Data-Driven Robust MPC for an Industrial Evaporator under Model Uncertainty and Sensor Degradation

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Model predictive control is attractive for industrial processes because constraints and multivariable interactions can be handled explicitly, but its performance depends on the credibility of the prediction model and the measurements supplied to the controller. This article develops a data-driven robust MPC framework for an industrial evaporator in which model uncertainty and sensor degradation are treated jointly. The open DaISy industrial evaporator benchmark (code 96-010) supplies the data basis: 6305 samples, three manipulated inputs and three measured outputs. Publicly reproducible system-identification results for this benchmark report a first experiment of 3300 samples, an order-eight prediction-error model, and five-step output mean-square errors of 0.0576, 0.1564 and 0.0193. These error scales are used to define relative residual uncertainty for a closed-loop benchmark-constrained surrogate. The controller combines a trust-weighted state estimate with scenario-based robust prediction across a finite uncertainty ensemble. Bias, drift, precision loss and dropout are injected into the sensor channels, and at the same time plant matrices are perturbed independently across Monte Carlo trials. In 200 composite-degradation scenarios with 12% plant-model uncertainty, the proposed robust MPC reduces mean normalized tracking RMSE from 0.2750 for nominal MPC to 0.2421, and reduces normalized performance-envelope exceedance from 14.12% to 6.02%. The improvement is obtained at a 6.75% increase in average control effort. The results show that a practical data-driven robust MPC architecture should not treat identification error and sensor integrity as separate problems; both must enter the online state estimate and the predictive optimization layer.

The Impact of Green Finance and Cultural Preservation on Sustainable Development in Vietnam

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This paper evaluates the impact of Green Finance (GF) and Cultural Preservation (CP) on Sustainable Development (SD) in Vietnam, while examining the mediating role of Cultural Preservation and the moderating role of Community Awareness/Supportive Policies (MO). Utilizing a quantitative research design with a empirical survey sample of residents, enterprises, and local authorities across key heritage and ecotourism regions, the analysis was executed through a multi-stage statistical pipeline: Cronbach’s Alpha reliability analysis, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The empirical findings reveal that both Green Finance and Cultural Preservation exert significant direct positive effects on Sustainable Development. Crucially, Cultural Preservation acts as a vital partial mediator, transforming green financial capital into sustainable economic, environmental, and social values. Based on these insights, managerial implications and policy recommendations are proposed to promote green financial mechanisms intrinsically linked to cultural heritage preservation in Vietnam.

Succession Planning Practices and Administrators’ Performance in Selected Government Aided Secondary Schools in Rakai District, Uganda

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This study examined the affiliation midst succession planning practices and administrators’ performance across Government aided Secondary educational schools in Rakai District. Specifically, this study sought to: examine the relationship between succession culture and administrators’ performance; analyze the relationship between bench building and administrators’ performance; analyze the relationship between talent development and administrators’ performance in selected Government-Aided Secondary Schools in Rakai District, Uganda. The study adopted a mixed-methods research approach employing a correlational research design. The study population comprised 121 teachers. A sample of 88 respondents was selected using simple random sampling technique. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and interview guides. The validity of the questionnaire was established through expert judgment, yielding a Content Validity Index (CVI) of 0.88, the reliability of the questionnaire was determined using Cronbach’s Alpha, with coefficients overall reliability coefficient of 0.844, demonstrating a high level of internal consistency. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson Product Moment Correlation, while qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. The results revealed a moderate positive and statistically significant relationship between succession culture and administrators’ performance (r = .500, p = .000). The study further established a strong positive and statistically significant relationship between bench building and administrators’ performance (r = .749, p = .000). In addition, talent development demonstrated a moderate positive and statistically significant relationship with administrators’ performance (r = .487, p = .000). The findings indicate that succession planning practices consequently with bench building emerged as the strongest predictor of administrators’ performance. The study concluded that succession culture, bench building, and talent development are important determinants of administrators’ performance. This study recommends that the Ministry of Education and Sports, District Education Authorities, Boards of Governors, and school administrators institutionalize succession planning succession culture, establishing structured bench-building mechanisms, and investing in continuous talent development through mentoring, coaching, leadership training, and professional development programmes.

