Factors Causing Wasting in Toddlers: A Literature Review

/in /by

Background: Wasting is one of the acute nutritional problems in toddlers, reflecting a weight that is too low for their height. This condition can increase the risk of mortality and long-term developmental disorders. The prevalence of wasting in Indonesia in 2022 reached 7.7%, with Bandar Lampung City at 8.4%, exceeding the provincial average.

Objective: This study aims to review research articles or journals on the factors causing wasting in toddlers.

Methods: The method used in this study is a literature review sourced from the Google Scholar and PubMed databases within the period of 2020-2025. Literature selection was conducted based on inclusion and exclusion criteria determined by the researcher. This review stage includes identifying the research problem, searching for literature, presenting data, and evaluating the data.

Results: Based on the literature review collected, the causes of wasting can be categorized into direct and indirect factors. Direct factors include inadequate food intake and infectious diseases like diarrhea. Indirect factors include exclusive breastfeeding, feeding practices, and access to healthcare services. The main underlying factors are poverty, family characteristics, food distribution patterns, the mother’s education level, employment status, and household income level.

Conclusion: Wasting in young children is caused by a complex interaction between direct, indirect, and primary factors. Prevention and management efforts for wasting must be designed comprehensively, considering all contributing factors, especially improved nutritional intake, management of infectious diseases, increased maternal knowledge, and improvement of family socioeconomic conditions.

The Development of a Deep Learning-Based STEAM Project Module to Enhance Students’ Environmental Literacy through an Eco-Enzyme Initiative

/in /by

The global environmental crisis demands innovative educational approaches to build environmental literacy from an early age. This study aims to develop a deep-learning-based project module integrated with STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) through an eco-enzyme project to improve the environmental literacy of fifth-grade students at MIN 1 Sidoarjo. The research employed the 4D development model (Define, Design, Develop, Disseminate) with a qualitative– quantitative approach. Data were collected through questionnaires, interviews, observations, and pretest–posttest assessments, then analyzed descriptively and statistically (N-Gain). Validation results from experts in content, media, and pedagogy indicated that the module was highly valid (average scores of 4.26, 3.8, and 4.3). Small- and large-scale trials demonstrated that the module was practical (average student response of 3.4) and effective in enhancing environmental literacy, with significant improvements in both cognitive (N-Gain = 0.70) and affective (N-Gain = 0.72) domains. The eco-enzyme project also strengthens the dimensions of the Pancasila Student Profile, particularly creativity, independence, and collaboration. The implications of this study affirm that integrating STEAM and deep learning within a contextual project module can create meaningful learning, foster 21st-century skills, and cultivate students’ ecological awareness. Recommendations include implementing similar modules in elementary schools and developing educational policies that support project-based environmental learning.

A Study of the Financial Sustainability of Cameroonian SMEs: The Role of Internal Audit

/in /by

This research article mainly aims to analyse the influence of internal audit on the financial sustainability of SMEs in Cameroon. Specifically, it aims to analyse the nature of the effect of internal control system on the growth of the company’s workforce on one hand, and on the other and to analyse the nature of the effect of risk mapping on changes in the company’s net profit in Cameroon. Using quantitative analysis, in particular analysis of variance and linear regression, we find that internal audit significantly influences the sustainability of Cameroonian SMEs. It is therefore recommended that SMEs, no matter their size and experience, should put in place tough internal audit functions to assure sustainable performance.

Effect of Different Times of Budding on Budding Success and Subsequent Seedling Growth in Peach

