Increase In Population Research Articles

Strength characteristics of lightweight soil with waste modified expanded polystyrene particles

With the increase in population and urbanization around the world, waste materials have a significant negative impact on the environment; therefore, it is essential to reduce the adverse effects of waste materials on nature through innovative and sustainable solutions. This study aims to reveal the threefold benefits of utilizing waste modified expanded polystyrene (WMEPS) as a soil improvement agent, including the reuse of a waste material by recycling it from nature, obtaining lightweight backfill material, and the enhancement of the compressive behavior of the soil. For this purpose, two different sizes of WMEPS were added to the soil to varying proportions by dry weight of the soil (i.e., 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, and 6%) and their unconfined compressive strength (UCS) behavior was experimentally investigated on both 1 and 28 day cured specimens. The results were evaluated in terms of stress-strain behavior, UCS value, UCS increase ratio, normalized energy absorption index, deformability index, and elastic modulus. In addition, the optimum WMEPS participation ratio was determined by linear weighted sum optimization method. As a result, by adding the optimum rate of 5% WMEPS to the soil, the dry density decreased by 15% and UCS increased by 45.22% for the specimen cured for 28 day.

Understanding geomorphodynamics in the Pergamon micro-region from a socio-ecological perspective

A systematic interdisciplinary approach based on the socio-ecological model of the Vienna school has been adopted to achieve a more nuanced and multifaceted understanding of the ancient metropolis of Pergamon (western Anatolia) and its micro-region. The city of Pergamon ranks among the ‘guiding fossils’ of urban culture in antiquity. We describe how the socio-ecological model is subject to adaptation and discussion to fit the needs and circumstances of archaeology. In focussing on geomorphodynamics, we use several approaches to conceptualise and model selected aspects of human-environment interactions, integrating data from physical geography, archaeology, building archaeology (Bauforschung) and ancient history. The model includes several dimensions of the social metabolism of Pergamon, first and foremost the carrying capacity of the environment and demographics, comprising population increase and labour as an active investment in nature. Geomorphodynamics are regarded as major ‘events’ in the model, related to the social metabolism (e.g. increased erosion/deposition in the micro-region in relation to urban sprawl). With the social-ecological model, it is possible – and becomes imperative – to include the perception and representation of human-environment interactions manifested in, for example, administrative patterns and religious practices or architecture and built infrastructure (such as terraces, riverbank stabilisation, substraction terraces and substraction bridges). Geomorphodynamics also involve various aspects of the perception of the environment, though these are not recorded in ancient texts on Pergamon known to date. Concurrently, the importance of the model in organising, structuring, and communicating interdisciplinary collaboration and discourse is highlighted.

Contribution of impaired autophagy, mitochondrial dysfunction and abnormal lipolysis to epididymal aging in mice

With the increase of the aged population in modern society, research on aging and aging-related diseases has attracted increasing attention. Unlike women, men experience changes gradually in the reproductive system during aging. The epididymis is an important organ for sperm maturation and storage, but less study has been conducted to investigate cellular senescence in aging epididymis and the corresponding influences on sperm. This study aims to explore cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying aging changes in epididymal tissues. Cellular senescence in the epididymis of 18-month-old C57BL/6 J mice was evaluated with SA (senescence-associated)-β-galactosidase staining and molecular markers such as P21 and Lamin B, compared to the 2-month-old young group. Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence staining were performed to examine the proteins expressions involved in AMPKα/SIRT1 pathway, autophagy/mitophagy, mitochondrial dynamics and lipolysis. The results showed that in old mice AMPKα/ SIRT1 pathway was downregulated with increased acetylation in the epididymal tissues. Reduced expressions of autophagy related genes and PINK1/PARK2 were detected as well as increased P62 protein level and decreased colocalization of LC3 and LAMP2, which indicated deficient autophagy and mitophagy occurred in aging epididymal tissues. Significant decreased expressions of MFN1, MFN2, p-DRP1(Ser637) and FIS1 showed an imbalance in mitochondrial dynamics in aging epididymal tissues. Additionally, intracellular lipid droplets accumulation occurred in epididymal epithelial cells in old mice, with reduced expressions of the lipolysis enzymes ATGL, HSL and Ascl4. Lipophagy impairment was further detected by minimal colocalization of lipid droplets with either LC3 or LAMP2 in the epididymal ductal epithelial cells of old mice. Our study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms of impaired autophagy, imbalanced mitochondrial dynamics and disrupted lipolysis, which together contribute to senescent changes and may be detrimental to the epididymal function during aging.

