This study aims to develop a scale to evaluate depressive states among elderly patients in general wards, and verify the reliability and validity of the scale. Based on the results of interviews with nurses, we develo...This study aims to develop a scale to evaluate depressive states among elderly patients in general wards, and verify the reliability and validity of the scale. Based on the results of interviews with nurses, we developed a draft of a scale comprised of 48 questions (NDE48). The Geriatric Depression Scale short version (GDS15), and the Zung Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) were administered to 54 elderly patients. Two groups of nurses completed the NDE48 on different days. After performing an explanatory factor analysis, the NDE48 was simplified to a 16 question item scale (NDE16), comprising three factors. The correlation coefficient between GDS15 and NDE16 was 0.41 (p = 0.00191), and between SDS and NDE16 was 0.30 (p = 0.02633). Alpha coefficient of the total score of NDE16 was 0.88. For inter-rater reliability, the correlation coefficient was 0.57 (p = 0.00005). The findings suggest that the NDE16 will be highly useful when nurses evaluate depressive states among elderly inpatients.展开更多
This study aims to analyze how park households perceive the economic,sociocultural,and environmental impacts of ecotourism in Simien Mountain National Park(SMNP),Ethiopia.We combined qualitative and quantitative techn...This study aims to analyze how park households perceive the economic,sociocultural,and environmental impacts of ecotourism in Simien Mountain National Park(SMNP),Ethiopia.We combined qualitative and quantitative techniques for data collection.A sequentially embedded mixed design that gives priority to quantitative data was used.We also employed a multistage sampling technique to select respondents from three districts or woredas,namely Debark,Janamora,and Beyeda woredas.Finally,397 participants were involved in the study from a random selection of three villages from each district or woreda.Data were gathered using a survey questionnaire,interviews,and focus group discussions.Data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistical methods,including means,standard deviations,analysis of variance(ANOVA),and logistic regression models.The findings from a logistic regression analysis revealed that ecotourism participation had a significant relationship with gender(B=1.850,P=0.023),level of education(B=0.238,P=0.032),geographical location(B=0.420,P=0.041),and occupation(B=0.920,P=0.019).This investigation suggested that males and individuals with a higher educational background are more likely to possess optimistic perspectives concerning the impacts of ecotourism.Furthermore,individuals residing in districts relatively near ecotourism destinations,those engaged in tourism-related work,and younger participants were recognized as having optimistic viewpoints regarding the impacts of ecotourism.In conclusion,the study highlighted the need for collaborative efforts among stakeholders to maximize ecotourism’s benefits and minimize negative effects in SMNP.To achieve this,it is recommended that the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Agency,the Ministry of Tourism,and local government should work together to develop sustainable tourism plans that enhance local livelihoods and park conditions.Efforts should focus on increasing the participation of females and individuals with lower education levels through training and resource provision.展开更多
Forests are biodiversity hotspots which provide livelihood and act as safety nets for adjacent communities. Increasing dependence on forest is threatening this biodiversity. Ecotourism, a biodiversity conservation str...Forests are biodiversity hotspots which provide livelihood and act as safety nets for adjacent communities. Increasing dependence on forest is threatening this biodiversity. Ecotourism, a biodiversity conservation strategy has the potential to restore degraded habitat, and create socio-cultural and economic benefits that improve communities’ livelihoods. This study focused on the role of community-based ecotourism in biodiversity conservation in the Mount Oku forest, of the North West region of Cameroon. The study identified and ranked livelihood activities that led to biodiversity destruction, assessed ecotourism potentials and conservation practices, identified ecotourism benefits and assessed household income levels before and after the institution of ecotourism. We randomly selected three communities from the study area. The study was guided by the Forest Management Plan, the Simple Management Plan of the Kilum/Ijim forest project and the concept of Biosphere Reservation. Descriptive statistics were simple percentages presented on tables, while the inferential statistics of Wilcoxon rank test was used to analyze the data collected for the study. Our findings reveal that, the livelihood activities that led to biodiversity destruction include agriculture, logging, fuelwood collection and grazing. Ecotourism potentials/conservation strategies were nature-based, education-based, culture-based, and agriculture-based;value chain was integrated in all these aspects which enhanced livelihood diversification. The benefits include business opportunities, infrastructure development, and forest regeneration. Income level generated after the institution of ecotourism was higher than the level of income before (Z = -1442, p = 0.001). Clear indicators need to be established to measure long-term project effectiveness in biodiversity conservation and livelihood sustainability.展开更多
Coastal areas in the eastern sub-region of Thailand,a popular destination in Southeast Asia,are facing rapid tourism-related urbanization and associated consequences of environment and climate change(CC).Thus,this stu...Coastal areas in the eastern sub-region of Thailand,a popular destination in Southeast Asia,are facing rapid tourism-related urbanization and associated consequences of environment and climate change(CC).Thus,this study aims to analyze the relationships between tourism,coastal areas,the environment,and CC in the context of tourism urbanization;and recommend strategies for enhancing the governance of coastal areas.Three popular destinations were selected as study areas,Koh Chang,Koh Mak,and Pattaya.Group discussions,questionnaire surveys,in-terviews,and observation were used for primary data collection together with secondary data.The results show that the development of these destinations has been incompatible with the coastal environment and CC patterns.Rapid urbanization from tourism development is the main driver of environmental changes and makes the areas vulnerable to CC-related risks.While water scarcity and pollution are found the most critical environmental issues of the destinations,coastal areas are negatively affected in terms of increased air and water pollution and resource degradation.They have also been exposed to different CC-related problems while the risks of accumulative impacts of both environment and CC have not been adequately recognized or addressed.Although some measures have provided synergies of improved environment and increased climate resilience,possible conflicts and gaps were also found.Public infrastructure integration and optimization to enhance coastal areas'environment and climate resilience are suggested.展开更多