/in /by

The present experiment entitled “Effect of different times of budding on subsequent seedling growth of Peach” was carried in open field conditions at fruit nursery, Department of Horticulture, Paktia University, Gardiz, Paktia province, Afghanistan during the year 2018-2019. Peach cv. Benidict was T-budded on peach seedling rootstocks with four different times (May 9; June 13; July 7 and August 23, 2018). The objective of this investigation was to find out the appropriate time of budding in order to obtain vigorous budded saplings under climatic conditions of Paktia province. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Completely Block design with 10 replicates. The results showed that different budding times had significantly affected the bud take success rate and vegetative growth of budded saplings. Budding in August and June (T4 and T2) revealed the highest bud takes success rate (87% and 83,33%) respectively, however budding in May (T1) with lowest bud take success rate (20%). Budding in June (T2) and August (T4) had not showed significant difference among themselves. Budding in May (T1) obtained first rank with highest average number of lateral branches (14,85), stem diameter (13,73mm), longest sprout length (104,7cm) and highest average number of leaves (207,7), though budding in June (T2), July (T3) and August(T4) had not showed significant difference in vegetative growth parameters like number of lateral branches and stem diameter. According to Fisher’s LSD test budded saplings in August (T4) obtained the shortest sprout length (53,8cm), However, the sprout length among the budded saplings in May (T1), June (T2) and July (T3) was not found significantly different. The highest average number of leaves (207, 7) and lowest average number of leaves (54, 2) was recorded under T1 (May budding) and T4 (August budding) respectively, Meanwhile the average number of leaves was not significantly different among T2 (June budding) and T3 (July budding) budding times.

Comparative Analysis Between John Onimisi Obidi’s Theory of Entropicity (ToE) and Waldemar Marek Feldt’s FELDT–HIGGS Universal Bridge (F–HUB) Theory

/in /by

In the unfolding landscape of twenty-first century theoretical physics, the pursuit of a unified de-scription of nature remains among the most profound challenges. This paper presents a detailed com-parative analysis between two emerging frameworks—John Onimisi Obidi’s Theory of Entrop-icity (ToE) and Waldemar Marek Feldt’s FELDT–HIGGS Universal Bridge (F–HUB) Theory—each of which offers a novel reinterpretation of mass, gravity, entropy, and information.

The Theory of Entropicity (ToE) establishes entropy not as a statistical by-product of disorder but as the fundamental field and causal substrate of physical reality. It reconstructs gravitation, time, and quantum behavior from the dynamics of an entropy field governed by the Obidi Action and the Vuli-Ndlela Integral. Conversely, the FELDT–HIGGS Universal Bridge (F–HUB) formulates an informational architecture of the universe in which mass and spacetime emerge from quantum information structuring mediated by the Higgs field. Its central relation, the F–HUB Master Equation, integrates thermodynamic constants to link information, mass, and entropy within a unified algebraic framework.

This study systematically compares the philosophical premises, mathematical foundations, and physical implications of both theories. It further examines whether F–HUB’s informational emergence model can be interpreted as a subset or limiting case of ToE’s entropic dynamics. By contrasting the causality orders—F–HUB: Information → Entropy → Mass → Gravity → Spacetime and ToE: Entropy → Information → Mass → Motion → Spacetime—the paper argues that ToE provides a deeper, first-principles formulation of physical law in which entropy is the generative field underlying information and structure. Both frameworks together signal a paradigm shift toward post-Einsteinian physics grounded not in geometry, but in informational–entropic causation.

A Review of Dairy Farming as A Tool for Sustainable Rural Development and Female Empowerment in Kalaburagi and Bidar

/in /by

This review explores dairy farming as a strategic avenue for promoting sustainable rural development and empowering women in the Kalaburagi and Bidar districts of Karnataka. These regions, predominantly agrarian with limited industrial growth, face socio-economic challenges such as unemployment, income inequality, and gender disparity. The need for the study arises from the pressing requirement to identify inclusive and sustainable livelihood options, particularly for rural women who often remain on the periphery of economic participation. The review synthesizes existing literature, field reports, and policy frameworks to assess how dairy farming has evolved as a livelihood model. Findings indicate that dairy farming not only enhances household income and nutritional security but also significantly boosts women’s socio-economic status through increased decision-making roles and financial independence. Initiatives led by self-help groups (SHGs), cooperatives, and government schemes have further facilitated access to resources, training, and credit support, thus strengthening women’s participation in the dairy value chain. The study underscores the dual impact of dairy farming—contributing to rural economic resilience while acting as a catalyst for gender empowerment. However, persistent challenges such as limited access to veterinary care, fluctuating market prices, and lack of infrastructural support need to be addressed. The review concludes by highlighting the scope for future research in evaluating the long-term sustainability of dairy farming under climate variability, as well as the need for gender-sensitive policy interventions that ensure equitable growth across rural sectors.

