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Properties of Sustainable Composite Construction Materials Derived from Recycled Polymers and Nanofillers
Full text linkThis paper presents the investigation of sustainable construction composites manufactured from rPET and rHDPE with the addition of nano-silica, graphene oxide, and nanoclay. The composites were fabricated by melt blending and compression molding. Mechanical, thermal, and durability performances of the composites were tested according to ASTM specifications. Experimental test results revealed that with an optimum loading of 3 wt% nanofillers, there is an enhancement in tensile and flexural strength by up to 35%, improvement of thermal stability by 20-25 °C, and a reduction of water absorption by about 25% compared to unreinforced polymers. SEM, FTIR, and XRD analyses confirm enhancement in interfacial bonding and refinement of microstructure. Compressive strength in the range of 38 to 43 MPa was obtained, which indicates that these materials are suitable for lightweight panels and non-structural elements. The results are in agreement with previously reported literature data and emphasize the possibility of recycled polymer-nanofiller composites to provide low-density durable construction material with an environmental benefit. The engineering-oriented outcome of this study focuses on the optimization of filler dispersion and performance to enable scalable and sustainable application
The Role of Psychological and Pedagogical Training of Educators in Establishing Effective Communication with Veterans with Intellectual Disabilities
No full textThe psychological and pedagogical training of teachers to interact with veterans with signs of intellectual disabilities was identified as a critical factor in post-war social integration. The study aimed to assess the influence of educator preparedness on the quality of communication with veterans in adaptive educational settings.
A mixed-methods approach was applied, including surveys, content analysis, pedagogical observations, and correlation analysis. The findings indicated a mismatch between the self-assessed readiness of teachers and veterans' perception of their interactions.
A positive relationship was established between educator preparedness and the satisfaction level of veterans. The study contributed to the understanding of how targeted professional training may enhance communication outcomes in education involving vulnerable adult learners.
Conclusions pointed to the need for modular training programs tailored to the specific needs of learners with post-traumatic cognitive features
Parent-School Collaboration and Its Role in Facilitating Research Participation of Students with mild Intellectual Disability: A Cross-Sectional Survey
No full textIntroduction: Inclusive education emphasizes the need for students with intellectual disabilities (ID) to participate actively in all academic activities, including research. Despite this ideal, students with mild intellectual disabilities (MID) often face obstacles that hinder their engagement, revealing significant gaps in equal access to educational opportunities. Previous studies suggest that collaborative partnerships between parents and schools can play a vital role in promoting meaningful participation; however, there is limited empirical evidence on the effectiveness of these collaborations in supporting research engagement among students with MID.
Purpose of the Study: The primary objective of this study was to investigate the impact of parent-school collaboration on research participation among students with MID. In particular, the study sought to determine how teacher involvement, parental engagement, school-home communication, and parental provisions collectively and individually predict students' participation in research activities.
Methods: This research employed a cross-sectional survey approach, gathering data from 437 students with mild intellectual disabilities enrolled in public schools in Cross River State, Nigeria. A quantitatively validated questionnaire was used to ensure the reliability and validity of the data collected. Analyses included descriptive statistics, one-sample t-tests, and multiple regression to examine the relationships and predictive power of the identified factors.
Findings: The findings revealed that students with MID generally demonstrated low levels of participation in research activities. Collectively, parental engagement, teacher involvement, school-home communication, and parental provisions influenced research participation. Among these factors, teacher involvement was the most influential predictor, followed by parental engagement and provisions, whereas school-home communication contributed the least.
Conclusions: The study highlights the vital role that both educators and parents play in promoting research participation among students with MID. The results have implications that extend beyond the local context, highlighting global challenges in ensuring equitable academic opportunities for students with intellectual disabilities and underscoring the importance of promoting inclusive education practices.
Implications: From a theoretical perspective, the study enhances existing models of inclusive education by clarifying the relative impact of school- and family-based support on research participation. Practically, it highlights the need for targeted teacher training, structured programs to promote parental involvement, and enhanced school-home communication channels. Policymakers are encouraged to adopt inclusive research participation guidelines to cultivate supportive learning environments, ultimately enhancing students' academic development, engagement, and long-term outcomes
Effect of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Scaffolded Planning Tools on Research Question Formulation Among Students with Mild Intellectual Disabilities: A Randomized Controlled Trial Analysis
No full textIntroduction: Students with mild intellectual disabilities often encounter significant difficulties when faced with complex academic tasks, particularly in developing research topics. These challenges are not only linked to their cognitive limitations but are also compounded by limited instructional support within learning environments. As a result, there is an increasing need for innovative strategies that can simplify learning without diluting academic standards. One promising approach is the use of artificial intelligence–based scaffolding tools, which provide learners with structured guidance to help them navigate demanding academic tasks.
Purpose: This study aimed to explore how AI-supported planning tools influence students' ability to formulate research topics. Beyond this central objective, the study also examined whether differences in school type and gender affected students' performance when supported with AI scaffolding.