Establishment of Protected Areas (PAs), in the face of rapid deforestation, forest degradation and climate change has been one of the key efforts in conservation of biodiversity worldwide in recent times. While Bangla...Establishment of Protected Areas (PAs), in the face of rapid deforestation, forest degradation and climate change has been one of the key efforts in conservation of biodiversity worldwide in recent times. While Bangladesh has gained a degree of prominence in the world for its successful social forestry programs, the concept of collaborative protected area management is rather new in the country, initiated in 2004 by the Bangladesh Forest Department in five PAs with financial assistance from USAID. Based on empirical evidence from three of the pilot PAs, we examined the achievements and associated challenges and prospects for co-management. Our fieldwork revealed a number of challenges faced by co-management institutions: (1) institutions were dominated by the elite group, overshadowing the voice of the community people; (2) mutual trust and collective performance are key to good governance but had not taken root in the PAs; (3) encroachment onto forest land and subsequent conversion to agriculture remained a serious problem that discouraged forest-dependent people from participating actively in co-management initiatives; (4) legal provisions (including acts, rules and policies) were not clearly and adequately disseminated and understood at the community level; (5) there remained a degree of ambiguity regarding the roles and responsibilities of forest department (FD) and co-management committees (CMC) in field operations, and this was not enhancing transparency and accountability of the overall initiative; (6) the long-term sustainability of co-management institutions was another major concern, as the local intuitional structure was still in a nascent stage, and provisioning of resources (either internally or externally) remained somewhat uncertain. We offer recommendations for improvement.展开更多
This study aimed to evaluate the satisfaction of village doctors to essential medicines list (EML) and accessibility of essential medicines (EMs) distribution to improve the implementation of EML in village clinics.A ...This study aimed to evaluate the satisfaction of village doctors to essential medicines list (EML) and accessibility of essential medicines (EMs) distribution to improve the implementation of EML in village clinics.A total of 422 village doctors from five counties in three provinces of China were surveyed by questionnaires.Logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify the main factors associated with village doctors' evaluation of EML.The results showed that village doctors had a negative evaluation in satisfaction level of EML to village-based care and accessibility of EM distribution.The government should adjust EML regularly based on the actual health status of local villagers in China and focus on adding appropriate drugs that meet the needs of villagers with chronic disease.The local government should also attach importance to the distribution of EMs and maintain their supply in village clinics.展开更多
Inflammation plays an essential role in the development of atherosclerosis. The initiation and growth of atherosclerotic plaques is accompanied by recruitment of inflammatory and precursor cells from the bloodstream a...Inflammation plays an essential role in the development of atherosclerosis. The initiation and growth of atherosclerotic plaques is accompanied by recruitment of inflammatory and precursor cells from the bloodstream and their differentiation towards pro-inflammatory phenotypes. This process is orchestrated by the production of a number of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Human arterial intima consists of structurally distinct leaflets, with a proteoglycan-rich layer lying immediately below the endothelial lining. Recent studies reveal the important role of stellate pericyte-like cells(intimal pericytes) populating the proteoglycan-rich layer in the development of atherosclerosis. During the pathologic process, intimal pericytes may participate in the recruitment of inflammatory cells by producing signalling molecules and play a role in the antigen presentation. Intimal pericytes are also involved in lipid accumulation and the formation of foam cells. This review focuses on the role of pericytelike cells in the development of atherosclerotic lesions.展开更多
Hazardous chemicals used in electronic and electrical consumer products can re-enter commerce when these products are recycled. The objectives of this study were to 1) identify the possible sources of unexpected chemi...Hazardous chemicals used in electronic and electrical consumer products can re-enter commerce when these products are recycled. The objectives of this study were to 1) identify the possible sources of unexpected chemicals and elements in consumer products, including the use of recycled E-waste plastics and 2) demonstrate bromine detection with nondestructive spectroscopy as an indicator of brominated flame retardants contaminating new products via recycled waste streams. More than 1500 consumer products of diverse types purchased in 2012-2014 were examined using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy for correlations between bromine and other elements. New electronic products were much more likely than new non-electronics to contain greater than 1000 ppm bromine, consistent with intentionally added flame retardants, while non- electronic products were more likely to contain between 5 and 100 ppm bromine, suggesting unintentional contamination. A typical suite of elements present in E-waste was found in a majority of plastic products. Two product categories, vinyl floor tiles and beaded necklaces/garlands, were explored in more detail. Specific flame retardant chemicals in bead samples were identified by mass spectrometry and their distribution in beads was studied using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. Five brominated chemicals typically used as flame retardants, including BDE-209, were identified in 50 of 50 Mardi Gras beads analyzed.展开更多
