Secondary Aluminum Dross and Salt Slag Treatment: A Critical Review of Integrated Value Recovery, Risk Control, And Industrial Readiness

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Secondary aluminum dross and salt slag are heterogeneous secondary resources whose entrained metal, alumina-bearing phases, aluminum nitride (AlN), chlorides, fluorides, and fine particles create coupled recovery and safety constraints. This structured critical narrative review maps 106 publications from 2020 to 2026 and evaluates physical, thermal, aqueous, and product-oriented routes without claiming systematic review or PRISMA compliance. Conservative evidence coding identified one industrial campaign (Class A), one pilot study (Class B), no continuous integrated Class C study, 86 laboratory studies on real dross (Class D), five modeling or proof-of-concept studies (Class E), and 13 supporting reviews or contextual sources. Selected studies reported metallic aluminum recovery above 92% and up to approximately 98%, chloride removal above 92%, and AlN conversion of 92.45–99.03%; these results are not directly comparable because of differences in feed assays, particle size, residence time, and system boundaries. A metal-first sequence is therefore conditionally preferred when the net value of recovered metal justifies the operation and when removal reduces the hydrogen inventory of the wet circuit. Stoichiometrically, 1 kg AlN can generate 0.415 kg NH₃ (0.597 m³ at 25 °C and 1 atm), while 1 kg metallic Al can generate 0.112 kg H₂ (1.360 m³) under complete reaction. Washing, controlled hydrolysis, salt crystallization, gas capture, and mineral conversion must consequently be designed as one integrated system. Laboratory production of alumina, spinel, refractories, adsorbents, or cementitious materials demonstrates conversion, not circularity, unless product specifications, durability, leaching stability, multi-cycle recycle, controlled purges, and harmonized life-cycle and techno-economic boundaries are verified. The review provides route-specific readiness ratings, quantitative design bases, and objective go/no-go gates for industrial development.

Biological Characteristics, Innovative Isolation Methods, and Clinical Role of Exosomes in Cancer Therapy: Review

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Exosomes are a subset of nano-sized (30–150 nm) extracellular vehicles (EVs) released by cells through the endosomal route, you know like they get made inside and then pushed out.

Objective: The primary objective of this scientific review is to give a broad and current appraisal of the intricate biological layout of exosomes, plus modern isolation technologies (for instance microfluidics and spectroscopy), and finally their clinical meaning for cancer detection and treatment.

Methods: This article is arranged following systematic review logic based on credible scientific sources from the last decade 2015–2025. Data collection involved international databases, including PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science. The analysis looks at how exosome biogenesis connects with drug delivery systems (DDS), and how that whole interplay affects the tumor microenvironment, using both qualitative and quantitative comparative approaches. The guidelines from the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV) were used as a kind of standard for study rigor.

Key Findings: A growing body of research suggests that exosomes work as important intercellular message carriers, meaning they are deeply involved in cancer metastasis. Their nano-sized form, the potential to move across the blood-brain barrier (BBB), and their inherent biocompatibility make them a stronger, more natural alternative in comparison with synthetic nanoparticles. Innovative methods such as microfluidics have cut the isolation time a lot, and pairing exosomes with the CRISPR-Cas system has basically opened new directions for gene therapy. In the end, the review also tackles difficulties in standardization and large-scale production, while stressing that exosome engineering is likely the upcoming step change for precision cancer therapy.

Development Strategy for Community-Based Coastal Ecotourism in Wondiboy, Teluk Wondama Regency, Indonesia

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The Wondiboy coastal area in Teluk Wondama Regency, West Papua, contains bay landscapes, mangroves, sago forests, marine activities, cultural and religious assets, and coastal livelihoods that provide a strong basis for ecotourism. However, these assets have not been matched by balanced destination readiness, institutional capacity, basic services, and spatial control. This study analyzes tourism potential and destination readiness, identifies major development constraints, and formulates a community-based coastal ecotourism strategy within a sustainable regional development framework. A convergent mixed-methods design was used, combining questionnaires from 75 visitors and 94 local residents with in-depth interviews, field observations, expert assessments, and reviews of spatial and tourism planning documents. Internal conditions were diagnosed using the 6A destination framework, while IFAS-EFAS and SWOT were used to formulate strategies that were subsequently screened through Integrated Coastal Zone Management, Community-Based Tourism, carrying capacity, coastal resilience, and policy consistency. Visitor scores showed high attraction (4.17), moderate accessibility (2.93), accommodation (3.22), amenities (2.69), and activities (3.08), but very low ancillary services (1.51), producing an overall mean of 2.93. The SWOT coordinates (+0.55; +1.03) place Wondiboy in Quadrant I, yet the narrow internal advantage indicates that Weakness-Opportunity measures should precede expansion. The recommended sequence is institutional and human-resource strengthening, basic and safety infrastructure, controlled ecotourism product development and zoning, followed by gradual market connectivity and green investment. The study shows that growth-oriented positioning does not imply immediate promotion; destination readiness must first reach a minimum operational threshold.