Application of Piezoelectricity on Running Tracks: A Prototype for the Realization of Sustainable and Efficient Energy

Electrical energy has become a basic necessity today. As the population increases, the amount of electricity demand is also increasing. Therefore, many innovations are needed to meet these needs. One of the innovations in energy harvesting systems is the use of piezoelectricity. This research aims to create a piezoelectric-based running track prototype to produce environmentally friendly electrical energy. The arrangement of piezoelectric sensors used in this research is a parallel circuit. The research method used is the Research and Development method. The test results on the physical activities of walking, running, and jumping show that the prototype system that has been made has worked well and produces a fairly stable electric voltage even though it is still in a small amount. the difference in activity and body weight that presses the prototype produces different electric voltages. For walking activity, the prototype is able to produce a maximum voltage output of 0.83V, running activity has a maximum output of 5.83V and the maximum voltage output of jumping activity is 7.88V. The use of energy is done by storing the energy obtained from the piezoelectric in the battery, which can later be monitored directly by the voltage sensor, bluetooth module, HC-05, and RTC module the data will be sent to the cell phone so that the piezoelectric output voltage can be recorded and monitored. The electrical energy output generated by the piezoelectric is able to charge the battery and switch on the LED light at 2.5 V.

Meta Analysis: Effects Of Mckenzie Exercise And Other Treatment Techniques In Reducing Pain and Disability In Chronic Nonspecific Low Back Pain

Background Low back pain (LBP) is rising globally due to increase in population and ageing. In adults below 45 years of age, work-related injury leads to nonspecific pain resulting in disability. Exercise therapy has proven to be effective in reducing pain and associated disability in these patients. McKenzie exercises focus on repeated end-range movement and posture correction, thereby reducing pain and disability. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of McKenzie exercise with other techniques in reducing pain and disability in nonspecific chronic LBP (NSCLBP). Objectives To compare the effect of alternate treatment approaches and McKenzie exercises in nonspecific chronic low back pain. Methods Studies that satisfied the inclusion and exclusion criteria for the review were found by searching databases like Google Scholar, Pub Med and Cochrane CENTRAL. This study comprised randomized controlled trials that compared McKenzie treatment with other therapeutic approaches for treating NSCLBP. Two independent reviewers extracted the data and evaluated the trials' quality. Forest plots were used to display the results. Results Eleven full-text articles were included in this study for review in order to conduct a meta-analysis and qualitative analysis. The meta-analysis of pain and functional impairment related to back pain comprised ten studies each. When comparing patients undergoing McKenzie treatment to other treatment techniques, there was a slight overall decrease in the intensity of low back pain (SMD: -0.83 [95% CI: -1.11, -0.55], I2= 80.8%; p< 0.000). After doing McKenzie exercises, low back patients' functional impairment did not improve in comparison to other therapy methods (SMD: 0.07 [95% CI: -0.54, 0.68], I2= 71.5%; p< 0.000). Conclusion McKenzie exercise is equally effective to other manual therapy techniques but slightly effective than passive treatments in decreasing pain & disability in NSCLBP.

Exploring the Effective Management Strategy to Sustain Cowpea Production under High Temperature Stress