The high mountains of northern Pakistan comprise the western section of the Hindu KushKarakoram-Himalayas(HKH)region of South and Central Asia.They are home to some rare and endangered species of fauna and flora which...The high mountains of northern Pakistan comprise the western section of the Hindu KushKarakoram-Himalayas(HKH)region of South and Central Asia.They are home to some rare and endangered species of fauna and flora which form an important link in the biodiversity of the region as a whole.Increasing population and changing life styles in recent decades have brought unprecedented pressures on the biodiversity of this region.Along with the government,the non-governmental organizations(NGOs)and communities have a crucial role to play in conserving biodiversity.In this regard,a number of undertakings to protect depleting species have been initiated by governmental and nongovernmental entities.These efforts are commendable and some have produced positive results,but many exist on a small scale and,with a few exceptions,are not self-sustaining.This paper reports on some of these initiatives of conserving big mammal species like the Astor markhor,Blue sheep,Himalayan brown bear,Himalayan ibex and Snow leopard,with the aim of collating and highlighting them,identifying gaps in conservation and suggesting a way forward so as to promote conservation projects on a larger and more sustainable basis.展开更多
Objective: To investigate the post-transcriptional regulation of p21WAF1/CIP1 by p53. Methods: The MDA-MB-468 cells have endogenous mutant p53 and the MCF7 cells lines have wtp53. Recombinant p53 expression and p21WAF...Objective: To investigate the post-transcriptional regulation of p21WAF1/CIP1 by p53. Methods: The MDA-MB-468 cells have endogenous mutant p53 and the MCF7 cells lines have wtp53. Recombinant p53 expression and p21WAF1/CIP1 induction were detected by Western blot analysis. Northern blot analysis was carried out to examine whether changes in p21WAF1/CIP1 protein levels in MCF7 cells treated with AdCMVp53 are reflected at the mRNA level. Flow cytometric analysis of MCF7 cells following overexpression of recombination. Results: The ratio of p53: p21WAF1/CIP1 was below 1 at the early stages of AdCMVp53 infection, but increased to 1.6 by day 3 and to 9.7 by day 5 post-infection. As expected, p21WAF1/CIP1 expression was not detectable in MDA-MB-468 cells despite the presence of high levels of mutant p53 protein. The G1/S ratios in untreated controls and AdCMVβgal infected MCF7 cells were 1.10 and 1.35, respectively. By Northern blot analyzing the p21WAF1/CIP1: GAPDH ratios at different time points against the ratio at time point 0, a maximum 3-fold induction of p21WAF1/CIP1 mRNA expression relative to untreated control was observed on day 1 post-infection. The flow cytometric analysis indicated that MCF7 cells infected with AdCMVp53 undergo G1 arrest at both time points studied, with G1/S ratios ranging from 5.54 at day 1 to 5.65 at day 7. The G1/S ratios in untreated controls and AdCMVβgal infected MCF7 cells were 1.10 and 1.35, respectively. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that p53 could regulate p21WAF1/CIP1 gene expression at both the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels in MCF7 cells. The latter mechanism may be involved in or be responsible for, the induction of cell cycle arrest by transcription-defective mutants of p53.展开更多
Several studies have been conducted in the past on carbon stock measurements in the tropical forests of Indonesia.This study is the first related research conducted in the New Guinea Island.In a degraded logged-over s...Several studies have been conducted in the past on carbon stock measurements in the tropical forests of Indonesia.This study is the first related research conducted in the New Guinea Island.In a degraded logged-over secondary forest in Manokwari Regency (West Papua,Indonesia),carbon stocks were measured for seven parts,i.e.,above-ground biomass (AGB),below-ground biomass (BGB),under-storey biomass (B u),necromass of dead leaves (N l),necromass of dead trees (N t),litter (L) and soil (S) using appropriate equations and laboratory analysis.Total carbon stocks were measured at 642.8 tC·ha-1 in the low disturbance area,536.9 tC·ha-1 in the moderate disturbance area and 490.4 tC·ha-1 in the high disturbance area.B u,N l and N t were not significant in the carbon stock and were collectively categorized as a total biomass complex.The carbon stock of litter was nearly equal to that of the total biomass complex,while the total carbon stock in the soil was eight times larger than the total biomass complex or the carbon stock of the litter.We confirmed that the average ratio of AGB and BGB to the total biomass (TB) was about 84.7% and 15.3%,respectively.Improvements were made to the equations in the low disturbance logged-over secondary forest area,applying corrections to the amounts of biomass of sample trees,based on representative commercial trees of category one.TB stocks before and after correction were estimated to be 84.4 and 106.7 tC·ha-1,indicating that these corrections added significant amounts of tree biomass (26.4%) during the sampling procedure.In conclusion,the equations for tree biomass developed in this study,will be useful for evaluating total carbon stocks,especially TB stocks in logged-over secondary forests throughout the Papua region.展开更多
Sustainable agriculture plays an important role in achieving sustainable development goals with regard to food security and environmental conservation.Sustainable agriculture relies on sustainable farming practices th...Sustainable agriculture plays an important role in achieving sustainable development goals with regard to food security and environmental conservation.Sustainable agriculture relies on sustainable farming practices that reduce greenhouse gas production,the wise use of local natural resources,and reductions in negative impacts on the environment and human health.Sustainable farming practices can be driven by various factors,such as the socio-environmental setting,socio-cognitive factors,agricultural institutions,and policy.This study used the knowledge,attitude,and practice(KAP)model to examine farmers’knowledge,attitudes,and practices in the area of sustainable agriculture.It also considered the factors affecting farmers’knowledge,attitudes,and practices.Two different socio-environmental contextual settings in Surin Province(a Thai-Cambodian border province)of Thailand are considered.The results show that there are differences between the two different socio-environmental contextual settings with regard to farmers’sustainable agricultural practice perceptions,knowledge,and attitudes.Farmers’perceptions of environmental degradation,the number of years of agricultural experience,and agricultural policy drive farmers’attitudes and individual sustainable practices.Another major result of the study is that individual farmers’attitudes and practices promote collective sustainable agricultural behaviors.The implication of these findings is that it is necessary to improve the learning ability of individual farmers on the environment and sustainable agricultural practices through social learning and scientific knowledge dissemination,so as to produce sustainable collective development behaviors.展开更多