Beyond “Slave Mentality”: A Conceptual Review of Internalized Subordination and the Reproduction of Power

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“Slave mentality” is often used to describe blind obedience, dependence, and a lack of independent thought, but the phrase is too broad to serve as a clear academic concept. This paper begins with an original observation: dependence does not disappear when food and physical safety become easier to obtain. It often moves into work, status, belonging, recognition, and access to opportunity. A focused conceptual review of 17 foundational and recent sources was used to connect research on obedience, social influence, system justification, compensatory control, learned helplessness, social dominance, employee silence, psychological safety, and power. The analysis separates practical submission from internalized subordination and explains how repeated adjustment to authority may weaken trust in personal judgement. It also examines why some formerly subordinate individuals reproduce control after gaining limited authority. The paper proposes an Internalized Subordination-Compensatory Domination Cycle. The model does not claim that everyone has a fixed amount of “slave mentality,” or that powerless people will later misuse power. It describes a conditional process shaped by dependence, low control, status insecurity, institutional rules, and reflection. Reflective autonomy and real accountability may interrupt the cycle.

From Transparency to Accountability: A Review of Measurement Approaches in Vietnamese Higher Education

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Accountability has become a central condition of university autonomy, yet it is often measured through its most visible component: publicly available information. This critical narrative review examines how accountability has been conceptualised and measured in higher education and considers the implications for Vietnam during the transition from Circular 36/2017/TT-BGDDT to Circular 09/2024/TT-BGDDT. The review synthesises scholarship on higher education governance, public accountability, quality assurance, performance measurement, and transparency assessment, together with Vietnamese legal and empirical literature. It distinguishes transparency from the wider accountability relationship, compares five measurement families, and identifies recurring validity problems involving proxy indicators, attribution, composite scores, and compliance-oriented behaviour. The Vietnamese policy transition sharpens disclosure requirements by introducing a mandatory annual report, a specific publication deadline, an update rule, a five-year retention period, and an explicit clarity criterion. However, stronger disclosure rules do not by themselves demonstrate answerability, stakeholder dialogue, correction, or organisational learning. To address this gap, the article proposes a three-layer measurement direction: information existence, timeliness, and substantive information quality. The framework supports reproducible web-based assessment while preserving a clear inferential boundary between disclosure compliance and accountability as a broader governance process. The review concludes that Vietnam needs longitudinal, evidence-based measurement that combines document audits with process and stakeholder evidence if regulatory transparency is to develop into meaningful public accountability.

Effects of Different Rates of Potassium Application on Growth and Yield of Soybean

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Soybean is an important legume crop valued for its high protein and oil content, but its productivity is often limited by poor soil fertility and environmental stresses. This study aimed to determine the optimum potassium application rate for improving soybean growth and yield under the agroecological conditions of Kabul, Afghanistan. A field experiment was conducted during the 2025 growing season at the Research Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Kabul University, using a randomized complete block design with five potassium levels (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 kg ha⁻¹) and three replications. Standard agronomic practices were applied uniformly throughout the experiment. Data were collected on plant height, branches per plant, pods per plant, total seeds per plant, 100-seed weight, and grain yield, and analysed using STAR software with the least significant difference test at the 5% probability level. Potassium application had no significant effect on vegetative growth traits, including plant height and number of branches per plant. However, it significantly improved yield components and grain yield. The application of 75 kg K ha⁻¹ produced the highest number of pods per plant, greatest 100-seed weight, and maximum grain yield, whereas increasing the rate to 100 kg K ha⁻¹ resulted in reduced yield. The findings indicate that potassium application enhances soybean productivity primarily through improved yield components rather than vegetative growth. It is concluded that 75 kg K ha⁻¹ is the optimum potassium rate for maximizing soybean yield under the agroecological conditions of Kabul, Afghanistan.

Psychometric Evaluation of an Applied Mathematics Examination Instrument Based on The Rasch Model

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Administering the same examination to students from different programs can result in uneven measurement of competence and potentially flawed academic decisions. In many vocational settings, psychometric reviews of examination instruments are uncommon, increasing the risk of inaccurate evaluation. This study investigates the Applied Mathematics Final Semester Examination (FSE) instruments in the Mechanical Engineering Department, Bali State Polytechnic, through the Rasch model. The data came from 206 students who answered 40 multiple-choice questions. The test was delivered online via the institutional e-learning system but taken in the classroom. Winsteps 5.9 was used to assess construct validity, reliability, separation indices, item difficulty in relation to ability, and Differential Item Functioning (DIF) across programs. Demonstrates that the instrument meets all psychometric standards. Nine components that didn’t fit nonetheless showed the planned construct. The separation indices were 3.46 and 6.18, and the person and item reliability were both over 0.90. The major dimension explained more than 63% of the variation, which indicated that it was one-dimensional. Usually, the difficulty levels were right for the students, but not at the extremes. Eight things suggested that there might be bias. The result is a one-of-a-kind Rasch evaluation of a vocational mathematics FSE that combines reliability, unidimensionality, and DIF analysis.  It can be used as a model for other situations and to make vocational math tests fair, valid, and reliable.

