The Effect of Knee Injury and Sedentary Behavior on the Incidence of Knee Osteoarthritis at Muhammadiyah Metro General Hospital

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Knee osteoarthritis is one of the most common degenerative joint diseases found in adults and the elderly. This disease causes pain, stiffness, limited movement, and impacts the quality of life of sufferers. The risk factors for osteoarthritis are multifactorial, but among the modifiable factors, a history of knee injury and sedentary behavior are of particular concern because they have been shown to contribute to the onset of osteoarthritis. This study aims to determine the relationship between a history of knee injury and sedentary behavior with the incidence of knee osteoarthritis at Muhammadiyah Metro General Hospital. The study design is an observational analysis with a case-control approach. The sample consisted of 152 respondents, comprising 76 cases (patients with knee osteoarthritis) and 76 controls (patients without knee osteoarthritis). Data were collected through interviews using structured questionnaires and medical record reviews. Bivariate analysis was performed using the Chi-square test with odds ratio (OR) calculations and 95% confidence intervals. A total of 38.2% of respondents had a history of knee injury and 12.5% had sedentary behavior. The test results showed a significant relationship between a history of knee injury and the incidence of knee osteoarthritis (p = 0.000; OR = 6.089; 95% CI: 2.913–12.729). In addition, sedentary behavior was also significantly associated with the occurrence of knee osteoarthritis (p = 0.000; OR = 23.276; 95% CI: 3.019–179.476). This study shows that a history of knee injury and sedentary behavior are significant risk factors for the occurrence of knee osteoarthritis in patients at Muhammadiyah Metro General Hospital.

Organizational Culture Transformation Towards Inclusive Development in Timor Leste: Dynamics of Equalizing Social and Cultural Development

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This topic is a significant part of my dissertation research which reviews the Transformation of Organizational Culture in the Environment of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Solidarity, and Inclusion in Timor-Leste. This discussion aims to; 1) describe in detail the Transformation of Organizational Culture in the Environment of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Solidarity, and Inclusion in Timor-Leste, and 2) reveal how the important role of this ministry in its efforts for development in Timor-Leste. The research was conducted with a descriptive qualitative approach by utilizing the theory of transformation principles introduced by Bernand Bass (1985). Improvement of an institution can only be done by recognizing the organizational culture that applies in the organization or institution, namely the Ministry of Social Affairs, Solidarity, and Inclusion. As a large organization that oversees a number of social offices under it, this ministry functions not only as a reference institution but also as a role model institution for organizations under it throughout the country. The results of this study indicate that change is the impact of development to improve the welfare of the Timorese people so that equitable social resilience is created. Organizational culture transformation is by establishing core values that must be understood together, under inspiring leadership, providing recognition and appreciation (reward system), training and development (capacity quality improvement), and building a solid team.

A Dependable Numerical Approach for Solving a Nonlinear Generalized Fractional Distributed-Order Black-Scholes Equation

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In this research, we explore the nonlinear generalized distributed-order time-fractional Black-Scholes equation using an implicit numerical approach. Finite difference techniques are employed to approximate the time and spatial derivatives. Our numerical results exhibit high accuracy, underscoring the method’s robustness in addressing financial models. Additionally, our approach offers significant advantages in computational efficiency and stability. By using the implicit method, we ensure solution stability even with larger time steps, which is particularly beneficial for long-term financial modeling. The implications of this study extend beyond financial engineering. The methodologies developed can be adapted to solve various fractional differential equations in different scientific and engineering fields. The successful application of these techniques to the Black-Scholes equation suggests their potential utility in other areas requiring precise and efficient numerical solutions.