This study is conducted mainly to analyse the effect of water and sanitation on childhood mortality in sub-Saharan Africa region. The empirical approach uses longitudinal data sourced from the World Development Indica...This study is conducted mainly to analyse the effect of water and sanitation on childhood mortality in sub-Saharan Africa region. The empirical approach uses longitudinal data sourced from the World Development Indicators (World Bank) for the period 2000-2015. Infant and under-five mortality rates were used as indicators for childhood mortality. To diminish the possible confounding influence of water and sanitation in the child mortality regressions, we use an instrumental variable approach based on dynamic panel estimators or the general method of moment (GMM). The study finds that in sub-Saharan Africa region, water and sanitation has a strong impact on reducing both infant and under-five mortality rates. Furthermore, the study finds public health expenditure and aids all work together to reduce the possibility of infant and under-five deaths in sub-Saharan Africa countries. These findings call for policymakers to pay a great deal of attention to increasing investment in water and sanitation, improving official development assistance (ODA) along with increased public spending on health as these are all important factors that can help to decrease infant and under-five deaths in sub-Saharan Africa.展开更多
Well-managed forests are major sources of livelihoods for the fringed communities. However, the remoteness, inaccessibility of most forested areas coupled with conflicts from adjacent forest communities, who often dep...Well-managed forests are major sources of livelihoods for the fringed communities. However, the remoteness, inaccessibility of most forested areas coupled with conflicts from adjacent forest communities, who often depend on it for livelihood is a daunting task in implementing conservation, viz-a-viz the Sustainable Development Goals. The Mt Oku forest is a unique, remote but represents novelty in forest management in remote areas in Cameroon, with devolution of management rights. The forest is well noted for its high level of endemism. This study is focused on the legal, institutional, socio-economic and regulatory framework put in place, for appropriate conservation and livelihood sustenance as forest management rights were devolved to the local community. A multidimensional framework guiding the development of testable hypothesis that assesses the relationship between the forest users’ activities and forest degradation, which have a multiplier effect on the SDGs, was used. The alternate livelihood options/strategies and benefits after the institution of the Forest Management Project (FMP) was examined in randomly selected frontline and secondary villages. Selected Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) tools and registers from FMIs aided relevant data collection. The results indicated a significant relationship (χ2 = 0.65.4, p = 0.00) between the activities of forest users and forest degradation. Adopted alternate livelihood strategies/options include, direct employment, tourist guides, bee farming, agricultural intensification, agroforestry, capacity building for skill acquisition, selective exploitation and sales of Prunus spp. Forest regeneration strategies ranged from, forest guards, removal of exotic species, forest enrichment, raising nurseries, fire tracing, etc. It is concluded that giving greater access and ownership of forest to the local community in the Mount Oku Region, led to transparency, accountability and social stability, which contributed tremendously both to the recovery and conservation of forest for improved livelihoods. However there is a dire need for the reinforcement of mechanisms for capacity building to improved livelihoods and conservation and the implementation of a system where stakeholders enjoy favorable conditions for information exchange and learning.展开更多
With today's economic globalization,inter-provincial trade plays an important role in a country's economy.This paper is the first to adopt the input-output tables of 30 Chinese provinces and to summarize the e...With today's economic globalization,inter-provincial trade plays an important role in a country's economy.This paper is the first to adopt the input-output tables of 30 Chinese provinces and to summarize the evolution of China's inter-provincial trade from1987 to 2007.This paper reaches the following conclusions.First,China's inter-provincial trade has sustained a period of rapid growth.In 2007,the total volume of inter-provincial trade was twice the amount of international trade,with the eastern region accounting for the majority of the inter-provincial trade volume.GDP may have a greater effect on interprovincial trade than geographic distance does.Second,inter-provincial trade maintains a high level of concentration and overlaps with the high concentration of GDP.Third,the inter-provincial trade dependence of Chinese provinces tends to increase,an indication of the growing domestic market integration.Moreover,the eastern region's dependence on inter-provincial trade is higher than the central and western regions'.Fourth,the share of inter-provincial trade in the overall external trade of Chinese provinces has a declining tendency,which indicates a slower process of China's domestic market integration compared with international market integration.However,in terms of proportion,the external trade of most Chinese provinces is still dominated by inter-provincial trade.Fifth,most provinces with longstanding inter-provincial trade deficits are in the central and western regions.展开更多
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7 emphasizes the need for economies around the world to double their efforts in energy efficiency improvements.This is because improvements in energy efficiency can trig...The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7 emphasizes the need for economies around the world to double their efforts in energy efficiency improvements.This is because improvements in energy efficiency can trigger economic growth and considered as one of the‘green’growth strategies due to its carbon free content.To this end,some empirical studies have investigated the nexus between economic growth and energy efficiency,but the effects of the latter on financial indicators have not been sufficiently studied in the literature,at least in developing economies like Africa.This study examines the effect of energy efficiency improvements on commercial bank profitability under different political regimes(i.e.,autocratic and democratic political regimes);something previous literature had neglected.The study uses panel data,consisting of 43 African countries and the simultaneous System Generalized Method of Moments.We found that energy efficiency improvement is more likely to induce higher bank profitability in political institutions with the characteristics of centralization of power compared with those with decentralization of power.Furthermore,for the banking sector,the findings suggest that energy utilization behavior of clients should be included in the loan or credit valuation process.For the government,the agenda of energy efficiency should be aggressively pursued while taking cognizance of creating a political environment that weans itself from a‘grandfathering’behavior.展开更多
