Abstract:The reform of the state apparatus, particularly the transition to a two-tier local government model (provincial and commune levels, eliminating the district level) in Vietnam during the period 2023 - 2025, poses a core scientific problem: How has the Government Office (GO) adapted its advisory and coordinating capacity amid sweeping administrative structural changes and urgent legislative timelines? Based on research methods and document analysis, the article systematizes guiding and management documents from the Government and Prime Minister, the research sets three objectives: (1) To systematize the theoretical basis of the GO's strategic advisory role in administrative decentralization; (2) To assess the GO's strengths and limitations during the 2023-2025 phase; and (3) To propose some strategic solutions to enhance advisory and coordinating capacity during the operational phase of the two-tier model. The novelty of this research lies in providing a comprehensive analysis of the GO's “strategic advisory” and “institutional coordination” capacity, offering scientific arguments for subsequent fiscal decentralization and digital government policies. The analysis shows the GO effectively fulfilled its role in rapid institutional coordination, notably by driving the issuance of the 2025 Law on Local Government Organization. However, limitations persist regarding forecasting capacity and reliance on specialized ministries for analysis. The study proposes 05 recommendations for legislative completion based on devolution principles, strengthening independent research capacity, and strategically applying Digital Government principles.
Abstract:Self-efficacy is a key psychological resource that influences how individuals cope with stress, adapt to challenges, and sustain performance under pressure. In high-risk occupations, self-efficacy can confer resilience and promote hardiness. Although the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) is one of the most widely used measures of this construct, limited research has examined its psychometric properties in South African contexts. The present study sought to evaluate the dimensionality, reliability, and validity of the GSE among South African first responders using three complementary analytic frameworks namely, Classical Test Theory, Rasch measurement modelling, and Mokken scale analysis. Results consistently supported a unidimensional structure of the GSE, with nine of the ten items demonstrating strong psychometric performance. One item performed less robustly but remained within acceptable limits. Scale-level analyses revealed excellent internal consistency and reliability across approaches. In addition, self-efficacy showed significant positive associations with resilience and hardiness, providing evidence of construct validity and supporting the theoretical links between these protective psychological resources. These findings indicate that the GSE is a psychometrically sound measure for use in South African first responder populations and can be employed confidently in both research and applied contexts. The study further underscores the value of targeting self-efficacy in interventions designed to strengthen coping and resilience in high-stress occupational groups.
Abstract:Meeting the demand for qualified teachers is a major challenge for private schools amid increasing competition and rising expectations for educational quality. This study examines the determinants of teacher demand in private senior high schools in Jambi City, Indonesia. Using quantitative methods, data were collected from 30 private senior high schools and analyzed with Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression. The results indicate that school finances, school productivity, school quality, and technology utilization have a significant positive effect on the demand for teachers. In contrast, teacher wages/honoraria and school facilities do not exert a statistically significant individual effect. Collectively, however, the examined variables significantly influence teacher demand, and the final regression model explains approximately 79% of the variance in teacher demand. Policy implications for meeting teacher needs in private senior high schools include: (1) enhancing the quality of academic services and graduate outcomes; (2) improving the professional and efficient deployment of teaching staff; and (3) leveraging technology to strengthen competitiveness in the education sector.
Abstract:This book provides educators (including but not limited to those at university level) with data-driven insights into video-mediated interaction. Drawing on extensive research on classroom interaction from a variety of theoretical and analytical perspectives, including four years of observing online university courses that began during the Covid-19 pandemic, the author provides deep insights into video-mediated interaction by comparing direct classroom observations with data provided by teachers and students via online questionnaires. The book clarifies how the newly experienced classroom contexts differ from traditional online and blended classes, then draws on the extensive experience of video-mediated instruction in terms of teacher-learner, learner-content, and learner-learner interaction to decipher what can be challenging and promising about interacting via a screen, specifically addressing multimodal interaction. It also provides practitioners with data-driven suggestions from the perspective of teachers and learners for improving teaching and learning in modern video-based educational contexts that are consistently different from the pre-pandemic idea of e-learning. This book will be a valuable resource for researchers in Applied Linguistics, Language Education and Higher Education more broadly, teachers in higher education institutions worldwide, and teacher education and training and institutional bodies responsible for improving teaching facilities.
