/300 GL Increase column with a purity percent of 77.42 ± 8.97 and an average molar mass of 7381 Da ± 210.93. The main impurity present in polyribosylribitol phosphate is dimethyl sulfoxide, the solvent used in the activation reaction with the N-hydroxysuccinimidyl ester of β-maleimidopropionic acid. The polyribosylribitol phosphate was purified by filtration with a 2000 Da Amicon Ultra-15 to 99.1% purity and conjugated to tetanus toxoid. The yield of the conjugation reaction with the purified polysaccharide was 30.0% ± 1.77% which shows no significant difference with the control which was 33.7% ± 3.57% demonstrating that dimethyl sulfoxide does not affect the performance of the conjugation reaction
Development of novel nanostructured biosensors for rapid detection of pathogens in clinical diagnostics
Get PDFThe prompt and precise identification of microorganisms is crucial for successful clinical diagnostics and the prevention of infectious disease outbreaks. Traditional diagnostic methods often suffer from limitations such as extended processing durations, elevated expenses, and the necessity for specialized laboratory equipment. In this research, we propose the development of novel nanostructured biosensors that utilize the distinct characteristics of nanomaterials to improve the accuracy, specificity, and efficiency of identifying pathogens. These biosensors are created with the intention of offering point-of-care testing functionality, thus rendering them appropriate for utilization in a range of clinical settings. The integration of advanced nanotechnology with bioanalytical methods aims to create a reliable system for the real-time identification of bacterial, viral, and fungal pathogens. This review encompasses the design, fabrication, and testing of the biosensors, along with a comprehensive analysis of their performance in comparison to conventional diagnostic techniques. The results demonstrate the potential of nanostructured biosensors to revolutionize pathogen detection, offering significant improvements in efficiency and accuracy, which are essential for timely medical intervention and public health management
Metaverse in tourism service: Exploring digital tourism innovation
Get PDFThis study explores the integration and challenges of metaverse technology in tourism, analyzing perspectives from the industry, travelers, and management. It underscores the digital transformation accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, technological advances, and Generation Z influences. The research identifies key applications of metaverse technology, such as digital eco-tours, museums, cultural performances, and souvenirs, which redefine the traditional tourism model. It also examines the unique experiences provided to tourists by the metaverse at various stages of travel—before, during, and after trips—and evaluates the implications for customer perception and behavior. From a management viewpoint, the study highlights the necessity for thorough assessments of metaverse implementations in customer relations, marketing, and organizational strategies to fully gauge its impact. The discussion section addresses the long-term effects on traditional tourism practices and destinations and articulates how these technologies transform customer engagement and operational paradigms. This research provides a comprehensive overview of how metaverse technology reshapes the tourism landscape, offering insights for future technological integration and strategic development
Using social exchange theory to predict residents’ perspective on factors influencing tourism development in Pokhara
Get PDFTourism development involves sustainably creating and managing destinations, products, and services that balance economic, social, and environmental factors while meeting visitor and local community expectations. The purpose of this study is to understand the local people’s perception of tourism development in Pokhara, Nepal. An explanatory research design is used to show the cause-and-effect relationship between variables. The research was conducted using Social Exchange Theory (SET). The data was examined using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The sample size was determined to be 403 using non-probability sampling. A structured questionnaire was designed to collect the data using the KOBO toolbox. Furthermore, the Structure Equation Model (SEM) was the analytical approach used to process the data. Results reveal a noteworthy relationship between independent variables (such as cultural impact, social impact, environmental impact, and economic impact) and dependent variables (support for tourism development). The major challenges in tourism development have been identified, including deficient infrastructure, suboptimal tourism strategies and implementation, and inadequate government oversight. Effective mitigation of these challenges necessitates the implementation of appropriate infrastructure and development initiatives, proficient governmental management, and a concerted effort to augment the quantity and quality of hotels and accommodations. The significance of cultural, social, environmental, and economic impact cannot be understated or overstated in the context of tourism development. Addressing major challenges, the study suggests focused efforts in enhancing infrastructure and development, adopting effective management practices, and augmenting the quantity and quality of hotels and accommodations
The Eighth Wonder of the World in New Zealand: Seismic studies confirm the new Hochstetter paradigm
