This study focused on the formulation and characterization of silver nanoparticles (AgNP) functionalized with d-limonene. The nanoparticles were functionalized by phase inversion and the synthesis of the nanoparticles was performed in situ; particle size was determined by laser diffraction, zeta potential and optical colloidal stability using Multiscan 20 for a period of 24 hours at 37 °C; the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the formulated material on Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213, Klebsiella oxytoca ATCC 700324, Enterococcus casseliflavus ATCC 700327, Escherichia coli BLEE, carbapenem-resistant Pseudomona aeruginosa were determined. The nanoparticles showed colloidal stability at a d-limonene concentration of 3.93%, silver ions at 1.61 × 10⁻³%, non-ionic adjuvant at 24% and ascorbic acid at 5.88%; citric acid/citrate (1:1) 0.48M for a pH of 4.5 was used as a buffer system. The formulation was classified as a polydisperse system (PD = 0.0851), with a zeta potential of −11.6 mV and average particle size of 81.5 ± 0.9 nm. A particle migration velocity of −0.199 ± 0.006 mm∙h⁻¹, a constant transmission profile and backscattering profile with variations of 10% were evidenced, which represents a stable formulation. The nanoparticles presented an MIC and an MBC of 28 μg∙mL⁻¹ (5.6 × 10⁻²% d-limonene and 4.7 × 10⁻⁵% AgNP) against all tested bacteria.

The smallest administrative unit of the sixth national census-township (town) is selected as the basic unit, the population spatial distribution characteristics at the township (town) level in karst mountainous areas of northwest Guangxi are analyzed by using Lorenz curve and spatial correlation analysis method, and the influence intensity of natural factors on regional population spatial distribution is detected by using geographic detector method. The results show that: 1. the spatial distribution of population at the township (town) level has the characteristics of imbalance, showing generally significant positive correlation and certain aggregation; 2. There are significant differences in the impact of the spatial distribution of various natural factors on the population distribution. For the towns without karst distribution in the northwest and central south of the study area, the population density increases with the increase of factors conducive to human residence, but the average population density is only 79 people/km². In the towns with karst distribution in the East and south, the spatial distribution of population density and natural factors is not a simple increase or decrease relationship, but fluctuates with the change of karst distribution area. 3. The factor detection results of the geographic detector show that the altitude has the greatest impact on the spatial distribution of population. The interactive detection results show that the impact intensity of any two natural factors after superposition and interaction presents nonlinear enhancement and two factor enhancement. It can be seen that the karst mountain area in northwest Guangxi is similar to other areas. Altitude is one of the main factors affecting the spatial distribution of population, but the river network density and unique geological landform of karst mountain area have a strong catalytic effect on the spatial distribution of population. The superposition and interaction with other factors can further strengthen the impact on population distribution.

It has become commonplace to describe publicly provided infrastructure as being in a sorry state and to advance public-private partnership as a possible remedy. This essay adopts a skeptical but not a cynical posture toward those claims. The paper starts by reviewing the comparative properties of markets and politics within a theory of budgeting where the options are construction and maintenance. This analytical point of departure explains how incongruities between political and market action can favor construction over maintenance. In short, political entities can engage in an implicit form of public debt by reducing maintenance spending to support other budgetary items. This implicit form of public debt does not manifest in higher interest rates but rather manifests in crumbling bridges and other infrastructure due to the transfer of maintenance into other budgetary activities.

The purpose of this study is to identify the effects of multidimensional (fuzzy) inequalities and marginal changes on the Gini coefficients of various factors. This allows a range of social policies to be specifically targeted to reduce broader inequalities, but these policies are focused primarily on health, education, housing, sanitation, energy and drinking water. It is necessary to target policy areas that are unequally distributed, such as those with access to unevenly distributed drinking water policies. The data are from the Household and Consumption Survey of 6695 households in 2003 and 9259 households in 2011. This paper uses Lerman and Yitzhaki’s method. The results revealed that the main contributors to inequalities over the two periods were health and education. These sources have a potentially significant effect on total inequality. Health increases overall inequalities, but sources such as housing, sanitation and energy reduce them. This article provides resources to disadvantaged and vulnerable target groups. Multiple inequalities are analyzed for different subgroups of households, such as place of residence and the gender of the head of household. Analyzing fuzzy poverty inequalities makes it possible to develop targeted measures to combat poverty and inequality. This study is the first to investigate the sources of Gini’s fuzzy inequality in Chad via data analysis techniques, and in general, it is one of the few studies in Saharan Africa to be interested in this subject. Some development policies in sub-Saharan Africa should therefore focus on different sources (negative effect), sources (positive effect) and the equalization effect.

This study explores the determinants of political participation among Thai youth, focusing on the roles of political interest, knowledge, and efficacy. Employing stratified random sampling, data were collected from 191 university students in Bangkok. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) via Smart PLS was utilized to test hypotheses regarding the direct and mediating effects of political interest and knowledge on participation, highlighting the mediating role of political efficacy. The findings indicate that political efficacy significantly enhances participation, while political interest boosts knowledge significantly but does not directly influence efficacy. Furthermore, political knowledge positively affects efficacy but not participation directly. Notably, the indirect effects of political interest on participation through efficacy alone are insignificant, but the pathways from interest to participation through both knowledge and efficacy, and from knowledge to participation through efficacy, are significant. These results elucidate the complex interactions between political interest, knowledge, and efficacy in shaping the political engagement of Thai youth.