Gender Differences in Career Choices and Aspirations among Girls and Boys: A Case of Selected Secondary Schools in Mongu District of Zambia

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Career choice has become a complex science with the advent of post-industrial revolution and job competition. The right career made for pupils entering the professional education is critical having life impact on their professional life and future achievement. However, studies have shown that gender plays a deterministic role in career choices. Although significant progress in achieving parity in education is evident, there are limited studies that examine factors that lead to gender differences in career choice as boys and girls progress on academic ladder. This study examined the differences in career choices and aspirations among girls and boys in selected secondary schools in Mongu District of Western Province, Zambia. The target population for the study comprised all grade 11 and grade 12 pupils accounting for 460 pupils and four career guidance teachers. The study sample was 150 representing 73 boys, 73 girls and 4 career guidance and counselling teachers from the two schools. Interviews and Focus Group Discussions were used as data collection methods. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically while quantitative data was analyzed using frequency distributions and tables. The findings indicated that male pupils have more career ambitions unlike girls due to their upbringing and how they are socialized. Prominent factors that came out as affecting pupil’s career choice were; Parental influence, the nature of acquired results at grade 12, financial constraints, peer pressure and teachers advice. The study highlighted some of the gender stereotypical segregation where one class of only boys was put in a separate class to take subjects that are perceived to be male dominated like Geometrical Science, Woodwork and pure sciences. This separation clearly showed that the school management was not supporting girls to take up such subjects which in turn gives girls no motivation. The study identified, lack of support from school management when it comes to career pathways of pupils, inadequate time allocated for career guidance services and programs, unavailability of career guidance teachers, as well as lack of role models. Based on the findings, it is recommended that the school board should adopt a gender sensitive and responsive policy on career pathways and programs that support boys and girls academic endeavors, as well as organize trainings for career guidance teachers coupled with latest teaching and learning materials such as career guide manuals for pupils.

AI-Driven Writing Instruction and College EFL Learners’ Writing Proficiency: A Complex Dynamic Systems Perspective

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Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) technology is transforming language education, particularly in the realm of writing instruction. Since the introduction of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, extensive research has demonstrated the efficacy of incorporating GenAI into writing instruction to boost learners’ writing proficiency. These studies have typically employed a “ladder” perspective to assess learners’ writing development through comparing the outcomes of pre- and post-intervention tests. However, this approach often overlooks the dynamic progression of writing competence. To address this gap, the present study investigated the developmental trajectory of tertiary-level English learners’ writing proficiency through the framework of Complex Dynamic Systems Theory (CDST). Over a 13-week AI-driven writing program, thirteen students participated and underwent seven writing assessments. The comparison between learners’ initial and final writing proficiency states revealed significant improvements in overall writing proficiency, as well as in the dimensions of writing complexity and accuracy, though not in fluency. Nonetheless, analysis of the writing outcomes indicated fluctuations in overall writing proficiency, complexity, fluency, and accuracy across the seven tests. Additionally, learners displayed individual variability in their developmental trajectories across all aspects of writing. The study also identified trade-offs among writing complexity, fluency, and accuracy throughout the instructional process. These findings provide empirical support for CDST within an AI-driven teaching context and offer valuable insights for enhancing writing instruction.

Client-Auditor Relationship: Challenges and Ethical Dilemmas in Vietnam

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This study examines the challenges and ethical dilemmas that auditors face in maintaining independence in Vietnam, addressing a gap in previous research, which has primarily focused on quantitative studies. The study aims to explore how client pressure, conflicts of interest, and cultural norms influence the integrity of audits and to identify the strategies auditors use to navigate these challenges. Using a qualitative research approach, based on 36 semi-structured interviews and two focus group discussions, the findings reveal significant challenges and ethical dilemmas in the client-auditor relationship in Vietnam, including client pressure to modify audit opinions, conflicts of interest, and ethical concerns related to gifts and hospitality. These issues threaten auditor independence, particularly for smaller audit firms. The results highlight the need for stricter regulatory oversight, enhanced ethical education, and firm-level policies to safeguard audit quality and professional integrity in Vietnam’s evolving financial landscape.