Erosion is one of serious oral health problems among Japanese children. Some dentists argue that brushing just after food/drink intake induces enamel abrasion. Objectives of this study were to evaluate amount of calci...Erosion is one of serious oral health problems among Japanese children. Some dentists argue that brushing just after food/drink intake induces enamel abrasion. Objectives of this study were to evaluate amount of calcium elution from bovine enamel due to single and short immersion into carbonated soft drink, to calculate depth of the eroded lesion, and to determine when to brush teeth after carbonated soft drink intake from the view point of preventing enamel abrasion. Four enamel specimens were made from each of eight bovine teeth. The specimens were covered by quick-cure resin except for enamel surfaces. The four specimens from each bovine tooth were classified into three, six, nine, and 12 minutes immersion (IM3, IM6, IM9, and IM12) groups and immersed separately in five mL of carbonated soft drink. After the immersion, the calcium concentration of the original drink and the drink samples were evaluated using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The dimension of each enamel specimen was calculated using a planimeter. The amount of eluted calcium per unit area of the enamel specimen into each drink sample was obtained. The depth of the demineralized lesion was obtained by dividing the amount of calcium elution per unit area by the concentration of calcium in enamel and the specific gravity of enamel. The lesion depth of the IM3 group was significantly lower than those in the IM6, IM9, and IM12 groups. The mean lesion depth in the IM12 group which showed the deepest lesion depth was 0.21 μm. As conclusions, the erosive lesion depth due to intake of carbonated soft drink was much shallower than remineralized enamel surface of a white spot lesion which can be repaired in plaque fluid in a short time, suggesting such erosion hardly causes tooth wear, hence it was suggested that brushing teeth just after the intake was recommended.展开更多
文摘This study aims to develop a scale to evaluate depressive states among elderly patients in general wards, and verify the reliability and validity of the scale. Based on the results of interviews with nurses, we developed a draft of a scale comprised of 48 questions (NDE48). The Geriatric Depression Scale short version (GDS15), and the Zung Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) were administered to 54 elderly patients. Two groups of nurses completed the NDE48 on different days. After performing an explanatory factor analysis, the NDE48 was simplified to a 16 question item scale (NDE16), comprising three factors. The correlation coefficient between GDS15 and NDE16 was 0.41 (p = 0.00191), and between SDS and NDE16 was 0.30 (p = 0.02633). Alpha coefficient of the total score of NDE16 was 0.88. For inter-rater reliability, the correlation coefficient was 0.57 (p = 0.00005). The findings suggest that the NDE16 will be highly useful when nurses evaluate depressive states among elderly inpatients.
文摘This study aims to analyze how park households perceive the economic,sociocultural,and environmental impacts of ecotourism in Simien Mountain National Park(SMNP),Ethiopia.We combined qualitative and quantitative techniques for data collection.A sequentially embedded mixed design that gives priority to quantitative data was used.We also employed a multistage sampling technique to select respondents from three districts or woredas,namely Debark,Janamora,and Beyeda woredas.Finally,397 participants were involved in the study from a random selection of three villages from each district or woreda.Data were gathered using a survey questionnaire,interviews,and focus group discussions.Data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistical methods,including means,standard deviations,analysis of variance(ANOVA),and logistic regression models.The findings from a logistic regression analysis revealed that ecotourism participation had a significant relationship with gender(B=1.850,P=0.023),level of education(B=0.238,P=0.032),geographical location(B=0.420,P=0.041),and occupation(B=0.920,P=0.019).This investigation suggested that males and individuals with a higher educational background are more likely to possess optimistic perspectives concerning the impacts of ecotourism.Furthermore,individuals residing in districts relatively near ecotourism destinations,those engaged in tourism-related work,and younger participants were recognized as having optimistic viewpoints regarding the impacts of ecotourism.In conclusion,the study highlighted the need for collaborative efforts among stakeholders to maximize ecotourism’s benefits and minimize negative effects in SMNP.To achieve this,it is recommended that the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Agency,the Ministry of Tourism,and local government should work together to develop sustainable tourism plans that enhance local livelihoods and park conditions.Efforts should focus on increasing the participation of females and individuals with lower education levels through training and resource provision.
文摘Forests are biodiversity hotspots which provide livelihood and act as safety nets for adjacent communities. Increasing dependence on forest is threatening this biodiversity. Ecotourism, a biodiversity conservation strategy has the potential to restore degraded habitat, and create socio-cultural and economic benefits that improve communities’ livelihoods. This study focused on the role of community-based ecotourism in biodiversity conservation in the Mount Oku forest, of the North West region of Cameroon. The study identified and ranked livelihood activities that led to biodiversity destruction, assessed ecotourism potentials and conservation practices, identified ecotourism benefits and assessed household income levels before and after the institution of ecotourism. We randomly selected three communities from the study area. The study was guided by the Forest Management Plan, the Simple Management Plan of the Kilum/Ijim forest project and the concept of Biosphere Reservation. Descriptive statistics were simple percentages presented on tables, while the inferential statistics of Wilcoxon rank test was used to analyze the data collected for the study. Our findings reveal that, the livelihood activities that led to biodiversity destruction include agriculture, logging, fuelwood collection and grazing. Ecotourism potentials/conservation strategies were nature-based, education-based, culture-based, and agriculture-based;value chain was integrated in all these aspects which enhanced livelihood diversification. The benefits include business opportunities, infrastructure development, and forest regeneration. Income level generated after the institution of ecotourism was higher than the level of income before (Z = -1442, p = 0.001). Clear indicators need to be established to measure long-term project effectiveness in biodiversity conservation and livelihood sustainability.