Assessment of The Role of Teaching Methods on Students’ Learning Motivation at Hanoi Capital University

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Learning motivation is one of the key factors influencing students’ academic performance and overall development in higher education. In the context of educational innovation toward competency-based learning, the selection and application of appropriate teaching methods play a significant role in enhancing students’ learning motivation. This study aims to evaluate the role of teaching methods in influencing the learning motivation of students at Hanoi Metropolitan University. A questionnaire survey was conducted with 365 students. The teaching methods examined included classroom discussions, learner-centered teaching, the provision of learning materials, the use of real-life situations, field trips, documentary films, and scientific articles. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequencies and percentages. The findings indicate that students generally perceive teaching methods as having a positive impact on their learning motivation. Among the methods investigated, the use of scientific articles, the provision of learning materials, and field trips received higher levels of agreement than the other methods. Based on the research findings, several recommendations are proposed for lecturers, the university, and students to enhance the effectiveness of teaching method implementation, thereby strengthening learning motivation and improving the quality of higher education.

The Role of Institutional Support in Shaping Entrepreneurial Mindset Among College Students: An Empirical Analysis

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The development of an entrepreneurial mindset among college students has become increasingly important in the context of changing employment patterns, technological advancement and the growing significance of innovation and self-employment. Higher educational institutions can contribute to entrepreneurial development by providing appropriate education, training, mentoring, encouragement, practical exposure and entrepreneurial facilities. Against this background, the present study examines the role of institutional support in shaping the entrepreneurial mindset among college students, with special reference to SAFI Institute of Advanced Study. The study is based on primary data collected from 100 college students through a structured questionnaire. The study focuses on two major constructs: institutional support and entrepreneurial mindset. Institutional support is examined through entrepreneurship education, training and skill development, mentoring and guidance, institutional encouragement and environment, and infrastructure and entrepreneurial facilities. Entrepreneurial mindset is assessed through opportunity recognition, creative thinking, entrepreneurial confidence, calculated risk-taking and interest in entrepreneurship as a career. Percentage analysis, dimension-wise analysis and Pearson’s correlation coefficient are employed for data analysis. The findings indicate that students have a generally favourable perception of institutional support, with institutional encouragement and environment receiving the highest level of agreement at 71.3%, while infrastructure and entrepreneurial facilities record the lowest at 58.7%. The overall entrepreneurial mindset records an agreement level of 73%. The study highlights the importance of strengthening practical exposure, formal mentoring, incubation facilities and entrepreneurial networking to create a stronger entrepreneurial ecosystem within higher education institutions.

Evaluating The Effectiveness of Pelvic Clock Exercise Versus 90-90 Hemibridge with Ball and Balloon Techniques Along with Conventional Therapy on Pain and Quality of Life in Female College Students with Primary Dysmenorrhea

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Background: Primary dysmenorrhea is a common gynecological condition in young women, characterized by cramping lower abdominal pain during menstruation. It begins in adolescence and adversely affects daily activities, academic performance, and quality of life. Associated symptoms include low back pain, fatigue, headache, nausea, and mood disturbances. Exercise therapy is widely used to reduce symptoms. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of pelvic clock exercise versus 90–90 hemibridge with ball and balloon technique, along with conventional therapy, on pain and quality of life.

Methods: A comparative study conducted on 30 female college students aged 18–25 years with primary dysmenorrhea. The subjects were divided into two groups. Group A received pelvic clock exercise with conventional therapy, Group B received 90–90 hemi-bridge with ball and balloon technique with conventional therapy. The treatment duration was 45-60 minutes, 3 times /weeks for 4 weeks.  Pain was assessed by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and severity and quality of life were assessed by WaLIDD questionnaire before and after treatment.

Result: Using an unpaired comparison of post-test values showed significant improvement in Group B than Group A, with t-value of VAS scale is 5.136.  and WaLIDD questionnaire is 4.431 respectively.

Conclusion: The study concludes that there is notable improvement in 90-90 hemibridge ball and balloon technique along with conventional therapy was found to be more effective in reducing pain and improvement in quality of life in individual with primary dysmenorrhea.