Background: Abiotic stress negatively impacts the morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics of plants leading to loss of yield and quality. The substantial increase in population and global surface temperature extends to global food insecurity hence it is important to maintain a sustainable yield of crops. Cowpea being a protein-rich legume and a nodule-forming crop facilitates not only meeting food insecurity but also creates a sustainable environment. The objective of this study was to explore the suitable management practice for cowpea to attain sustainable yield under the elevated temperature of +2°C from ambient. Methods: An experiment in cowpea variety Co 7 was carried out in Temperature Gradient Tunnel (TGT) located at Agro Climate Research Centre, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. The research trial was carried out during the year 2021 and 2022 with Factorial Completely Randomized Design (FCRD). In this study, we have investigated the effect of different treatments on growth, yield, quality and available nutrients in soil. Result: The application of vermicompost with foliar spray of 3% Panchagavya at 30, 45 and 60 DAS stimulated the plant height, number of leaves and leaf area index (LAI). The increase in availability of soil nutrients exhibited higher dry matter production, pod length (10.46 cm), number of seeds per pod (7.56), test weight (12.56 g), seed yield (13.25 g plant-1) and seed protein (21.82%). These results suggest that vermicompost application with 3% foliar spray of Panchagavya has a positive effect on improving the high-temperature tolerance of cowpea plants.

ASSESSMENT OF TÜRKİYE'S PROVINCES WITH HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE INDICATORS USING DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS AND HEALTH INDEX

Health systems assessment is critical to ensure the sustainability of health services. The interest of researchers in analysing health systems, which intensified during the pandemic, is motivated by the opportunity to identify weaknesses and propose changes. Health systems analyses provide valuable feedback for policy makers, especially in developing countries, which struggle with obstacles such as limited resources, financial constraints and deficiencies in health infrastructure. As a developing country, Türkiye has been striving to ensure equal access to health services through its health transformation programme. In the last decade, developments such as the increase in Syrian migrants and economic contraction have negatively affected this effort. This situation motivates the need to analyse the current situation in the Turkish health system and provide suggestions for improvement. The literature on the Turkish health system mostly focuses on broad health system indicators such as health service accessibility, efficiency, quality and user satisfaction. This study focuses on assessing the accessibility of health infrastructure resources. In the study, health infrastructure indicators related to the Turkish health system are evaluated on a province basis for the period from 2012 to 2021. The evaluation is based on the descriptive statistics of the dataset and the province-based health index. The findings show changing trends and gaps in access to health services with the increase in population in the period 2012-2021. Some variables (e.g. population per hospital and population per bed) show low variances, while others (e.g. population per intensive care bed) show large differences. These differences may indicate unequal development and investment in health infrastructure. For policy makers, they emphasise the need to develop policies to address these inequalities and to distribute resources equitably. Analysing the health index values shows inequalities in access to health resources in different provinces of Türkiye as a score. In particular, while some provinces such as Isparta and Bolu stand out with consistently high index scores, lower index scores in other provinces such as Şanlıurfa, Mardin, Ağrı and Şırnak indicate that inequalities in access to health services are faced. This index identifies changes and gaps in the distribution of health resources and shows policy makers priority areas for intervention.

Realities, perceptions, and strategies for implementation of an ethical population management program for dogs and cats on university campuses.

Stray dogs and cats pose significant challenges for public health and animal welfare due to their potential involvement in zoonotic disease transmission, accidents, and aggressions. Large urban centers exacerbated challenges due to the presence of these animals in public areas with high human density. Ethical Population Management Programs (EPMP), rooted in the One Health approach, are crucial for addressing this issue comprehensively. This study aimed to demonstrate the approach on cats and dogs EPMP and evaluate the perceptions of academic community regarding EPMP implementation on a campus situated in urban territory. The study was conducted at the Pampulha campus of UFMG in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. In response to issues of animal abandonment and conflicts, the Permanent Commission for Animal Policies (CPPA-UFMG) was established in 2019 to manage the campus's dog, cat, and wildlife populations. The commission implemented the Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) method, along with health assessments and vaccinations for animals. Interviews were conducted with campus staff to gauge their perception of animal management strategies. Retrospective and prospective analyses of the commission's actions were carried out to assess implementation processes and challenges. The animal population survey conducted on campus between July 2018 and September 2021 revealed a total of 266 animals recorded. Among these animals, 195 were cats (73.3%) and 71 were dogs (26.7%), with the majority being adults. Subsequent surveys in 2019 and 2021 showed a slight increase in the animal population, with measures such as sterilization contributing to population control. Perception analysis among campus users indicated strategies such as TNR were widely endorsed for population control. The employees perception questionnaire was applied to 115 individuals, representing 42 units/departments and five gates. Associations were found between these beliefs and support for institutional actions. The majority favored sterilization (92.17%) and agreed that TNR is an appropriate approach to population control. Overall, the study reflects a community concerned about animal welfare and supportive of measures to address population management and cruelty prevention. The continuous efforts of the university's CPPA have led to stability in the resident animal population, indicating success in achieving population control objectives.