文摘Coastal areas in the eastern sub-region of Thailand,a popular destination in Southeast Asia,are facing rapid tourism-related urbanization and associated consequences of environment and climate change(CC).Thus,this study aims to analyze the relationships between tourism,coastal areas,the environment,and CC in the context of tourism urbanization;and recommend strategies for enhancing the governance of coastal areas.Three popular destinations were selected as study areas,Koh Chang,Koh Mak,and Pattaya.Group discussions,questionnaire surveys,in-terviews,and observation were used for primary data collection together with secondary data.The results show that the development of these destinations has been incompatible with the coastal environment and CC patterns.Rapid urbanization from tourism development is the main driver of environmental changes and makes the areas vulnerable to CC-related risks.While water scarcity and pollution are found the most critical environmental issues of the destinations,coastal areas are negatively affected in terms of increased air and water pollution and resource degradation.They have also been exposed to different CC-related problems while the risks of accumulative impacts of both environment and CC have not been adequately recognized or addressed.Although some measures have provided synergies of improved environment and increased climate resilience,possible conflicts and gaps were also found.Public infrastructure integration and optimization to enhance coastal areas'environment and climate resilience are suggested.
文摘Establishment of Protected Areas (PAs), in the face of rapid deforestation, forest degradation and climate change has been one of the key efforts in conservation of biodiversity worldwide in recent times. While Bangladesh has gained a degree of prominence in the world for its successful social forestry programs, the concept of collaborative protected area management is rather new in the country, initiated in 2004 by the Bangladesh Forest Department in five PAs with financial assistance from USAID. Based on empirical evidence from three of the pilot PAs, we examined the achievements and associated challenges and prospects for co-management. Our fieldwork revealed a number of challenges faced by co-management institutions: (1) institutions were dominated by the elite group, overshadowing the voice of the community people; (2) mutual trust and collective performance are key to good governance but had not taken root in the PAs; (3) encroachment onto forest land and subsequent conversion to agriculture remained a serious problem that discouraged forest-dependent people from participating actively in co-management initiatives; (4) legal provisions (including acts, rules and policies) were not clearly and adequately disseminated and understood at the community level; (5) there remained a degree of ambiguity regarding the roles and responsibilities of forest department (FD) and co-management committees (CMC) in field operations, and this was not enhancing transparency and accountability of the overall initiative; (6) the long-term sustainability of co-management institutions was another major concern, as the local intuitional structure was still in a nascent stage, and provisioning of resources (either internally or externally) remained somewhat uncertain. We offer recommendations for improvement.
文摘This study aimed to evaluate the satisfaction of village doctors to essential medicines list (EML) and accessibility of essential medicines (EMs) distribution to improve the implementation of EML in village clinics.A total of 422 village doctors from five counties in three provinces of China were surveyed by questionnaires.Logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify the main factors associated with village doctors' evaluation of EML.The results showed that village doctors had a negative evaluation in satisfaction level of EML to village-based care and accessibility of EM distribution.The government should adjust EML regularly based on the actual health status of local villagers in China and focus on adding appropriate drugs that meet the needs of villagers with chronic disease.The local government should also attach importance to the distribution of EMs and maintain their supply in village clinics.
基金Supported by The Russian Scientific Foundation,Moscow,Russian Federation,No.14-15-00112
文摘Inflammation plays an essential role in the development of atherosclerosis. The initiation and growth of atherosclerotic plaques is accompanied by recruitment of inflammatory and precursor cells from the bloodstream and their differentiation towards pro-inflammatory phenotypes. This process is orchestrated by the production of a number of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Human arterial intima consists of structurally distinct leaflets, with a proteoglycan-rich layer lying immediately below the endothelial lining. Recent studies reveal the important role of stellate pericyte-like cells(intimal pericytes) populating the proteoglycan-rich layer in the development of atherosclerosis. During the pathologic process, intimal pericytes may participate in the recruitment of inflammatory cells by producing signalling molecules and play a role in the antigen presentation. Intimal pericytes are also involved in lipid accumulation and the formation of foam cells. This review focuses on the role of pericytelike cells in the development of atherosclerotic lesions.
文摘Hazardous chemicals used in electronic and electrical consumer products can re-enter commerce when these products are recycled. The objectives of this study were to 1) identify the possible sources of unexpected chemicals and elements in consumer products, including the use of recycled E-waste plastics and 2) demonstrate bromine detection with nondestructive spectroscopy as an indicator of brominated flame retardants contaminating new products via recycled waste streams. More than 1500 consumer products of diverse types purchased in 2012-2014 were examined using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy for correlations between bromine and other elements. New electronic products were much more likely than new non-electronics to contain greater than 1000 ppm bromine, consistent with intentionally added flame retardants, while non- electronic products were more likely to contain between 5 and 100 ppm bromine, suggesting unintentional contamination. A typical suite of elements present in E-waste was found in a majority of plastic products. Two product categories, vinyl floor tiles and beaded necklaces/garlands, were explored in more detail. Specific flame retardant chemicals in bead samples were identified by mass spectrometry and their distribution in beads was studied using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. Five brominated chemicals typically used as flame retardants, including BDE-209, were identified in 50 of 50 Mardi Gras beads analyzed.
文摘The high mountains of northern Pakistan comprise the western section of the Hindu KushKarakoram-Himalayas(HKH)region of South and Central Asia.They are home to some rare and endangered species of fauna and flora which form an important link in the biodiversity of the region as a whole.Increasing population and changing life styles in recent decades have brought unprecedented pressures on the biodiversity of this region.Along with the government,the non-governmental organizations(NGOs)and communities have a crucial role to play in conserving biodiversity.In this regard,a number of undertakings to protect depleting species have been initiated by governmental and nongovernmental entities.These efforts are commendable and some have produced positive results,but many exist on a small scale and,with a few exceptions,are not self-sustaining.This paper reports on some of these initiatives of conserving big mammal species like the Astor markhor,Blue sheep,Himalayan brown bear,Himalayan ibex and Snow leopard,with the aim of collating and highlighting them,identifying gaps in conservation and suggesting a way forward so as to promote conservation projects on a larger and more sustainable basis.
