43867 research outputs found
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Influence of personal value orientations on pro-environmental behaviour : a case of green shopping bags
Get PDFAbstract: single-use plastic shopping bags; green shopping bags; green consumeris
Enacting community development principles in women empowerment projects : a case study in Ondo State, Nigeria
Get PDFAbstract: There is increasing global interest in women empowerment and the ways in which rural women are involved and supported in community development. Women empowerment, a vital component of community development, is closely linked to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 5 in the United Nations Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which is geared toward achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls by the year 2030. While there is broad consensus about the importance of women empowerment for economic growth, scant attention is given to how community development principles inform community projects aimed at empowering women. Using a singlecase study research design, the article explores the extent to which principles of community development (such as self-help, self-growth, felt need, citizenship participation, self-reliance and self-direction) are employed by a Nigerian-based nongovernmental women’s organisation in empowering vulnerable and disadvantaged women in the rural context of Ondo State, Nigeria. A systematic document review of the organisation’s published bulletins, journal articles, annual reports and social media posts about its empowerment activities were analysed as part of the study. The case study shows that when women beneficiaries are actively and inextricably involved in the design and implementation of programmes intended to improve their livelihoods, the impact is exponential, and the results are achieved expeditiously. The article argues for community development programme planners and implementers to see women beneficiaries as active contributors and participants to their development instead of conceiving of them as passive recipients, and consumers of palliative interventions
Interactions of multidomain pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic proteins in cancer cell death
Get PDFAbstract: Cancer is a global public health concern that is characterized by the uncontrolled growth of tumor cells. It is regarded as the subsequent cause of death after cardiovascular disease. The most common types of cancer include breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate. The risk factors attributed to the development of common types of cancer are tobacco smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, dietary factors, ultraviolet radiation (UV), and lack of physical activities. Two major cellular apoptotic pathways targeted in cancer therapies are intrinsic and extrinsic. These two pathways are regulated by different types of proteins, the multidomain pro-apoptotic proteins (Bak, Bax, and Bok), BH3-only pro-apoptotic proteins (Bid, Bim, Bad, Noxa, and Puma), and the anti-apoptotic proteins (Mcl-1, Bfl-1, Bcl-XL, Bcl-2, Bcl-w, and Bcl-B). Other significant molecules/factors that are known to execute cellular apoptotic pathways include bioactive compounds, and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Proteolytic caspases are known to play a vital role in the initiation of apoptotic activities in cancerous cells. Based on their functions, they are categorized into initiators and executioners. Nanotechnology has produced novel outcomes in modern medicine. The green synthesis of nanoparticles has demonstrated prospective improvements in cancer therapies in combination with the existing therapies including photodynamic therapy. This review aims at highlighting the association between pro-apoptotic and antiapoptotic proteins, and their significance in cancer therapy
China’s investments in renewable energy in Africa : creating co-benefits or just cashing-in?