Abstract:High intake of simple carbohydrates and the adoption of time-restricted feeding patterns have been identified as modulators of energy metabolism and risk factors for metabolic syndrome. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of time-restricted feeding and sucrose supplementation on hepatic glycogen, lipid profile, and oxidative stress in adult rats. An experimental study was conducted with 24 male Wistar rats, randomly allocated into four groups: ad libitum diet (AD), time-restricted feeding (RT), ad libitum diet with sucrose (ADS), and time-restricted feeding with sucrose (RTS). After 30 days of intervention, serum biochemical parameters, oxidative stress markers, enzymatic activity, and hepatic glycogen concentration were assessed. Results showed that restricted feeding reduced total protein and cholesterol but led to decreased HDL-cholesterol and increased LDLcholesterol. Sucrose supplementation elevated triglycerides and VLDL-cholesterol. All experimental groups exhibited increased oxidative stress markers, reduced endogenous antioxidant defences, and higher gamma-glutamyl transferase activity. Hepatic glycogen was reduced in the RT and RTS groups, while alkaline phosphatase activity was elevated, suggesting hepatic impairment. In conclusion, both time-restricted feeding and sucrose intake induced dyslipidemia, oxidative stress, and hepatic alterations consistent with the metabolic syndrome phenotype. These findings highlight the importance of understanding the metabolic effects of different dietary regimens and their implications for cardiovascular disease prevention.
Abstract:The study examines the impact international tourist industry, urban population, and digital finance on province economic development from 2005–2024 in China. The study has employed threshold regression models to find significant single-threshold regressions to test for nonlinearities using international tourism income and tourist arrivals. This research has also used two long-run assessment methods: Dynamic ordinary least square and fully modified ordinary least square to evaluate the robustness of methodology conclusions. The results revealed that in the linear models, the effects of foreign tourist statistics are negligible on regional economic growth, whereas the effects of urban population and digital finance on regional economies are significant. However, when nonlinear dynamics appear to be vital to account for tourism economics research, their influence becomes significant at the threshold level. The findings also revealed that the tourist sector and digital finance have different impacts on the volume of tourism at the provincial level. Policymakers may utilise these results to help promote balanced regional development through digital and tourist initiatives.
Abstract:This study examines university students enrolled in the Autonomous Major Selection System (AMSS), focusing on their perceptions of multiple majors and the factors influencing their satisfaction with university life. A total of 399 students from C University in Daejeon participated in an online survey conducted from May 3 to May 10, 2025. The questionnaire covered perceptions of multiplemajors, expected benefits, instructional preferences, and psychological and experiential factors such as self-efficacy, emotional support, and campus engagement. Descriptive statistics, frequency analysis, and multiple regression were used to analyze the data. The results revealed that students value multiple majors for enhancing employability and interdisciplinary learning, yet show reservations toward active learning methods such as PBL and FL. Regression analysis identified academic-social network formation, emotional support, and extracurricular participation as significant predictors of university life satisfaction. These findings suggest that student-centered support systems and awareness strategies are essential for successful implementation of multiple majors within the AMSS.
Abstract:This study This study aimed to examine the factors influencing major satisfaction, career decision-making, and micro-degree (MD) course satisfaction among South Korean university students enrolled in psychology-related MD programs. A total of 93 undergraduate students participated in the study through an online survey, and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and stepwise multiple regression. The findings showed that MD course satisfaction and multiple major intentions significantly predicted major satisfaction, while seasonal session plans predicted career decision-making. MD course satisfaction was influenced by both major satisfaction and seasonal session plans. These results highlight the impact of MD experiences and proactive academic behaviors on students’ educational satisfaction and career development. The study suggests that micro-degree programs play a pivotal role in enhancing academic engagement and guiding future curriculum design in higher education.