Methods: The study adopted a pretest–posttest randomized controlled trial involving 94 students. Participants were randomly assigned to either the experimental group, which received AI-scaffolded support, or the control group, which did not receive any support. The Research Topic Quality Scale, adapted from Creswell and Clark (2018), was employed to evaluate the clarity, feasibility, and alignment of research topics generated by the students. Data analysis was conducted using ANCOVA to examine both main effects and interaction effects of the independent variables.
Results: The findings revealed that students who had access to the AI-scaffolded tool performed significantly better in developing their research topics compared to those in the control group. In addition, results showed that private school students achieved higher scores than their counterparts in public schools, suggesting that resource availability played a role. Gender, however, did not emerge as a significant factor in students’ performance. No significant interaction effects were found between school type, gender, and intervention.
Conclusion: The study demonstrates that AI-based scaffolding has the potential to enhance the ability of students with mild intellectual disabilities to engage with higher-order academic tasks, such as formulating research topics. While the intervention proved effective for both male and female learners, the differences observed between private and public schools highlight persistent inequalities in educational resources that still need to be addressed.
Originality/Value: This research contributes to the growing body of evidence supporting the integration of artificial intelligence into inclusive education. By demonstrating that AI-driven scaffolding can enhance complex academic skills, the study underscores its value as a practical and innovative approach for promoting educational success among students with mild intellectual disabilities
Foreign Aid and Economic Conditionality in Africa, 1960-2010: A Historical Analysis of Complex Relations
Full text linkThis study examines the nature and patterns of foreign aid and economic conditionalities in sub-Saharan Africa from the early 1960s, when most African countries gained independence, to the early 2000s, a period that saw the rise, consolidation, and gradual transformation of economic conditionality as a central feature of aid relations. It notes that economic conditionality refers to the policy requirements, often based on neoliberal economic principles, that donor countries and multilateral institutions, such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, impose on recipient states as a precondition for accessing loans, debt relief, or development grants. The article argues that these conditions were most aggressively implemented during the 1980s and 1990s, especially through Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs), which sought to reshape African economies by enforcing market liberalization, privatization, and fiscal austerity. The focus on sub-Saharan Africa is intentional, as this region was disproportionately targeted for policy-based lending and remains the most aid-dependent part of the continent, making it a crucial site for assessing the long-term impact of foreign aid conditionalities. This study scrutinizes the rationale behind these aid conditions by analyzing the policy objectives of donor institutions such as the IMF, the World Bank, and major Western governments, as well as the perspectives of African scholars and policymakers. The study draws on theoretical debates among dependency theorists, neoliberal economists, and postcolonial scholars, who disagree on whether conditional aid promotes sustainable development or reinforces neocolonial dependency
Parallel Crises: The Underlying Science Infodemic Revealed by the COVID-19 Pandemic
Full text linkThis study examines the relationship between news consumption behaviors and credibility assessments during the COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers surveyed and interviewed participants and found evidence that political ideology and demographics significantly relate to news-seeking practices, trust in sources, and knowledge about the virus. Participants struggled to articulate coherent fact-checking strategies. The conflation of news and information resulted in widespread distrust. This study underscores the need for comprehensive news literacy education to generate critical thinking toward and informed engagement with news sources in a public health crisis
Gamification in Child and Adolescent Health: Trends, Applications, and Policy Relevance for Mental Well-Being, Physical Activity, and Nutrition
No full textAim: This study presents a bibliometric analysis of the use of gamification in mental health research (GMHR), aiming to provide a comprehensive quantitative evaluation of publication trends, key contributors, collaboration networks, thematic development, and emerging research themes in this field.
Methods: Relevant literature was retrieved from the Scopus database and analyzed using bibliometric tools, including VOSviewer and RStudio. The analysis focused on identifying publication outputs, author collaborations, co-word networks, and thematic evolution from 2013 to 2024.
Results: A total of 276 documents were identified, with an annual growth rate of 32.98%. The average number of co-authors per document was 4.99, indicating robust collaborative activity, including international partnerships. Leading contributors included Cheng VWS, Hickie IB, and Fleisch E, who are affiliated with prominent research institutions. Key research themes included gamification, mHealth, anxiety, and ADHD. The findings revealed a dynamic and expanding field responding to contemporary societal mental health needs.
Conclusion: Gamification is increasingly being integrated into mental health interventions, showing promise in addressing psychological well-being, particularly among children, adolescents, and individuals with ADHD. Interventions utilizing serious games and mobile health apps have been shown to enhance user engagement, adherence, and cognitive outcomes, especially when targeting anxiety and attention disorders. Empirical studies within the most cited GMHR publications demonstrate effectiveness in areas such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) delivery, biofeedback-based regulation, and emotion recognition training through game mechanics
Overestimation of Cardiovascular Mortality Risk by Kaplan-Meier in Competing Risks Settings: A Web-Based Calculator and NHANES Analysis
Full text linkBackground: Traditional Kaplan-Meier (KM) event rates are widely used for cardiovascular risk prediction and tend to overestimate absolute event risk for patients by censoring competing events, such as non-cardiovascular death. Competing risks analysis (CRA), which account for such terminal events, offers more accurate estimates. However, its application in a web-based health analytics remains limited.