Get PDFThe most famous tourist attractions in the southern hemisphere, in the nineteenth century were the Pink and White Terraces—New Zealand’s lost Eighth Wonder of the World. They were assumed lost in an1886 eruption. The unpublished 2018 data from passive seismic stations across the Lake Rotomahana overflow in the Taupō Volcanic Zone are examined for evidence of acoustic interfaces that may be traced to Te Tarata, the White Terraces, the stations were coincidentally placed over the reported course of the Kaiwaka Channel buried in the 1886 Tarawera eruption. There was no seismic evidence of the Channel at the reported altitude under either the Smith-Keam or Hochstetter paradigms. This absence is strong empirical negative evidence that the Kaiwaka Channel did not flow beneath today’s Lake Rotomahana overflow, as has been assumed since 1886 under the Smith-Keam paradigm. Unlike the seismic and GPR Black Terrace Crater and Te Tuhi’s Stream (aka Black Terrace Stream) bed evidence obtained by the same 2018 survey—there is no evidence of a pre-1886 eruption paleochannel beneath today’s overflow saddle at the lake and at the Kaiwaka altitude under the 1886 Smith-Keam paradigm or the contemporary Hochstetter paradigm, the latter based upon Hochstetter’s unique terrestrial survey of the Rotomahana Basin. The study reports strong empirical evidence contradicting the assumed Kaiwaka location and with it, the assumed locations of old Lake Rotomahana and the Pink and White Terraces. The Smith-Keam paradigm is thereby confounded. The seismic data provide concomitant empirical evidence for the Rotomahana altimetry and topography reported by Bunn and Nolden, who locate the Kaiwaka Channel 440 m west of the seismic stations. The Pink and White Terraces can no longer be assumed destroyed. They may yet be explored and recovered
Climate variability and river flow changes in Wundanyi sub-catchment of Taita Hills, Kenya
Get PDFWundanyi sub-catchment of Taita hills is experiencing a high rate of deforestation due to the conversion of all its original forestland to agriculture and settlement during the last century. The landscape dynamics coupled with rainfall fluctuations in these critical ecosystems may significantly affect water resource distribution and food security in Taita Taveta County and its environs. This study aimed to establish the trends of selected hydroclimatic variables in Wundanyi sub-catchment from 1970 to 2030 and their specific and combined effects on surface runoff and streamflow in the same period. The analysis was based on statistical trend analysis and dynamic landscape modelling using both historical and primary hydroclimatic data from Wundanyi and Voi weather stations. Results show highly variable mean seasonal and annual values of temperature, rainfall, runoff and discharge in both Wundanyi and Voi weather stations. Increasing mean temperatures and rainfall were observed during the long dry season (JJAS), while decreasing seasonal discharges were observed during both the JJAS dry season and the OND short rainy season. These anomalies were pronounced in 1980–1981, 1986–1987 and 1992–1993, probably due to both global and local environmental changes affecting Taita Hills in general and Wundanyi sub-catchment in particular. The predicted effects of rainfall fluctuation were supported by declining surface runoff of 1.3% during JJAS, and an increase of 0.8% during the OND, with similar effects on river discharges. The combined effects of climate variability and Land use and cover changes (LUCC) on surface runoff were estimated to an increase of 200 mm during JJAS and 370 mm during OND, and while river discharges increased by 2.37 m3/s and 1.93 m3/s during JJAS and OND, respectively. Consequently, natural forest covers have significant control effects on surface runoff and can boost river discharges amid diverse agricultural cropping practices. Hence, crop diversification, agroforestry, and soil and water conservation structures are recommended to maintain effective control of LUCC on hydrological processes going on in Wundanyi sub-catchment
Chlorogenic Acid as a Promising Therapeutic for Multiple Sclerosis: Evidence from an Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis Model
No full textBackground: Chlorogenic acid (CGA), a phenolic compound, is renowned for its capacity as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory agent, and scavenger of free radicals. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune condition impacting the central nervous system, characterized by demyelination and neuroinflammation. This research delved into the potential therapeutic effects of CGA in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an established animal model mirroring MS pathology. Methods: We induced EAE in C57BL/6 mice via immunization with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein 35–55 peptide and conducted daily monitoring to record clinical signs, including paraparesis and body weight changes. We performed histological and molecular analyses on spinal cord tissues to evaluate neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation. Results: Intraperitoneal CGA administration significantly reduced the incidence and severity of EAE paraparesis. Histological analysis showed a significant reduction in inflammatory cell infiltration within the spinal cord parenchyma following EAE induction. CGA treatment substantially downregulated mRNA levels of interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interferon-gamma in the spinal cord tissues. Additionally, CGA treatment resulted in a significant decrease in astrogliosis and microglial/macrophage activation in the spinal cords of EAE mice. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that CGA has a therapeutic effect on EAE by modulating pro-inflammatory cytokines. These results position CGA as a promising pharmacotherapeutic candidate for MS treatment