Composting as a Sustainable Solution for Organic Solid Waste Management: Current Practices and Potential Improvements

With increases in global population and urbanization, the production of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is growing rapidly, thus contributing to social and environmental concerns for sustainable waste management. This study addresses the research gap in optimizing composting, hypothesizing that integrating best practices and recent innovations can enhance the efficiency of the process. Data were collected through a systematic review of existing literature using Google Scholar and Scopus databases. The review provides an overview of municipal organic waste composting, outlining its processes, benefits, and challenges with the aim of identifying key area of further improvement and possibilities of adopting recent technological innovations. The analysis emphasized that technological advances in composting, as microbial inoculants or in-vessel composting have greatly improved the efficiency and quality of the resulting compost. However, several challenges remain, including managing contaminants such as heavy metals and microplastics, ensuring the compost quality and safety and addressing socioeconomic barriers that prevent widespread adoption. Moreover, process optimization, environmental and economic evaluation, as well as political and public involvement are essential to unlock the whole potential of composting systems.

Seawater desalination of arid regions: comparing the policy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Indonesia

Problems with clean water in coastal areas alongside an increase in population and community economic activities have diversified community activities. Coastal settlements bordering the high seas are characterized as arid areas with a lack of clean water. Here, the use of the range groundwater supply against seawater intrusion means that the water consumed by the community tastes salty and brackish. The availability of abundant seawater, processed through desalination technology, can be used to meet the daily clean water needs of coastal communities. Sustainable development goal (SDG) 6 Water and Sanitation is concerned with ensuring that everyone has access to clean water and sanitation. In this regard, desalination technology is considered viable to achieve the SDGs in the environmental sector. Some countries have focused on using desalination technology to achieve target 6.4 by 2030. This goal aims to improve the efficiency of water use to reduce the number of people experiencing clean water scarcity by ensuring a sustainable supply of fresh water. The objective of this study is to examine the application of seawater desalination technology for clean water in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and Indonesia, and identify the implications of desalination policies in these countries. Comparative studies were conducted using secondary data and literature studies on transforming seawater into clean water with technology. KSA applies seawater desalination technology to meet water needs. However, in Indonesia, policymaking has not holistically examined the potential of using seawater desalination technology for clean water. Until now, unlike in the KSA, Indonesia has not addressed the importance of the use of desalination technology in state policy.

COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN THE FAILURE RATES OF THE TROCHANTERIC FIXATION NAIL-ADVANCED (TFNA) AND GAMMA NAILS IN PROXIMAL FEMUR FRACTURE FIXATION

Hip fractures frequently occur in elderly patients with osteoporosis and are rapidly increasing in prevalence owing to an increase in the elderly population and social activities. We experienced several recent presentations of TFNA nails failed through proximal locking aperture which requires significant revision surgery in often highly co-morbid patient population.The study was done by retrospective data collection from 2013 to 2023 of all the hip fractures which had been fixed with Cephalomedullary nails to review and compare Gamma (2013–2017) and TFNA (2017–2023) failure rates and the timing of the failures. Infected and Elective revision to Arthroplasty cases were excluded.The results are 1034 cases had been included, 784 fixed with TFNA and 250 cases fixed Gamma nails. Out of the 784 patients fixed with TFNA, 19 fixation failed (2.45%). Out of the 250 cases fixed with Gamma nails, 15 fixation failed (6%). Mean days for fixation failure were 323 and 244 days in TFNA and Gamma nails respectively.We conclude that TFNA showed remarkable less failure rates if compared to Gamma nails. At point of launch, testing was limited and no proof of superiority of TFNA over Gamma nail. Several failures identified with proximal locking aperture in TFNA which can be related to the new design which had Substantial reduction in lateral thickness at compression screw aperture.