ESG Performance and Firm Value in India: The Moderating Role of Board Gender Diversity Under the Mandatory BRSR Regime

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Since the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) mandated Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) for the top 1,000 listed firms, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosure has shifted from a voluntary signal to a regulatory requirement, renewing debate on whether ESG performance translates into shareholder value and how board composition conditions this link. Drawing on stakeholder theory and upper echelons theory, this study examines the relationship between firm-level ESG performance and firm value (Tobin’s Q) among 210 non-financial firms listed on the NSE-500, using unbalanced panel data for the financial years 2019–20 to 2023–24 (N = 1,008 firm-years). Fixed-effects panel regression shows that ESG performance is positively associated with firm value (β = 0.184, p < .01), and that board gender diversity positively moderates this relationship (β = 0.096, p < .05), such that the ESG–value link is stronger for firms with more gender-diverse boards. Results are robust to alternative performance measures (ROA) and a two-stage least squares specification addressing endogeneity. The study contributes evidence on how governance composition shapes the financial payoff of mandatory ESG disclosure in an emerging-market regulatory setting.

Enhancing Elementary School Teachers Competence in Ethnomathematics Based Geometry Learning through Banten Batik and Mangrove Leaves

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Geometry learning in elementary schools is often dominated by abstract representations and conventional instructional materials that rely primarily on textbooks and blackboards, making it challenging for teachers to connect mathematical concepts with students everyday experiences and local cultural environments. This study explored elementary school teachers’ experiences and perceptions of a participatory workshop on ethnomathematics-based geometry learning through Banten Batik and mangrove leaf ink. A descriptive qualitative approach was employed within a community engagement program involving 12 elementary school teachers in Anyar Village, Serang Regency, Banten, Indonesia. The workshop included conceptual instruction, demonstrations, hands on activities, reflection, and mentoring. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, observations, photographs, and field notes and analyzed descriptively and thematically. The findings indicate that teachers responded positively and perceived the workshop as enjoyable, meaningful, and beneficial for developing their knowledge and pedagogical insights. Teachers were able to identify geometric concepts embedded in Banten Batik motifs, including squares, rectangles, triangles, circles, symmetry, and patterns. Mangrove leaf ink was perceived as having potential to connect mathematics learning with cultural heritage and the natural environment. The workshop also encouraged teachers to consider its implementation in classroom instruction. Further research should systematically examine changes in teacher competence and classroom practice.

Malaysia’s English-Medium Instruction Policy through Spolsky’s Language Policy Framework: A Critical Review

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English-medium instruction (EMI) has been promoted in multilingual education systems as a means of improving English proficiency, expanding access to scientific knowledge, and strengthening international competitiveness. In Malaysia, the Teaching and Learning of Science and Mathematics in English (PPSMI) policy represented a major attempt to pursue these objectives while generating tensions concerning national identity, classroom feasibility, and educational equity. This critical narrative review examines the implementation of PPSMI and the relationship between formal policy intentions and their enactment in educational settings. Relevant literature on Malaysian EMI and language-in-education policy was reviewed and analysed through a deductive-inductive thematic approach. Spolsky’s language policy framework guided the analysis of three interconnected dimensions: language practices, beliefs and ideologies, and language management, while policy-practice tensions, educational equity, and teacher agency were examined as cross-cutting themes. The review identifies recurring misalignment between English-oriented policy expectations and classroom language practices, competing pragmatic and nationalist orientations toward English and Bahasa Malaysia, uneven institutional and teacher capacity, and differences in learners’ access to EMI. Teachers’ bilingual adaptations further illustrate how formal language requirements were mediated in response to classroom conditions. The review concludes that sustainable EMI policy depends not simply on selecting English as a medium of instruction, but on aligning policy objectives with institutional readiness, stakeholder beliefs, multilingual classroom practices, and educational equity.

The Impact of Fintech and Personal Values on Investment Decisions of Individual Investors in The Vietnamese Stock Market

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This study examines the simultaneous impact of Financial Technology (Fintech) and Personal Values on the investment decisions of individual investors in the Vietnamese stock market. The research model integrates the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), and the Personal Values Theory. Survey data collected from 382 individual investors in Vietnam were analyzed using SPSS software. Empirical results indicate that Fintech factors (Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease of Use, Technology Trust) and Personal Values (Self-Concept, Risk Propensity) all have statistically significant positive impacts on Investment Decisions. Among these, Perceived Usefulness of Fintech exerts the strongest influence. On this basis, the study proposes policy and managerial implications for securities firms, Fintech developers, and state regulatory authorities.