文摘Objective: To investigate the post-transcriptional regulation of p21WAF1/CIP1 by p53. Methods: The MDA-MB-468 cells have endogenous mutant p53 and the MCF7 cells lines have wtp53. Recombinant p53 expression and p21WAF1/CIP1 induction were detected by Western blot analysis. Northern blot analysis was carried out to examine whether changes in p21WAF1/CIP1 protein levels in MCF7 cells treated with AdCMVp53 are reflected at the mRNA level. Flow cytometric analysis of MCF7 cells following overexpression of recombination. Results: The ratio of p53: p21WAF1/CIP1 was below 1 at the early stages of AdCMVp53 infection, but increased to 1.6 by day 3 and to 9.7 by day 5 post-infection. As expected, p21WAF1/CIP1 expression was not detectable in MDA-MB-468 cells despite the presence of high levels of mutant p53 protein. The G1/S ratios in untreated controls and AdCMVβgal infected MCF7 cells were 1.10 and 1.35, respectively. By Northern blot analyzing the p21WAF1/CIP1: GAPDH ratios at different time points against the ratio at time point 0, a maximum 3-fold induction of p21WAF1/CIP1 mRNA expression relative to untreated control was observed on day 1 post-infection. The flow cytometric analysis indicated that MCF7 cells infected with AdCMVp53 undergo G1 arrest at both time points studied, with G1/S ratios ranging from 5.54 at day 1 to 5.65 at day 7. The G1/S ratios in untreated controls and AdCMVβgal infected MCF7 cells were 1.10 and 1.35, respectively. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that p53 could regulate p21WAF1/CIP1 gene expression at both the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels in MCF7 cells. The latter mechanism may be involved in or be responsible for, the induction of cell cycle arrest by transcription-defective mutants of p53.
文摘Several studies have been conducted in the past on carbon stock measurements in the tropical forests of Indonesia.This study is the first related research conducted in the New Guinea Island.In a degraded logged-over secondary forest in Manokwari Regency (West Papua,Indonesia),carbon stocks were measured for seven parts,i.e.,above-ground biomass (AGB),below-ground biomass (BGB),under-storey biomass (B u),necromass of dead leaves (N l),necromass of dead trees (N t),litter (L) and soil (S) using appropriate equations and laboratory analysis.Total carbon stocks were measured at 642.8 tC·ha-1 in the low disturbance area,536.9 tC·ha-1 in the moderate disturbance area and 490.4 tC·ha-1 in the high disturbance area.B u,N l and N t were not significant in the carbon stock and were collectively categorized as a total biomass complex.The carbon stock of litter was nearly equal to that of the total biomass complex,while the total carbon stock in the soil was eight times larger than the total biomass complex or the carbon stock of the litter.We confirmed that the average ratio of AGB and BGB to the total biomass (TB) was about 84.7% and 15.3%,respectively.Improvements were made to the equations in the low disturbance logged-over secondary forest area,applying corrections to the amounts of biomass of sample trees,based on representative commercial trees of category one.TB stocks before and after correction were estimated to be 84.4 and 106.7 tC·ha-1,indicating that these corrections added significant amounts of tree biomass (26.4%) during the sampling procedure.In conclusion,the equations for tree biomass developed in this study,will be useful for evaluating total carbon stocks,especially TB stocks in logged-over secondary forests throughout the Papua region.
基金financially supported by the China Scholarship Council (CSC)
文摘Sustainable agriculture plays an important role in achieving sustainable development goals with regard to food security and environmental conservation.Sustainable agriculture relies on sustainable farming practices that reduce greenhouse gas production,the wise use of local natural resources,and reductions in negative impacts on the environment and human health.Sustainable farming practices can be driven by various factors,such as the socio-environmental setting,socio-cognitive factors,agricultural institutions,and policy.This study used the knowledge,attitude,and practice(KAP)model to examine farmers’knowledge,attitudes,and practices in the area of sustainable agriculture.It also considered the factors affecting farmers’knowledge,attitudes,and practices.Two different socio-environmental contextual settings in Surin Province(a Thai-Cambodian border province)of Thailand are considered.The results show that there are differences between the two different socio-environmental contextual settings with regard to farmers’sustainable agricultural practice perceptions,knowledge,and attitudes.Farmers’perceptions of environmental degradation,the number of years of agricultural experience,and agricultural policy drive farmers’attitudes and individual sustainable practices.Another major result of the study is that individual farmers’attitudes and practices promote collective sustainable agricultural behaviors.The implication of these findings is that it is necessary to improve the learning ability of individual farmers on the environment and sustainable agricultural practices through social learning and scientific knowledge dissemination,so as to produce sustainable collective development behaviors.
文摘This study is conducted mainly to analyse the effect of water and sanitation on childhood mortality in sub-Saharan Africa region. The empirical approach uses longitudinal data sourced from the World Development Indicators (World Bank) for the period 2000-2015. Infant and under-five mortality rates were used as indicators for childhood mortality. To diminish the possible confounding influence of water and sanitation in the child mortality regressions, we use an instrumental variable approach based on dynamic panel estimators or the general method of moment (GMM). The study finds that in sub-Saharan Africa region, water and sanitation has a strong impact on reducing both infant and under-five mortality rates. Furthermore, the study finds public health expenditure and aids all work together to reduce the possibility of infant and under-five deaths in sub-Saharan Africa countries. These findings call for policymakers to pay a great deal of attention to increasing investment in water and sanitation, improving official development assistance (ODA) along with increased public spending on health as these are all important factors that can help to decrease infant and under-five deaths in sub-Saharan Africa.