Review of Chemical Kinetics in Oxidation Reactions Involving Thallium (III) and Polymer-Supported Chromium (VI) in Acidic Media

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The results of multiple kinetic and mechanistic studies on the oxidation of alcohols and hydrazides using polymer-supported chromium(VI) and thorium(III) in acidic conditions are summarized in this study. These investigations reveal the underlying reaction orders, thermodynamic parameters, mechanistic routes, and variables such as pH, solvent polarity, dielectric constant, and chloride concentration. Cr(VI)-supported systems function with zero-order kinetics, whereas Tl(III)-mediated oxidations follow non-radical routes, including the creation of intermediate complexes. The paper emphasizes the importance of precisely manipulating reaction parameters in providing valuable insights into the chemical kinetics of redox systems, utilizing polymer-supported chromium (VI) and thorium (III) in acidic conditions, which are summarized.

The Cult of Resilience and Sustainability or The Crisis of Human Emancipation: Exploration and Analytical Inferences of nowadays VET through the lens of Marcuse’s Critical Theory

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This article critically examines the prevailing utilitarian orientation of Vocational Education and Training (VET) in the discourse of resistance and sustainability that impose a cult of Vocationalism through the lens of Herbert Marcuse’s critical theory. It explores how the systemic influence of technological rationality, reinforced by marketdriven imperatives, stabilize steadily a conformist, one-dimensional society that suppresses critical consciousness and human emancipation. Centralizing on key concepts such as false needs, reification, and repressive tolerance, the analysis reveals how current VET practices often serve to reproduce systemic domination under the well-intentioned guise of neutrality, resilience, sustainability and efficiency. The article appeals for a transformative reimagining of VET—one that moves beyond instrumental skills to profoundly cultivate critical reflection, democratic engagement, and human dignity. The integration philosophical and ethical inquiry into curricula, promoting learner agency, and encouraging normative questioning of technological and societal systems, a liberatory and purified of cliché model of VET can be realized—aimed not solely at labour market integration but at breeding autonomous individuals capable of remodelling the shape of a more just and realistically sustainable future.

Relationship between Work Posture and Musculoskeletal Disorders among Farmers in North Metro, Lampung Province

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Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a high prevalence health problem in the farming population with a significant impact on productivity and quality of life. This study aims to analyze the relationship between work posture and the risk of MSDs complaints in farmers in North Metro District, Lampung Province. This study used a cross-sectional design with quantitative analysis conducted in April-July 2025 on 329 farmers in North Metro District using stratified random sampling technique. The research instruments included Nordic Body Maps for MSDs screening and Anthropometric Workplace Biomechanical Assessment questionnaire for work posture assessment. The results of the Nordic Body Maps questionnaire showed 41.3% of respondents experienced a high risk of MSDs with a homogeneous distribution of complaints in all anatomical segments. Non-ergonomic work postures were mostly in the slightly high category (45.6%). The analysis showed that there was a relationship between work posture and the risk of MSDs complaints ((p-value <0.005, OR 68.933, 95% CI 26.521-179.171)). Comprehensive interventions through ergonomic modifications, optimal posture education, and lifestyle management are needed to mitigate the prevalence of MSDs in the farming population.

Road Management Policy Formulation Strategy for Sustainable Development

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This study is a discussion of development in the perspective of the Provincial Road Management System (PRMS) which is closely related to the formulation of government policies. The strategy for formulating road management policies for sustainable development involves various aspects that are integrated with other aspects such as economic, social, and environmental. This includes planning, construction, and maintenance of efficient, safe, and environmentally friendly roads, and involves community participation. This study is formulated with two main objectives; 1) formulating the form of road management policy formulation for sustainable development, and 2) outlining the strategy for managing sustainable road development and having an impact on the community. Based on these two objectives, the relevant approach used is the Provincial Road Management System (PRMS). This study uses a literature review method with a descriptive analysis by applying the Theory of Sustainable Development by Gro Harlem Brundtland. The results of this study indicate that there are at least nine points, namely, Spatial Planning, Sustainable Road Development, Sustainable Road Management, Community Participation, Increasing Public Awareness, Public Transportation Development, Technology Application, Local Industry Development, and Environmental Impact Control. Road management policies for sustainable development need to be formulated early with various considerations in order to produce an optimal formulation that can be used for road management, especially for sustainable regional development.