Methods: Using a simulated cohort (n = 2,500; 100 repetitions) and the 1999–2000 NHANES cohort (n = 2,480) with 2019 National Death Index mortality linkage, the researcher compared KM estimates to CRA’s Cumulative Incidence Function (CIF), implemented via Aalen-Johansen estimators and Fine-Gray subdistribution hazard models. We assessed relative differences (bias) in 5-, 10-, 15-, and 20-year cardiovascular mortality predictions across risk strata. Findings informed a web-based calculator prototype that dynamically estimates age-specific KM and CIF probabilities while highlighting potential misclassification risks.
Results: KM consistently overestimated cardiovascular mortality risk compared to CIF. In the NHANES cohort, KM estimated the 5-year risk to be 5.85% higher than the actual rate (4.37% vs. 4.13%) and 20-year risk by 28.3% (20.02% vs. 15.60%). In the simulated data, KM overestimated the 5-year risk by 7.63% (5.84% vs. 5.42%) and the 20-year risk by 31.17% (21.37% vs. 16.25%). KM-based models tend to misclassify a substantial portion of patients into higher-risk groups compared to CIF-adjusted models.
Conclusion: This study demonstrates that Kaplan-Meier consistently overestimates cardiovascular mortality in comparison to competing risk methods across five time points, through using both simulated and nationally representative data. We quantify this overestimation and provide an online calculator that shows differences by age. Our tool improves the usability and interpretability of competing risks analysis for older adults in digital health settings, in contrast to tools like SCORE2
Structural Equation Modeling of Oral Stomatitis and Its Determinants among the Sundanese Ethnic Group: Evidence from IFLS-5
Full text linkBackground: Oral stomatitis is an inflammation of the mucosa in various oral structures such as cheeks, gums, tongue, lips, palate, and floor of the mouth that commonly occurs in communities, including among the Sundanese ethnic group. Risk factors affecting stomatitis incidence in the Sundanese population need to be analyzed for developing more effective prevention programs.
Aim: To analyze risk factors for stomatitis among the Sundanese population using panel data from the Indonesian Family Life Survey (IFLS).
Method: This was an analytical observational study using secondary data from IFLS-5. The research design employed structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis examining variables including age, gender, education, residential area classification, general health status, and smoking habits.
Results: The study revealed that age and general health variables had significant associations with stomatitis occurrence (p<0,001). Ages below 25 years and suboptimal health conditions proved to be significant factors influencing increased stomatitis incidence. Meanwhile, gender, education level, residential area classification, and smoking habits showed no significant correlation.
Conclusion: Age and general health status are the main risk factors for stomatitis occurrence among the Sundanese population, which can serve as a reference for prevention program development
Childhood Tuberculosis: Epidemiology, Etiology, Pathophysiology, Pathogenesis, Risk Factors, Prevention and Diagnosis: A Narrative Review
Full text linkBackground: Tuberculosis is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria. These bacteria are rod-shaped and acid-resistant, so they are often known as acid-resistant bacilli (BTA). Children are at high risk of TB infection, especially infants and toddlers. Children infected with TB are at risk of developing severe TB disease that can lead to death or long-term disability. This article review focuses on a brief introduction to anemia, its etiology, pathophysiology, impact and preventive measures.
Methods: Major databases including Scopus, Pubmed, Proquest, Google Scholar, and Science Direct were searched for articles related to pediatric tuberculosis. The keyword used in the literature search was “pediatric tuberculosis”. The time frame of the articles obtained ranged from 2016 to 2023.
Results: This study shows that the burden of pediatric tuberculosis (TB) remains high globally and nationally. WHO reported 1.2 million cases of pediatric TB with more than 200,000 deaths, mainly in children under five. In Indonesia, pediatric TB cases increased from 110,881 (2022) to 129,798 (2023), with bacteriological confirmation still low, especially in children <5 years. In South Sulawesi, the trend of cases is decreasing, but in Parepare City it has increased from 16 to 21 cases. The main obstacles include difficulty in diagnosis, limited facilities, low coverage of TB preventive therapy (TPT), and suboptimal handling of drug-resistant TB.
Conclusion: Diagnosing TB in children remains difficult due to limited tools and low bacterial presence. Many cases go underdiagnosed or overdiagnosed, while drug-resistant TB poses added risks. Prevention includes BCG vaccination, controlling risk factors, and TPT. Disparities in diagnosis and treatment persist. Early detection, family education, and access to care are vital. Strengthening community and household approaches can narrow diagnostic gaps and prevent complications in childhood TB