The debate on relocating Indonesia’s national capital from Jakarta stems from critical issues such as overpopulation, social inequality, environmental degradation, and natural disaster risks. These challenges highlight the need to reassess Jakarta’s viability as the nation’s administrative center. This study evaluates Indonesia’s readiness to address the complexities of relocation by analyzing Jakarta’s socio-economic, political, cultural, and geographical conditions. Using a systematic literature review (SLR) with a qualitative approach, the research explores key questions: Do Jakarta’s conditions necessitate relocation? What challenges might arise from the move? How prepared is Indonesia to tackle these challenges? The SLR process includes defining questions, sourcing literature from reputable databases, applying inclusion/exclusion criteria, and synthesizing data for analysis. Findings reveal Jakarta’s multifaceted challenges, including social disparities, environmental degradation, disaster risks, and governance issues, which emphasize the urgency of considering relocation. However, the study also identifies significant hurdles, such as high costs, logistical complexities, potential social conflicts, and environmental risks at the new capital site. Relocating the capital is a strategic and complex undertaking that requires meticulous planning. Indonesia must weigh Jakarta’s current issues, address potential relocation challenges, and ensure readiness for risk mitigation and sustainable development. Comprehensive and thoughtful planning is essential to achieve a successful and balanced transition.

Alginate-silver nanocomposites in the form of spherical beads and films were prepared using a green approach by using the aqueous extract of Ajwa date seeds. The nanocomposites were fabricated by in situ reduction and gelation by ionotropic crosslinking using calcium ions in solution. The rich phytochemicals of the date seed extract played a dual role as a reducing and stabilizing agent in the synthesis of silver nanoparticles. The formation of silver nanoparticles was studied using UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, and a distinct surface plasmon resonance peak at 421 nm characteristic of silver nanoparticles confirmed the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles. The morphology of the nanocomposite beads and film was compact, with an even distribution of silver nanoclusters. The catalytic property of the nanocomposite beads was evaluated for the degradation of 2-nitrophenol in the presence of sodium borohydride. The degradation followed pseudo-first-order kinetics with a rate constant of 1.40 × 10⁻³ s⁻¹ at 23 ℃ and an activation energy of 18.45 kJ mol⁻¹. The thermodynamic parameters, such as changes in enthalpy and entropy, were evaluated to be 15.22 kJ mol⁻¹ and −197.50 J mol⁻¹ K⁻¹, respectively. The nanocomposite exhibited properties against three clinically important pathogens (gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria).

In this investigation the effect of collection seasons of explants (winter, spring and summer), type of explants (leaf disc and intermodal segments) and length of explants (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 cm) for callusing in low-chill peach were standardized. The maximum callus induction (97.78%) in the low-chill peach was obtained from the intermodal segments of 0.5 cm in length used as an explant collected during spring season. The structural changes on the surface of the callus (5–7 weeks old yellowish green compact callus) during the progress of somatic embryogenesis of low-chill peach from the both intermodal segment as well as leaf disc derived callus were also examined with the use of scanning electron microscope (SEM). The SEM studies indicated that callus derived from internodal segment explant had the highest frequency of somatic embryos than callus from leaf discs. The SEM investigation, also demonstrated the sequential events/steps leading to low-chill peach somatic embryogenesis which was originating from somatic embryo mother cells through one unicellular pathway. Two types of calli were morphologically distinguished in both leaf disc and intermodal segment generated callus and these were the compact, well organized yellowish green embryogenic callus, containing large number of small, rich cytoplasmic, starch containing meristematic cells and soft and unorganized non-embryogenic callus containing sparsely cytoplasmic, vacuolated, and large cells devoid of metabolic reserves. The present SEM studies clearly demonstrated that somatic cells from peach explants generated callus could develop into fully differentiated somatic embryos through the characteristic embryological patterns of differentiation.

Species of the Moraceae family are of great economic, medicinal and ecological importance in Amazonia. However, there are few studies on their diversity and population dynamics in residual forests. The objective was to determine the composition, structure and ecological importance of Moraceae in a residual forest. The applied method was descriptive and consisted of establishing 16 plots of 20 m × 50 m (0.10 ha), in a residual forest of the Alexánder von Humboldt substation of the National Institute of Agrarian Innovation-INIA, Pucallpa, department of Ucayali, where individuals of arboreal or hemi-epiphytic habit, with DBH ≥ 2.50 cm, were evaluated. The floristic composition was represented by 33 species, distributed in 12 genera; five species not recorded for Ucayali were found. Structurally, the family was represented by 138 individuals/ha with a horizontal distribution similar to an irregular inverted “J”. However, there were different horizontal structures among species. It was determined that 85% of the species were in diameter class I (2.50 to 9.99 cm), being the most abundant Pseudolmedia laevis (Ruiz & Pav.) J.F. Macbr. (41.88 individuals/ha); and the most dominant were Brosimum utile (Kunth) Oken (1.71 m²∕ha) and Brosimum alicastrum subsp. bolivarense (Pittier) C.C.Berg (0.90 m²/ha). Likewise, P. laevis and B. utile were the most ecologically important. The information from the present research will allow the establishment of a baseline, which can be used to propose the management of Moraceae in residual forests in the same study area.

The wealth of nations depends on the quality of their infrastructure. Often, however, infrastructure suffers from ineffective investments and poor maintenance. Proposed solutions, such as New Public Management or Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) tend to develop into Politicians-Private Partnerships as politicians collude with private firms to exploit present and future tax-payers. Therefore, it is necessary to give citizens better control over collective decision making. While there is a significant economic literature on empowering citizens via decentralization and direct democratic institutions, the role of electoral rules has thus far been rather neglected. An interesting case in point is Switzerland, which is well known for its high-quality infrastructure, extensive decentralization, and direct democracy. However, this paper argues that there is an additional and previously neglected institution that moves Swiss politicians away from client politics towards better serving public interest: Switzerland’s unique electoral institutions which effectively combine proportional elections with multi-seat majority elections. We explain how these institutions work, how they enhance the relationships between citizens and public and private entities, and we argue that they could be implemented in other countries.