The Effects of AI-Enhanced Task-Based Language Teaching on Tenth Graders’ English-Speaking Skills: A Study at a High School

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The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into English language teaching has created more opportunities for students to help them enhance their English-speaking skills. The study aimed to investigate the effects of AI-enhanced Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) on the English-speaking skills of tenth graders and to explore their perceptions of AI-supported task-based speaking activities at a high school in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. A quasi-experimental design was employed involving 79 tenth graders from two classes. The experimental group (n = 40) received AI-enhanced TBLT, while the control group (n = 39) received the standard TBLT throughout a 12-week intervention. A quantitative method was used to collect the data from pre- and post-speaking tests, while qualitative data were collected through a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Qualitative data were examined via content analysis. The findings revealed that the experimental group demonstrated greater development in their speaking performance than the control group. Students also expressed their positive and negative perceptions of AI-enhanced task-based speaking activities when they utilized their AI tools in speaking activities. The findings suggested that the integration of AI tools into the TBLT method could enhance students’ English-speaking skills and promote positive learning experiences, despite some challenges in Vietnamese high schools.

Neutron Economy and the Thorium Fuel Cycle in Thorium Molten Salt Reactors: A Systematic Review

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This study investigates neutron economy and the thorium fuel cycle within Thorium Molten Salt Reactors to evaluate their potential for sustainable nuclear energy production. Using a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) methodology, this study synthesized recent research published between 2020 and 2026, while also using selected foundational sources from 1960 onward for core nuclear-theory parameters. Data were analyzed using a qualitative and comparative approach, focusing on thorium-232 conversion pathways, uranium-233 production mechanisms, and neutronic performance parameters. The findings indicate that U-233 is a superior fissile fuel for the thorium cycle, exhibiting a high neutron reproduction factor of 2.28 for thermal neutrons and 2.50 for fast neutrons, which supports efficient fuel breeding. The thorium cycle offers significant environmental and security benefits, including a substantial reduction in long-lived transuranic actinides and enhanced proliferation resistance due to the presence of uranium-232, which emits high-energy gamma radiation. Furthermore, TMSR technology provides inherent safety through a negative temperature coefficient and the ability for online fuel processing to remove gaseous fission products.
Unlike previous review studies, this research integrates neutron economy, U-233 purity, breeding ratio, salt chemistry, and reactor safety into a unified conceptual framework, providing a comprehensive analytical perspective for the evaluation of thorium molten salt reactors. The study concludes that while the thorium-uranium cycle is a highly effective alternative for improving neutron efficiency and long-term sustainability, successful commercial deployment depends on achieving U-233 purity levels of approximately 85%. Additionally, further research is required to address remaining challenges in structural materials, salt redox chemistry control, and fuel reprocessing.

Financial Ratios and Corporate Governance as Determinants of Financial Distress Probability: Evidence from Indonesian Manufacturing Firms

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This study aims to examine the effects of financial ratios and corporate governance on the probability of financial distress among manufacturing companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange during the 2020–2025 period. Financial ratios are represented by profitability, liquidity, leverage, and activity ratios, while corporate governance is proxied by the proportion of independent commissioners. This study employed a quantitative research approach using secondary data obtained from the annual financial statements of manufacturing companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange. The sample consisted of 900 firm-year observations selected through purposive sampling. Data were analyzed using binary logistic regression to estimate the probability of financial distress. Prior to hypothesis testing, the model was evaluated through multicollinearity testing, overall model fit, Hosmer–Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test, classification accuracy, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, and the Nagelkerke R-square coefficient. The results reveal that profitability, measured by Return on Assets (ROA), and activity ratio, measured by Total Asset Turnover (TATO), have a significant negative effect on the probability of financial distress, indicating that firms with higher profitability and more efficient asset utilization are less likely to experience financial distress. Conversely, leverage, measured by the Debt-to-Equity Ratio (DER), has a significant positive effect, suggesting that greater reliance on debt financing increases the likelihood of financial distress. In contrast, liquidity, measured by the Current Ratio (CR), and corporate governance, proxied by the proportion of independent commissioners, do not have a statistically significant effect on financial distress. The findings highlight that profitability, leverage, and asset utilization are key determinants of financial distress, whereas short-term liquidity and board independence are insufficient to explain financial distress among Indonesian manufacturing firms. These findings provide valuable insights for corporate managers, investors, creditors, and policymakers in identifying early warning indicators of financial distress and strengthening corporate financial sustainability.