The Degree of Digital Reading Utilization and Its Relationship with Attitudes Toward It Among Female Students in the Teacher Preparation Program at the University of Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman

/in /by

This study aimed to explore the degree of digital reading utilization and its relationship with attitudes toward it among female students enrolled in the Teacher Preparation Program for the first and second field at the University of Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman. The study sample consisted of 140 students, equally divided between the first (70 students) and the second field (70 students). A questionnaire was used to measure both the degree of digital reading utilization and students’ attitudes toward it. The instrument consisted of (27) items, and its validity and reliability were confirmed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The findings revealed that the students demonstrated a low level of digital reading utilization, with an overall mean of (2.33). Responses to individual items ranged from very low (1.60) to moderate (3.54). Similarly, students’ attitudes toward digital reading were weak, with a mean score of (2.18); responses ranged from very weak (1.70) to moderate (2.56). The study also found a statistically significant positive correlation between digital reading utilization and attitudes toward it, with a Pearson correlation coefficient of (0.511) at the (0.001) significance level. The study concluded with several recommendations aimed at enhancing digital reading practices and promoting positive attitudes among future teachers.

Chronic Lymphedema and Venous Stasis Ulceration in a Rural West Virginia Patient: A Case Report Highlighting Urgent Need of Quality Improvement in Rural Wound-Care Management due to Socioeconomic Disparities

/in /by

This report presents a 55-year-old male with chronic bilateral leg lymphedema and venous stasis ulcerations, whose condition was worsened by delayed vascular intervention. Imaging revealed critical bilateral common iliac vein stenoses greater than 70%. This case highlights the downstream effects of structural socioeconomic barriers on chronic disease outcomes in underserved Appalachian communities. 1

Systematic Literature Review on the Effectiveness of LDPE and PET Waste in Piezoelectric Paving with a DC Coupling System

/in /by

This paper analyzes the effectiveness of utilizing waste materials consisting of LDPE and PET compounds for pavement, integrating piezoelectric technology with a DC coupling control system. This pavement may function as a sustainable renewable energy solution for the global energy crisis. Paving systems including these materials can effectively convert mechanical stress into electrical energy, hence improving sustainable urban energy infrastructure. This study aims to evaluate a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) of 100 relevant international and national journal publications. The SLR method systematically identifies, assesses, and synthesizes current research, ensuring the relevance and contextual specificity of the chosen studies. The author provides a realistic framework for testing, emphasizing the significance of quality control to ensure accurate results.

Phytosociological Studies of Tree Species for long-term monitoring and management

/in /by

Tree species diversity studies help to understand the species composition and determine the information for forest conservation. The current workwas conducted in Salumarada Thimmakka Park for the assessment of tree species composition. Random sampling using quadrants was employed for the study. This study assesses the park’s biodiversity index to provide a detailed assessment of its ecological health, species richness and distribution. This researchused quantitative methodologies, such as Shannon-Weiner and Simpson’s Diversity Indices, to assess species abundance and evenness across the ecosystems.The objective is to study composition and diversity of tree species. Tree species and families were identified, a total of 240 species of trees distributed into 8 families were found in all the quadrants and the dominant families were Fabaceae and Santalaceae. This work examined a number of well-known diversity indexes, i.e., Shannon index (H’), Simpson Diversity Index (D), Pielou Evenness Index (J), Margalef’s Diversity indicator (R), Berger–Parker Index (d), Menhinick index (D Menhinick), Brillouin’s Diversity Index (Hb), McIntosh Diversity Index (DM) and IVI, Santalum album has the highest IVI (54.23) and Mangifera indica has the lowest IVI (4.6),Quadrant 4 showed highest biodiversity compared to other three quadrants.Variations in species composition demonstrate the significance of conservation efforts to safeguard native species and improve ecosystem stability. This study emphasises the ecological relevance of Salumarada Thimmakka Park and provides baseline data needed for long-term monitoring and management.