English Majors’ Perceived Effects of the Use of TikTok on Self-Regulated Learning

/in /by

The use of social media platforms has been popular among EFL learners and has become a topic of interest to researchers around the world in various academic contexts. This study, therefore, investigated the perceived effects of TikTok on self-regulated language learning strategies of English majors at a private university in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, for comprehensive insights. The study involved 103 English-majored freshmen, who participated in the completion of the questionnaire; concurrently, 10 of them were recruited for the semi-structured interviews via convenience sampling. Subsequently, quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics in SPSS 27, and qualitative data were examined through thematic analysis. There were 64 females (62.1%) and 39 males ( 37.9%), whose responses were considered valid for the analysis procedures. The findings of the numerical data and interview responses indicated that the use of TikTok for SRL activities was frequent and regular, with general positive perceptions towards its effects on autonomous learning, which were illustrated through 4 dimensions: Metacognition, Cognition, Motivation, and Behavioural/Emotional aspects. Moreover, the results of Skewness and Kurtosis fell within the recommended thresholds of ±1, suggesting acceptable normality of the data distribution. By acknowledging the favourable results, this study demonstrates TikTok’s potential as a valuable tool for self-regulated English learning, fostering learners’ autonomous behaviour and motivation. However, limited generalizability due to small sample size, reliance on self-reported data, cross-sectional design, and the focus on one group of participants remained the limitations of the current study, leaving room for future suggestions on longitudinal and multi-context studies.

Vietnamese Non-English Majors’ Perceptions of the Impact of ChatGPT on Self-Directed Learning: A Study at a Public College

/in /by

ChatGPT has attracted considerable interest from educators and researchers in teaching English as a foreign language; however, there is not much empirical evidence about the effects of ChatGPT on EFL learners’ self-directed learning. The current study explores the impact of ChatGPT on self-directed learning among EFL learners in a Vietnamese public college. A mixed-methods research design was used. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected through a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews through the participation of 144 non-English majors. Data were analyzed quantitatively through descriptive statistics and qualitatively through thematic analysis. Findings revealed that non-English majors mostly used ChatGPT for self-study, language practice, and answer verification. Furthermore, ChatGPT had a moderate positive effect on self-directed learning among participants, especially in terms of personal responsibility and self-regulation. However, ChatGPT’s role in promoting learner autonomy was rather insignificant. The findings imply that ChatGPT may be efficiently integrated into English learning, provided it is done alongside pedagogical guidance and critical assessment of ChatGPT responses by learners.

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) Production from Wastewater: Microbial Pathways, Production Strategies, and Sustainability Perspectives

/in /by

The increasing accumulation of petroleum-based plastic waste and wastewater has intensified the need for sustainable waste management and biodegradable alternatives. Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (P3HB), a microbial biopolymer, has emerged as a promising substitute for conventional plastics. This article reviews the potential of wastewater as a renewable substrate for P3HB production, with emphasis on microbial pathways, production strategies, and sustainability aspects. It discusses different wastewater sources, P3HB-producing microorganisms, metabolic engineering approaches, production processes, and polymer recovery techniques, highlighting the factors that influence productivity and product quality. The integration of P3HB production into biorefinery systems and its contribution to resource recovery, greenhouse gas mitigation, and the circular bioeconomy are also addressed. Overall, wastewater-based P3HB production represents a sustainable and economically attractive approach for biodegradable polymer production, although further technological advances are required to support large-scale industrial implementation.

German Hazardous Substances Law

/in /by

German hazardous substances law serves as a national supplement to the requirements of European hazardous substances legislation. Its specific provisions must be taken into account – alongside European rules – when distributing products within the Federal Republic of Germany. Key German regulatory instruments in this field include the German Chemicals Act, the Ordinance on the Prohibition of Chemicals, the Hazardous Substances Ordinance, and the Technical Rules for Hazardous Substances. Their essential contents are presented and discussed. The national legal hierarchy regarding hazardous substances and the enforcement and compliance monitoring carried out by various stakeholders are also addressed.