The energy-critical metals: technologies with a human face

The importance of energy-transition issues was poignantly summarised in 1973, by economist Ernst Schumacher (Schumacher 1973, p. 99): ‘ energy is for the mechanical world what consciousness is for the human world. If energy fails, everything fails .’ Schumacher's words have ever greater societal relevance since his cautionary predictions are now manifested, after half a century of the Great Acceleration (Steffen et al. 2015) in energy use, population increase and global warming. Schumacher (1973) regarded natural resources as valuable Earth materials, pivotal to the transition from coal to natural gas and uranium fuel productions. The World Economic Forum promotes energy transitions and their associated technological innovation clusters as part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Prisecaru 2016; Philbeck and Davis 2018). But if we take Schumacher's approach of putting valuable Earth materials at the heart of debates about economy, there is scant evidence of revolution. Instead, we see graphs of exponential production of an increasing array of raw materials, whether they are described as bulk metals or critical raw materials, and geoscientists are repeatedly required to identify the geological capacity for raw materials production (Konnunaho et al. 2023; Moore et al. 2023; Savinova et al. 2023; Valenta et al. 2023; Gardiner et al. 2024).

Invasion of Chicken Anemia Virus in Specific-Pathogen-Free Chicken Flocks and Its Successful Elimination from the Colony.

A specific-pathogen-free (SPF) chicken colony was maintained with successive groups a month apart in age. The absence of specific pathogens, including chicken anemia virus (CAV), was confirmed through periodic serological tests for each group. However, some groups became CAV seropositive. The procedures of removing seropositive and the adjacent seronegative chickens followed with chemically disinfecting the housing did not halt CAV outbreaks. The full genome sequence of the CAV strain that appeared was closely related to low-virulence isolates in China. The outbreaks of CAV decreased with an increase in the seropositive chicken population, indicating that the progeny is protected from CAV infection by maternal anti-CAV antibodies. The persistence of CAV in erythroid and lymphoid tissues or reproductive tissues from CAV seropositive chickens was examined in chickens of various ages using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Since a low persistence of CAV was observed in the colony, we isolated eggs from CAV seropositive hens through artificial insemination using semen collected from roosters and confirmed as CAV-free by PCR. Fertilized eggs were transferred to a new SPF facility and used for generating CAV-free progeny. To date, chickens reared in the new facility have been CAV-free for longer than two years. Redirection of eggs from seropositive hens was an effective means of eliminating CAV from chickens.

Relationship between triglyceride-glucose index and cognitive function among community-dwelling older adults: a population-based cohort study.

The global increase in the aging population presents considerable challenges, particularly regarding cognitive impairment, a major concern for public health. This study investigates the association between the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index, a measure of insulin resistance, and the risk of cognitive impairment in the elderly. This prospective cohort study enrolled 2,959 participants aged 65 and above from the 2015 and 2020 waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). The analysis employed a logistic regression model to assess the correlation between the TyG index and cognitive impairment. The study included 2,959 participants, with a mean age of 71.2 ± 5.4 years, 49.8% of whom were female. The follow-up in 2020 showed a decrease in average cognitive function scores from 8.63 ± 4.61 in 2015 to 6.86 ± 5.45. After adjusting for confounding factors, a significant association was observed between TyG index quartiles and cognitive impairment. Participants in the highest quartile (Q4) of baseline TyG had a higher risk of cognitive impairment compared to those in the lowest quartile (Q1) (odds ratio [OR]: 1.97, 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.28-2.62, P<0.001). The study highlights a significant connection between elevated TyG index levels and cognitive impairment among older adults in China. These findings suggest that targeted interventions to reduce the TyG index could mitigate cognitive impairment and potentially lower the incidence of dementia.

