Increasingly, U.S. cities are focusing on transit-oriented development (TOD) policies to expand the stock of higher-density, mixed-use development near public transit stations within the context of a transit corridor and, in most cases, a regional metropolis. A TOD zone relies on a regulatory and institutional environment, public and private participation and investment, and development incentives to create vibrant, people-oriented communities and mobility options and to support business development. TODs provide local governments with more tax revenues due to increased property values (and, as applicable, income and sales tax revenues), but most planning for TODs ignores the non-transit infrastructure costs of increasing development density. This study focused on determining the water and sewer infrastructure costs for TOD zones along a rail line in southeast Florida. The finding was that millions of dollars in funds are needed to meet those water and sewer needs and that few are currently planned as a part of community capital improvement programs.
Nanoparticle drug delivery systems are engineered technologies that use nanoparticles for the targeted delivery and controlled release of therapeutic agents. Cisplatin-loaded nanoparticle formulations were optimized utilizing response surface methods and the central composite rotating design model. This study employed a central composite rotatable design with a three-factored factorial design with three tiers. Three independent variables namely drug polymer ratio, aqueous organic phase ration, and stabilizer concentration were used to examine the particle size, entrapment efficiency, and drug loading of cisplatin PLGA nanoparticles as responses. The results revealed that this response surface approach might be able to be used to find the best formulation for the cisplatin PLGA nanoparticles. A polymer ratio of 1:8.27, organic phase ratio of 1:6, and stabilizer concentration of 0.15 were found to be optimum for cisplatin PLGA nanoparticles. Nanoparticles made under the optimal conditions found yielded a 112 nm particle size and a 95.4 percent entrapment efficiency, as well as a drug loading of 9 percent. The cisplatin PLGA nanoparticles tailored for scanning electon microscopy displayed a spherical form. A series of in vitro tests showed that the nanoparticle delivered cisplatin progressively over time. According to this work, the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) employing the central composite rotatable design may be successfully used to simulate cisplatin-PLGA nanoparticles.
The undeniable importance of migrants’ remittances to the welfare of developing countries was again demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic. This has therefore led to a significant shift in attention to the relevance of remittances and has likewise spurred research interest in factors that motivate the inflows of remittances. However, in spite of the increasing recognition of the roles of digital technology in the macroeconomic performance of developed and developing economies alike, empirical analysis of its possible impacts on remittance inflows has not been well explored in the literature. Therefore, pooling the annual data of 35 sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries from 2011 to 2020, this study investigates the nexus between digital technology and remittance inflows within the generalized method of moments (GMM) framework. Using two measures of digital technology infrastructure—internet usage and mobile cellular subscription—the study finds a positive relationship between digital technology and remittances inflow. In addition, the findings indicate that the magnitude of the effect is relatively higher for internet usage. The study thus shows that the increased rate of remittance mobilization constitutes a significant pathway through which digital technology impacts the economies of the SSA region. Moreover, it offers further insight on the importance of digital technology in the socioeconomic development of developing countries. From a policy standpoint, governments and policymakers in SSA countries should intensify efforts to promote the diffusion and penetration of digital infrastructure.
The linkages between adequate service delivery and sustainable development have been given a little academic attention in the South Africa’s local municipalities. For this reason, the achievement of sustainable development has been difficult which has culminated in the occurrence of service delivery protests. These service delivery protests have posed critical threats to social security thus affecting the possibility to achieve sustainable development in South Africa. the paper findings showed that the delivery of inadequate services to the citizens is triggered by the failure to equally include citizens in the process. One of the threats that the paper found is the fact that these service delivery protests have become a major issue and any move to solve them without citizen participation has been unsuccessful. The paper findings also showed that that the lack of adequate service delivery to the citizens causes human insecurities which in turn affect the achievement of sustainable development. This is because the occurrence of the service delivery protests deteriorates national economic growth and human growth. They affect foreign investors and international tourists by instilling fear in them and yet they are contributors to sustainable economic growth that leads to sustainable development. The findings of this paper also presented that the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies can increase citizen participation during service delivery. It is through the use of citizen participation that openness, transparency, accountability, and representation principles that promote the delivery of adequate services are possible. The paper found that using AI technologies would also foster trust between the service provider and service receiver needed for delivering adequate services, thus achieve sustainable development in South Africa.
In response to the increasing youth unemployment rate and the demand for future-oriented career development, university student entrepreneurship has emerged as a critical domain in both economic policy and education. This study conducts a comprehensive literature review to examine the interrelationships between entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship education, entrepreneurial competency, and entrepreneurial intention among university students, with an emphasis on the Human Resource Development (HRD) perspective. The review reveals that entrepreneurial mindset significantly influences students’ intention to start a business, while entrepreneurship education contributes both directly and indirectly through the development of entrepreneurial competencies. Entrepreneurial competencies serve as a practical foundation for translating intention into action and are integral to HRD’s goal of competency-based talent development. The study further highlights that entrepreneurship education aligned with HRD principles—such as experiential learning, self-directed development, and learning organization frameworks—can foster employability and self-employment capacity. This integrative analysis suggests that university entrepreneurship programs should not be seen merely as policy instruments, but rather as strategic HRD initiatives for developing future-ready, opportunity-creating human capital. Implications for educational design, policy development, and future empirical research are discussed.
Urbanization plays a crucial role in facilitating the integration of population growth, industrial development, economic expansion, and energy consumption. In this paper, we aim to examine the relationships between CO2 emissions and various factors including economic growth, urbanization, financial development, and energy consumption within Pakistan’s building sector. The study utilizes annual data spanning from 1990 to 2020. To analyze the cointegration relationship between these variables, we employ the quantile autoregressive distributed lag error correction model (QARDL-ECM). The findings of this research provide evidence supporting the presence of an asymmetric and nonlinear long-term relationship between the variables under investigation. Based on these results, we suggest the implementation of tariffs on nonrenewable energy sources and the formulation of policies that promote sustainable energy practices. By doing so, policymakers and architects can effectively contribute to minimising environmental damage. Overall, this study offers valuable insights that can assist policymakers and architects in making informed decisions to mitigate environmental harm while fostering sustainable development.
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