Differences in Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scores Across Workload Categories Among Nurses Working at Community Health Centers in Metro City, Lampung Province

/in /by

Background: Increasing workloads among nurses working at community health centers, driven by high service demands and limited staffing, may adversely affect mental health, particularly symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.

Objective: To examine differences in depression, anxiety, and stress scores across workload categories among nurses working at community health centers administered by the Metro City Health Office.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2025 to July 2026 at 11 community health centers. A total of 55 nurses were recruited using purposive sampling. Workload was assessed using the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index (NASA-TLX), whereas depression, anxiety, and stress were measured using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Kruskal-Wallis test, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.

Results: Most respondents had a high workload (60.0%). The largest proportions of respondents were classified as normal for depression (49.1%), anxiety (54.5%), and stress (83.6%). The Kruskal-Wallis test showed significant differences in depression (p = 0.006), anxiety (p = 0.001), and stress (p = 0.040) scores across workload categories. The high-workload group had the highest mean ranks for depression (33.27), anxiety (34.67), and stress (32.26).

Conclusion: Depression, anxiety, and stress scores differed significantly across workload categories, with the highest mean ranks observed among nurses in the high-workload category. Equitable workload distribution and accessible psychosocial support are needed to protect nurses’ mental health and maintain the quality of healthcare services.

Knowledge of Content and Students Rules in Planning Mathematical Literacy Lesson: A Case Study of Preservice Teacher from Bachelor of Mathematics

/in /by

Knowledge of Content and Student (KCS) is a crucial component of teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge because it enables teachers to anticipate students’ characteristics and use this knowledge to make appropriate instructional decisions. In the context of mathematics literacy, teachers are expected not only to understand mathematical content but also to anticipate how students engage with contextual mathematical problems. This study aims to explore the KCS of a pre-service mathematics teacher from bachelor of mathematics in planning integrated mathematics literacy instruction. A qualitative case study design was used. Data were collected through observations of lesson plans, questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews and analyzed using methodological triangulation. The findings indicate that the participant developed knowledge about students by identifying their prior knowledge, anticipating learning difficulties, and considering students’ interests and motivations before making instructional decisions. These forms of pedagogical anticipation informed the selection of contextual learning tasks, instructional approaches, grouping strategies, and various activities. However, the participants tended to interpret students’ readiness for mathematics literacy learning through the lens of prerequisite mathematical knowledge, while explicit anticipation of students’ mathematics literacy processes received relatively less attention. This study demonstrates that planning mathematics literacy lessons requires teachers not only to identify prerequisite mathematical knowledge but also to anticipate students’ readiness throughout the entire mathematics literacy process. These findings contribute to an understanding of how KCS are applied in mathematics literacy lesson planning and provide implications for strengthening pre-service mathematics teacher education.

Implementation of YOLOv8n-Based Liveness Detection to Enhance the Security of Facial Attendance Systems Against Real-Time Spoofing Attacks

/in /by

This research aims to develop an anti-spoofing security system based on liveness detection to address the vulnerabilities of facial attendance systems against identity manipulation using photos or videos. The methodology employed is quantitative experimental, utilizing the YOLOv8n (You Only Look Once) deep learning architecture. The research stages involved the independent collection of a dataset comprising 8,000 images, categorized into “real” and “fake” face classes. This dataset was processed using a distribution ratio of 70% for training, 20% for validation, and 10% for testing. The model training process was conducted over 50 epochs using the Google Colab platform supported by a Tesla T4 Graphics Processing Unit (GPU). The results indicate that the developed model achieves high performance, with a mean Average Precision (mAP50) of 99.4%, precision of 98.8%, and recall of 99.0%. Real-time testing demonstrated an average inference speed of 20 frames per second (FPS), ensuring system responsiveness in practical applications. Implementation on low-power hardware, specifically the NVIDIA Jetson Nano, confirmed the computational efficiency of the model for edge device deployment. The primary conclusion of this study is that the YOLOv8n-based liveness detection system is highly effective and viable for integration into automated organizational attendance systems due to its high accuracy and efficient power consumption.

