Phytochemical and antioxidant analysis of some varieties of Capsicum was evaluated. Mature Capsicum varieties were collected across the State. The seeds were removed, sun-dried for 3 days, stored for 2 weeks at 15 ºC–25 ºC in polythene bags before planting. Saponins, tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids and cardiac glycosides were present in abundant, moderate and trace amounts. Combined anthraquinones were absent in all varieties. Yellow (0.810 ± 0.0006 µg/mL), red long dry (0.211 ± 0.0006 µg/mL) and round peppers (2.527 ± 0.0003 µg/mL) had the largest values for total phenol, flavonoids and tannins. Shombo and yellow peppers had the largest (0.270 ± 0.002 µg/mL) and least (0.102 ± 0.001 µg/mL) capsaicin content. The antioxidant activities varied across the varieties. At 100 µg/mL of methanol, yellow (45%) and round peppers (45%) had largest mean absorbances for 2,2-Diphenyl-1-Picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) Radical Scavenging Activity while sub-shombo pepper (23%) had the least. For Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP), yellow (0.63 ± 0.001 µg/mL) and sub-shombo peppers (0.55 ± 0.001µg/mL) had the largest and least values at 100 µg/mL of methanol. At 100 µg/mL of methanol, red long dry (0.112 ± 0.001) and shombo peppers (0.101 ± 0.001) had the largest and least values for the nitric oxide scavenging activity. This study shows that Capsicum varieties exhibit bioactive componds similarities and variations with implications in hybridization, taxonomy and conservation.

A salinity gradient solar pond (SGSP) is a large and deep artificial basin of layered brine, that collects and stores simultaneous solar energy for use in various applications. Experimental and theoretical studies have been launched to understand the thermal behavior of SGSPs, under different operating conditions. This article then traces the history of SGSPs, from their natural discovery to their current artificial applications and the progress of studies and research, according to their chronological sequence, in terms of determining their physical and dynamic aspects, their operation, management, and maintenance. It has extensively covered the theoretical and experimental studies, as well as the direct and laboratory applications of this technology, especially the most famous and influential in this field, classified according to the aspect covered by the study, with a comparison between the different results obtained. In addition, it highlighted the latest methods to improve the performance of an SGSP and facilitate its operation, such as the use of a magnetic field and the adoption of remote data acquisition, with the aim of expanding research and enhancing the benefit of this technology.

The women’s sector in the academe is one of the most affected profiles during the COVID-19 pandemic which directly ravages their livelihood and other economic activities. Thus, this research project investigated the economic situations of 30 private and public-school teachers who were displaced from their occupations or were forcibly deprived of income-generating activities. In-depth interviews as research instruments were employed in the study to extract responses on how the educators creatively apply adaptive economic strategies and how government should aid them during a global crisis. The research findings showed that the pandemic has affected the economic activities of the respondents including the loss of their livelihood and other economic sidelines. They responded to these economic effects through adaptive strategies using diversifying and analyzing trends, using digital technology resources, data-driven, acquiring new alternative skills, pricing strategy, and becoming an expert. Results dictated that government could support affected women by initiating training options, homepreneurship support, encouraging independent income-earners, financial management and tax breaks, and industry compatibility endorsement. This study is important to map out the specific economic effects of the pandemic and aid them with initiatives by providing them with concrete economic tools and programs.

Although public-private partnership (PPP) is regarded as one of the key effective tools in the development of many countries, various challenges surrounding PPPs are not well understood. This paper explores nine key challenges in PPP implementation: (1) different organizational cultures and goals between the partners, (2) poor institutional environment and support, (3) weak political and legal frameworks, (4) unreliable mechanisms for sharing risk and responsibility, (5) inadequate procedures for the selection of PPP partners, (6) inconsistency between resource inputs and quality, (7) inadequate monitoring and evaluation of PPP processes, (8) lack of transparency, and (9) the inherent nature of PPPs. This paper aims to provide the perceptions in the existing literature on many of these challenges, as well as provide solutions to each challenge. 

The People's Republic of China (PRC) wants to become a key regional actor in the Arctic. PRC's underlying priority in the region is gaining access to commercial opportunities from trade and natural resources. To this end, PRC is building its domestic capacities for research and commercial development in the Arctic, increasing its involvement in multilateral forums on Arctic governance and deepening ties to Arctic nations, especially Russia.

Attitudes towards PRC among Arctic nations are diverging, but Beijing generally faces high levels of skepticism and opposition to its Arctic involvement, explicitly grounded in perceptions of PRC as a state undermining the rules-based international order and potential military build-up in the high north.

The analytical framework in this article builds on an outline authored by Exner-Pirot in 2012 (Exner-Pirot, 2012) to detail the current schools of thought within Arctic governance, and builds on it by including more recent developments in Arctic governance, incorporating the updated Arctic policies of most Arctic countries and connecting it to PRC.

This article contends that Beijing wants to change the status quo of Arctic governance and shift it towards a more accommodating approach to non-Arctic states. This article finds, based on the stated Arctic strategies of the eight Arctic states and PRC, that there are different views on Arctic governance where Arctic countries for the most part indicate an openness to a Chinese entry into the Arctic, albeit in diverging ways. This creates a complex governance scenario for PRC to navigate as it seeks to become a key Arctic player

COVID-19 pandemic has caused many design bid build projects to suffer losses. Design bid build or DBB has the disadvantage of depth partnering. The research purpose is to reveal the depth of partnering of DBB, the characteristics of existing partnering in DBB through detection in each project life cycle in DBB, then efforts to increase DBB partnering to partnering in integrated project delivery (IPD). The methodology used is secondary data from three project DBB, then validation using focused group discussions (FGD) with expert judgment, then the Delphi method to analyse and propose recommendations. This project recommends that DBB project can improve the project performance so stakeholder can increase partnering toward integrated project delivery (IPD) partnering. This research can be used for increasing partnering in DBB projects towards partnering in IPD. This research will produce strategic recommendations that can be utilized by stakeholders (owner, contractor, designer) in improving project performance to generate great value for the project, will result in long-term project sustainability, improve relationships, and learn valuable lessons for future projects. DBB projects usually experience many problems due to the competitive nature of partnering for owners, contractors, and designers, so it is necessary to develop an overall strategy as an option to improve partnering in DBB project contracts. This research will help create a sustainable project by the owner, contractor, and designer.