文摘Well-managed forests are major sources of livelihoods for the fringed communities. However, the remoteness, inaccessibility of most forested areas coupled with conflicts from adjacent forest communities, who often depend on it for livelihood is a daunting task in implementing conservation, viz-a-viz the Sustainable Development Goals. The Mt Oku forest is a unique, remote but represents novelty in forest management in remote areas in Cameroon, with devolution of management rights. The forest is well noted for its high level of endemism. This study is focused on the legal, institutional, socio-economic and regulatory framework put in place, for appropriate conservation and livelihood sustenance as forest management rights were devolved to the local community. A multidimensional framework guiding the development of testable hypothesis that assesses the relationship between the forest users’ activities and forest degradation, which have a multiplier effect on the SDGs, was used. The alternate livelihood options/strategies and benefits after the institution of the Forest Management Project (FMP) was examined in randomly selected frontline and secondary villages. Selected Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) tools and registers from FMIs aided relevant data collection. The results indicated a significant relationship (χ2 = 0.65.4, p = 0.00) between the activities of forest users and forest degradation. Adopted alternate livelihood strategies/options include, direct employment, tourist guides, bee farming, agricultural intensification, agroforestry, capacity building for skill acquisition, selective exploitation and sales of Prunus spp. Forest regeneration strategies ranged from, forest guards, removal of exotic species, forest enrichment, raising nurseries, fire tracing, etc. It is concluded that giving greater access and ownership of forest to the local community in the Mount Oku Region, led to transparency, accountability and social stability, which contributed tremendously both to the recovery and conservation of forest for improved livelihoods. However there is a dire need for the reinforcement of mechanisms for capacity building to improved livelihoods and conservation and the implementation of a system where stakeholders enjoy favorable conditions for information exchange and learning.
基金National Social Science Foundation for the Youth Scholars of China:The Internal Origins of Chinese External Imbalances(Grant No.12 CJL055)Educational Development Foundation of Department of International Economic and Trade,Xiamen University:Research on the Effect of Outsourcing on China's Economy(Grant No.201112111)Humanities and Social Science Project for the Youth Scholars of the Ministry of Education:Research on China's Current Account Adjustment Mode Under the Public Finance(Grant No.11YJC790281)
文摘With today's economic globalization,inter-provincial trade plays an important role in a country's economy.This paper is the first to adopt the input-output tables of 30 Chinese provinces and to summarize the evolution of China's inter-provincial trade from1987 to 2007.This paper reaches the following conclusions.First,China's inter-provincial trade has sustained a period of rapid growth.In 2007,the total volume of inter-provincial trade was twice the amount of international trade,with the eastern region accounting for the majority of the inter-provincial trade volume.GDP may have a greater effect on interprovincial trade than geographic distance does.Second,inter-provincial trade maintains a high level of concentration and overlaps with the high concentration of GDP.Third,the inter-provincial trade dependence of Chinese provinces tends to increase,an indication of the growing domestic market integration.Moreover,the eastern region's dependence on inter-provincial trade is higher than the central and western regions'.Fourth,the share of inter-provincial trade in the overall external trade of Chinese provinces has a declining tendency,which indicates a slower process of China's domestic market integration compared with international market integration.However,in terms of proportion,the external trade of most Chinese provinces is still dominated by inter-provincial trade.Fifth,most provinces with longstanding inter-provincial trade deficits are in the central and western regions.
文摘The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7 emphasizes the need for economies around the world to double their efforts in energy efficiency improvements.This is because improvements in energy efficiency can trigger economic growth and considered as one of the‘green’growth strategies due to its carbon free content.To this end,some empirical studies have investigated the nexus between economic growth and energy efficiency,but the effects of the latter on financial indicators have not been sufficiently studied in the literature,at least in developing economies like Africa.This study examines the effect of energy efficiency improvements on commercial bank profitability under different political regimes(i.e.,autocratic and democratic political regimes);something previous literature had neglected.The study uses panel data,consisting of 43 African countries and the simultaneous System Generalized Method of Moments.We found that energy efficiency improvement is more likely to induce higher bank profitability in political institutions with the characteristics of centralization of power compared with those with decentralization of power.Furthermore,for the banking sector,the findings suggest that energy utilization behavior of clients should be included in the loan or credit valuation process.For the government,the agenda of energy efficiency should be aggressively pursued while taking cognizance of creating a political environment that weans itself from a‘grandfathering’behavior.
文摘Erosion is one of serious oral health problems among Japanese children. Some dentists argue that brushing just after food/drink intake induces enamel abrasion. Objectives of this study were to evaluate amount of calcium elution from bovine enamel due to single and short immersion into carbonated soft drink, to calculate depth of the eroded lesion, and to determine when to brush teeth after carbonated soft drink intake from the view point of preventing enamel abrasion. Four enamel specimens were made from each of eight bovine teeth. The specimens were covered by quick-cure resin except for enamel surfaces. The four specimens from each bovine tooth were classified into three, six, nine, and 12 minutes immersion (IM3, IM6, IM9, and IM12) groups and immersed separately in five mL of carbonated soft drink. After the immersion, the calcium concentration of the original drink and the drink samples were evaluated using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The dimension of each enamel specimen was calculated using a planimeter. The amount of eluted calcium per unit area of the enamel specimen into each drink sample was obtained. The depth of the demineralized lesion was obtained by dividing the amount of calcium elution per unit area by the concentration of calcium in enamel and the specific gravity of enamel. The lesion depth of the IM3 group was significantly lower than those in the IM6, IM9, and IM12 groups. The mean lesion depth in the IM12 group which showed the deepest lesion depth was 0.21 μm. As conclusions, the erosive lesion depth due to intake of carbonated soft drink was much shallower than remineralized enamel surface of a white spot lesion which can be repaired in plaque fluid in a short time, suggesting such erosion hardly causes tooth wear, hence it was suggested that brushing teeth just after the intake was recommended.