Effect of Different Levels of Nitrogen on Growth and Yield of Flax under Kabul Agro-Ecological Conditions

/in /by

Flax is among the most significant industrial oilseed crops in the world, as well as in Afghanistan.  It is high in health-promoting fatty acids. However, its yield and quality are low owing to poor nitrogen fertilizer use and lack of improved cultivars in Afghanistan. Hence, a field trial was conducted at the Research Farm of the Agriculture Faculty of Kabul University during the main cropping season of 2025 to evaluate four nitrogen rates (0, 50, 100, and 150 kg/ha). The study was conducted using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) arrangement with four replications. The size of each experimental unit was 2 m × 2 m (4 m2), with six rows. Distances of 30 cm and 40 cm were left between plots and blocks, respectively. The spacing between rows was 30 cm, and the spacing between plants was 15 cm. Significant differences were observed in the different levels of nitrogen on plant height, number of capsules per plant, number of branches per plant, number of seeds per capsule, 1000-seed weight, length of roots, biological yield, grain yield, and straw yield. However, the results showed that the 100 kg N/ha fertilization level significantly outperformed in number of seeds per capsule, number of capsules per plant, 1000-seed weight, and seed yield. Meanwhile, the 150 kg N/ ha fertilization level excelled in plant height and number of branches per plant, biological yield, and straw yield.

Effect of Nerve Mobilization of The Facial Nerve on Patients with Bell’s Palsy

/in /by

Background- Nerve mobilization techniques are known to be effective in nerve rehabilitation; however, there is a lack of evidence regarding their effect on facial nerve mobilization  in acute Bell’s palsy.

Objectives- The objective of our study was to evaluate the effect of facial nerve mobilization over conventional physiotherapy in improving facial symmetry and synkinesis severity in patients with acute Bell’s palsy.

Methods: A total of 30 patients, both male and female, aged between 18 and 60 years with unilateral Bell’s palsy, were included in the study based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups: Group A (n=15) received nerve mobilization  and conventional physiotherapy, including facial exercises, facial massage and electrical stimulation, while Group B (n=15) received placebo nerve mobilization  and conventional physiotherapy. Each group received interventions for 3 sessions per week for 6 weeks (18 sessions). Patients were assessed at the end of 3rd week and 6th week using the Sunnybrook Facial Grading System (SFGS) and Synkinesis Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) to measure recovery and effectiveness.

Results- After statistical analysis, both groups demonstrated significant improvements in facial symmetry and synkinesis severity, as reflected by the SFGS and SAQ scores. However, intergroup comparison revealed that Group A showed significantly greater improvement than Group B (p < 0.05).

Conclusion- Facial nerve mobilization is likely to be an effective adjunctive intervention in addition to conventional physiotherapy in improving facial symmetry and synkinesis severity in acute Bell’s palsy.

Impact of Different Levels of Chicken Manure on the Growth and Yield of Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris-L.) under the Agro-Climatic Conditions of Kabul

/in /by

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris-L.)  is one of the most popular pulse crops, providing substantial economic benefits in the farming communities of Afghanistan, and it is for both food security and income generation. it is an important source of calories, proteins, dietary fibers, minerals, and vitamins for millions of people in both developing and developed countries worldwide. Organic fertilizers play an important role in the growth, yield, and yield attributes of beans. To study this, an experiment was conducted at the Agriculture Faculty of Kabul University during, (2025) growing season, examining the effects of three different levels of chicken manure (control, 10 t/ha-1, 15 t/ha-1, and 20 t/ha-1) on the yield and yield components of common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris -L.) under Kabul’s Agro-climatic conditions. Different crop agronomic traits, including to the growth and yield parameters such as plant height, number of branches per plant, number of leaves per plant, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, biological weight t/ha-1 100-seeds weight, and grain yield t/ ha-1.  The experiment was conducted in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD), and the data were analyzed with Statistical Tools for Agricultural Research (STAR 2.0.1) software. The results of research indicated that different levels of chicken manure had significant effects on all studied traits (plant height, number of branches/plant, leaves number/plants, number of pods/ plants, number of seeds /pods, one hundred seed weight and seed yield t/ha-1), According to statistical analysis, 20 t/ha-1 chicken manure improved growth and yield characters of common bean. For increased productivity of common beans in Kabul climate, the farmers are recommended to apply a proper dose of chicken manure.