Статистический анализ землепользования в Удмуртской Республике

The authors of this work conducted a statistical analysis of land use in the Udmurt Republic in 2011-2022. The dynamics of land areas by category is given. The study found that the largest decrease in farmland area occurred in the first half of the period under review. Over the 12 years studied, the area of this category decreased by 7.5 thousand hectares. The rate of reduction is 6.6 thousand hectares/10 years, i.e. every 10 years the category of agricultural land decreases by 6.6 thousand hectares. Every 10 years, the land area of settlements increases by 1.8 thousand hectares, which indicates an increase in the urban population and an increase in the number of urban residents. By 2022, the area of land occupied by settlements increased to 204.3 thousand hectares. The area of industrial and other lands is increasing at a rate of 4.2 thousand hectares in 10 years. For 2022, the area of industrial land amounted to 42.9 thousand hectares. For 2011-2022, the area of the analyzed category increased by 4.6 thousand hectares. In 2016, the land area of specially protected natural areas increased by 17.3 thousand hectares (from 1.9 to 21.6 thousand hectares), since the lands of the forest fund were transferred to this category. The area of forest land decreased from 2046.8 to 2029.4 thousand hectares. Over the 12 years under consideration, the land area of the water fund decreased by 0.5 thousand hectares, the maximum area was in 2011 and amounted to 29.2 thousand hectares. Starting from 2011 and ending in 2022, the total area of reserve land remained relatively stable (19.5-20.7 thousand hectares), the changes do not exceed 1.2 thousand hectares. As of 2022, the area of irrigated land of the Udmurt Republic amounted to 18.2 thousand hectares, and drained - 23 thousand hectares. Over the past 11 years, the area of good irrigated land has increased by 5.9 thousand hectares, the areas of satisfactory and unsatisfactory land have decreased by 4.6 thousand hectares and 3.8 thousand hectares, respectively.

POLICY FORMULATION FOR ANTICIPATING THE IMPACT OF ACID RAIN ON PADDY PLANTS USING NORMATIVE JURIDICAL ANALYSIS

Law Number 32 of 2009 Article 57, paragraph 4C that one of the preservations of atmosphere functions regulate efforts to protect against acid rain. One of the effects of acid rain is soil damage to plants, such as what happened to paddy plants. In Indonesia, paddy is one of the priority food sources, but every year, it decreases in several regions. Aims: This study aimed at acid rain's anticipated impact on paddy plants in this case study Bandung Regency. Methodology and results: The approach method in this study is a normative juridical approach, using primary data sources obtained through interviews and journal literature. Then, secondary data from legal literature were analyzed descriptively and qualitatively. The study results show that the Bandung Regency Environmental Service has enforced the law. However, violations still occur by industry and society through vehicle emissions, coupled with the increase in population. One of the efforts to formulate policies to anticipate acid rain in paddy plants is to establish sanctions for violators who still pollute the environment, apply catalytic converters to vehicle exhausts that have the potential to remove NOx, carry out measurements at groundwater measurement stations, water quality information systems (manual or real-time). In addition, the irrigation policy for river water flowing on agricultural land with existing laws is being improved. Conclusion, significance, and impact study: Anticipating the impact of acid rain on rice requires various approaches, both technical and non-technical, as well as further analysis from various policy sectors.

Estimasi Laju Pertumbuhan Penduduk menggunakan Metode Regresi Linier Berganda di Kabupaten Batang

Population growth in an area is very important for development and as a benchmark for development and progress. One way to estimate/estimate population growth is to use Data Mining techniques. Data mining is able to analyze data into information. This research will discuss the population growth of Batang Regency, Central Java in 2024. The estimation technique that will be used is Multiple Linear Regression. This method was chosen because it can make estimates/predictions by utilizing past data regarding population growth so that it can produce a relationship pattern. This Multiple Linear Regression method aims to produce the best predictions. The research data used is population data in Batang Regency in 2019-2023. Based on research that has been carried out, the results show a population growth of 853,800 people in 2024. This figure shows a population increase of 24,917 people compared to 2023 of 828,883 people with an increase percentage of 3%. The benefits of this research can be conveyed to the Batang Regency Government as material for decision and policy making in the year.

The Effect of Student Quotas on Design Education in Interior Architecture Departments

Interior architecture education is a comprehensive field that encompasses design, creativity, and various educational subjects such as art, project management, furniture design, and building knowledge. Due to its multidimensional nature, it has become one of the most popular departments in universities. However, the lack of awareness about the scope and limitations of interior architecture education, coupled with students not meeting the required qualifications, has resulted in a significant increase in the student population in these departments. In this study, the impact of this excessive enrollment on the quality of education in interior architecture departments is analyzed. By examining the literature on interior architecture education, it was found that the existing infrastructure, both in terms of technical resources and faculty members, needs to be improved to accommodate the growing student population. The study suggests that a balance should be established between student quotas and the resources available to ensure a high-quality education in interior architecture.