Abstract:Background: Nosocomial infections are one of the leading causes of neonatal mortality, especially in Low and Middle-Income Countries. While maternal UTIs and ICU stays are well known risk factors, this study looks at hospital surfaces as well as the bacteria present on mothers’ and workers’ hands to identify additional sources of infection for nosocomial infections in newborns at hospitals in Yerevan, Armenia. Methods: This observational study was conducted at the Research Center of Maternal and Child Health Protection in Yerevan, Armenia, during 2020-2024. Microbial culture samples were taken from departments related to neonates as well as high traffic areas in the hospital (n=1099). Samples from healthcare workers (n=118) and mothers (n=107) were taken from palms, fingertips, and nails. All samples were appropriately cultured and data analysis included ttests, χ² tests, and logistic regression. Results: Most of the sampled surfaces were negative for microbial growth (n=1009 (84%)), but 98% of positive cultures could be accounted for by S. aureus, Enterobacter spp., and E. coli. The maternity hospital had the greatest number of positive samples (26.5%). 52.8% of samples from healthcare workers showed growth of S. aureus, Enterobacter spp., and E. Coli. 53.3% of samples from mothers’ hands showed growth, with 5% of samples also growing Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The presence of artificial nails and jewelry on mothers’ hands showed a statistically significant increase in bacterial growth. Conclusion: This study highlights the need for continued microbiological surveillance and hand hygiene stewardship to understand local epidemiological trends and decrease rates of neonatal infections in Armenia.
Abstract:Background: Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a gram-positive bacterium that colonizes the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts and is a leading cause of neonatal illness and death. This study aimed to assess GBS colonization in pregnant women and their antibiotic sensitivity patterns. Methods: The research was conducted at the Research Center of Maternal and Child Health Protection in Yerevan, Armenia. The study comprised two components: prospective microbiological research with antibiotic susceptibility testing involving 857 patients and a retrospective study at the neonatal department of Yerevan State Medical University Muracan Hospital involving 2,216 newborns. Results: The study included women aged 19–42 years, with a GBS colonization rate of 16.1% (138 out of 857). The average gestational age at childbirth was 39 1/7 weeks. Among natural births, 67.6% occurred between 38–40 weeks (28.4% at 38 weeks, 21.6% at 39, and 17.6% at 40), while 12.1% occurred after 41 weeks. Since GBS screening is most accurate within 5 weeks of delivery, adjusting the screening in Armenia from 35–37 weeks to 36 0/7–37 6/7 weeks would extend predictive accuracy up to 41 0/7 weeks. Although Penicillin G is the preferred prophylactic, it is unavailable in Armenia; thus, Ampicillin or Ceftriaxone is used. Antibiotic sensitivity tests conducted during the study revealed that (50%) of GBS isolates were sensitive to Ampicillin. Notably, GBS isolates demonstrated (78%) sensitivity to Amoxicillin. Additionally, they exhibited high sensitivity to Ceftriaxone (76%), Cefuroxime (83%), Norfloxacin (68%). (39%) of GBS exhibited intermediate susceptibility to Erythromycin, (27%) to Vancomycin, and (28%) to Ampicillin. (13%) of GBS isolates showed intermediate susceptibility to Cefuroxime, (22%) to Ceftriaxone, (15%) to Norfloxacin, and (7%) to Clindamycin. The majority of GBS isolates demonstrated resistance to Vancomycin (67%), while a considerable number were also highly resistant to Clindamycin (61%) and Erythromycin (41%). Notably, resistance to Erythromycin frequently co-occurred with Clindamycin resistance, though not in all cases. Additionally, (17%) to the analyzed samples showed resistance Norfloxacin and (12%) to Amoxicillin. Conclusion: The high prevalence of GBS colonization in pregnant women demands for screening in women attending an antenatal clinic so that intrapartum antimicrobial prophylaxis can be offered to all women who are colonized with GBS, thus prevents its transfer to the new-born.