Get PDFAbstract: Investments in renewable energy are increasing rapidly in sub-Saharan Africa. The overall purpose of this paper is to explore to what extent and under what conditions these investments are producing economic co-benefits in terms of spillovers and linkage development effects. One peculiarity of Africa’s renewableenergy sector is the rapid increase and likely future growth of Chinese involvement in large-scale renewable-energy infrastructure projects. Insights from other infrastructure, utility and resourceextraction sectors in sub-Saharan Africa suggest that China is pursuing a specific Chinese model of investments characterised by enclave characteristics and including finance, turnkey project development and the importation of labour and equipment from China. Hence our focus in this paper is to determine to what extent economic co-benefits are created when renewable-energy projects are developed by Chinese investors. To do this, we undertake an in-depth analysis of three Chinese renewable-energy investment projects in hydro, wind and solar PV, based on primary data. Overall, we find evidence of ‘bounded benefits’. On the one hand, we can identify some newly created jobs, linkages generated with actors in local systems of production and training activities involving local staff. On the other hand, the extent of these benefits is very limited. Overall, the results suggest that policymakers should be wary of overly optimistic expectations when it comes to assessing the co-benefits of renewable energy projects in the context of scarce pre-existing capabilities. However, the adoption of pro-active strategies and the implementation of carefully designed policies can increase the local economic co-benefits
Global Value Chains, Trade and Technology : evidence from European countries
Get PDFAbstract: The paper investigates the effects of global value chains (GVCs) and technological innovation on exports. The paper builds a new dataset from two database, the EORA and the OECD stan database. Using a pooled OLS and a two-stage quantile regression technique on a sample of 8 OECD countries, the results suggest that the effects of GVCs participation are heterogeneous across countries. We find that at the aggregate level, GVCs and forward participation are negatively associated with exports growth. However, we only find evidence of a positive effect of backward participation on exports in the case of France and Germany. At the disaggregated level, we find that: (a) an increase in GVCs participation in low technology intensive sectors is positively associated with exports’growth; (b) an increase in GVCs participation in high technology intensive sector is negatively correlated with exports’growth. The findings stress the importance of GVCs as a driving channel for subdue economic growth in low technological sectors
Affordability of business intelligence tools suitable for SMEs’ decision-making
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Cascading impacts of climate change and the rights of children in Africa : a reflection on the principle of intergenerational equity
Get PDFAbstract: This article explores the manner in which climate governance at the African regional level protects and promotes children’s rights with considerations being had to the principle of intergenerational equity. It establishes that while the concept of intergenerational equity is entrenched in the international and African regional climate change framework for the protection of children, neither the Convention on the Rights of the Child nor the African Children’s Charter mentions the concept. However, CRC and the African Children’s Charter oblige states to take into consideration the views of children and protect their best interests in climate governance (to ensure intergenerational equity) and in achieving a sustainable future. Using a doctrinal research method, the article examines the regional legal and institutional responses to the cascading impacts of climate change and how they safeguard children’s rights to a sustainable future. It proceeds to critically analyse child rights-responsive provisions in the African Children’s Charter that could potentially enhance the utility of the principle of intergenerational equity in the context of climate governance in Africa. The article argues that the principle of intergenerational equity could, in theory, be used as a useful tool for the protection and promotion of the rights and interests of children from climate change impacts
Decision usefulness of accounting for cryptocurrencies as intangible assets
Get PDFAbstract: The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) has brought about radical changes including the phenomenon of cryptocurrencies. The global cryptocurrency market capitalisation has recently tipped over $1.8 trillion. This growing use of cryptocurrencies has led to entities relying on the accounting for cryptocurrencies to measure and depict performance. However, it is uncertain whether the application of the existing standards encapsulates the unique characteristics of cryptocurrencies. Despite the unique digital nature of cryptocurrencies, the IASB has not issued specific guidance noting that the existing IFRS standards are sufficient to determine the accounting treatment of cryptocurrencies. This has resulted in some entities accounting for cryptocurrencies as intangible assets. This paper assesses whether accounting for cryptocurrencies as intangible assets provide decision-useful information to the users of the financial statements. This paper applies qualitative, doctrinal research as the IFRS standards are analysed to determine whether they provide decision-useful information based on the expectations of users and the nature and characteristics of cryptocurrencies. This paper finds that the measurement and presentation principles of intangible assets do not provide relevant and useful information in the context of cryptocurrencies. This is because users are concerned about the fair value of cryptocurrencies and would want to see both increases and decreases in profit or loss. Furthermore, users would want to understand the nature of the risks relating to cryptocurrencies, such as price risk. A possible solution is for the IASB to consider issuing specific guidance that measures and presents cryptocurrencies in a manner consistent with users’ expectations
Longitudinal flow decorrelations in Xe+Xe collisions at √sNN = 5:44 TeV with the ATLAS detector
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Medium-induced modification of -tagged charged particle yields in Pb+Pb collisions at 5.02 TeV with the ATLAS detector
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