An asymmetric analysis of overall globalization on financial inclusion

Purpose Financial inclusion is acknowledged as a critical facilitator of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals agenda for 2030. Therefore, this study aims to examine the asymmetric role of overall globalization on financial inclusion by controlling economic growth, urbanization and population for the selected South Asian countries. Design/methodology/approach Applying the nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag approach to cointegration explores the impact of overall globalization on financial inclusion in the presence of additional variables like economic growth, urbanization and population in the designed financial inclusion function. Findings The estimated econometric outcomes show that increasing overall globalization fosters financial inclusion while decreasing overall globalization reduces financial inclusion. Furthermore, a positive (negative) change in economic growth leads to an increase (decrease) in financial inclusion while varying short-run findings. Moreover, both positive and negative changes increase financial inclusion in the long run in connection with urbanization. Although the short-run results are not significant, the study finds that an increase (decrease) in population leads to a decrease (increase) in financial inclusion. Finally, to support the promotion of financial inclusivity throughout South Asia, several policies pertaining to financial inclusion are suggested. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to examine the asymmetries related to overall globalization on financial inclusion by controlling economic growth, urbanization and population.

Anti-psoriatic potential of medicinal plants, Alstonia scholaris, Wrightia tinctoria, and Solanum xanthocarpum, using human HaCaT keratinocytes by multi-parametric analysis

Ethnopharmacological relevancePsoriasis, a widespread skin condition impacting over 100 million individuals globally, is characterised by uncontrolled hyperproliferation of keratinocytes, abnormal apoptosis, and excessive secretion of inflammatory cytokines and angiogenic factors. Traditional use of Alstonia scholaris (L.) R.Br., Wrightia tinctoria (Roxb.) R.Br. and Solanum xanthocarpum Schrad. & Wendl. in Ayurveda and Siddha medicinal systems have shown promising anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties. However, underlying mechanisms of their phytoactivity in addressing psoriasis-like skin inflammation on human keratinocytes remain largely unexplored. Aim of the studyThe study was aimed to investigate anti-psoriatic potential of ethyl acetate and ethanolic extracts of A. scholaris, W. tinctoria and S. xanthocarpum in human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT). Material and methodsEthyl acetate and ethanolic extracts of A. scholaris (ASEA and ASE), W. tinctoria (WTEA and WTE) and S. xanthocarpum (SXEA and SXE) were first subjected to phytochemical screening through high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using their marker compound loganin, kaempferol and chlorogenic acid, respectively. The proliferation inhibition efficiency of these extracts was measured using MTT assay on HaCaT cell line. Subsequently, the apoptotic effect of these extracts on HaCaT cell line was determined by JC-1 and Annexin V assays. Furthermore, IL-8 and RANTES levels were measured in TNF-alpha-induced HaCaT cell line post-treatment with these extracts to determine their anti-inflammatory properties. ResultsASEA, ASE, WTEA, WTE, SXEA and SXE significantly inhibited proliferation of keratinocytes (HaCaT cells) and resulted in the induction of apoptotic markers (mitochondrial membrane potential and phosphatidyl serine externalization). Additionally, pro-inflammatory markers (IL-8 and RANTES levels) were downregulated in HaCaT cells.The anti-proliferative effects were particularly distinct at higher concentrations (200 μg/mL), with inhibition rates reaching over 85% for W. tinctoria and S. xanthocarpum extracts. In apoptotic assays, notable increases in late apoptotic or necrotic cell populations and significant losses in mitochondrial membrane potential were observed. All extracts markedly reduced the secretion of inflammatory mediators IL-8 and RANTES. ConclusionAll three plants exerted an anti-psoriatic effect at the cellular level via multiple parameters (anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory effect). This study provides insight into the mechanism of action of ASEA, ASE, WTEA, WTE, SXEA and SXE and highlights their promising potential for development as herbal therapeutic agents for psoriasis. It emphasizes the need for further pharmacological evaluation and toxicological studies of these extracts.