Background: This study investigated the effects of forest play activities on toddlers' attention span and environmental sensitivity. The subjects of the study were 4-year-old toddlers in two classes at T Children's Center in S City, randomly assigned to experimental and comparison groups. The data collected were analyzed using SPSS. Materials and Methods: In this prospective randomized controlled study, the t-test and ANCOVA were conducted using the 26.0 program. The results showed that, first, the attention span of toddlers in the experimental group who practiced forest play activities was statistically significantly higher than that of the comparison group, and second, the environmental sensitivity of toddlers in the experimental group who practiced forest play activities was statistically significantly higher than that of the comparison group. Results: The study demonstrated that the forest play activities had a statistically significant effect on both attention span and environmental sensitivity in toddlers from the experimental group compared to the comparison group. Conclusion: This study provides empirical evidence of the positive effects of forest play activities on toddlers' attention and environmental sensitivity, suggesting that early childhood education professionals should implement forest play activities more systematically and consistently.

Diphtheria remains a significant public health concern, especially in resource-limited settings. This study presents a mathematical model to investigate the dynamics of diphtheria transmission, incorporating factors such as quarantine, antibiotic treatment, and healthcare resource allocation. The model consists of compartments for susceptible, exposed, infectious, quarantined, under antibiotic treatment, and recovered individuals, and analyzes how various parameters affect disease dynamics. Numerical simulations reveal that increasing the rate of entry into quarantine effectively reduces the susceptible population and increases the quarantined population, demonstrating the importance of quarantine in controlling disease spread. Higher recovery rates, both from general recovery and specific treatments, significantly reduce the peak and overall number of infectious individuals while increasing the recovered population. The rate of entry into antibiotic treatment and access to healthcare resources also plays a crucial role in managing the outbreak. This analysis underscores the need for balanced resource allocation and effective intervention strategies to mitigate diphtheria’s impact.

This study examines the governance gaps and compliance challenges in industrial pollution control within Nigeria’s Niger Delta region. Despite established regulatory frameworks, persistent environmental degradation continues due to systemic weaknesses in enforcement and monitoring. Using a mixed-methods approach combining quantitative surveys (N=400) and qualitative interviews (n=20), this research assesses institutional weaknesses, evaluates compliance mechanisms, and analyzes community risk perceptions. Key findings reveal that 68% of respondents perceive enforcement as inadequate, while only 42% of inspected facilities meet effluent standards. Regression analysis indicates governance transparency significantly predicts compliance (β = 0.41,p < 0.01). The study contributes to environmental governance literature by integrating institutional analysis with community perspectives, offering policy recommendations for strengthening regulatory autonomy, enhancing monitoring transparency, and incorporating local reporting systems.

As the demand for construction materials, especially bricks, increases, efforts are needed to improve product quality to meet strength and durability standards. This study aims to analyze the effect of the addition of zeolite as an additive in clay soil on the compressive strength of post-firing bricks. The variations of zeolite addition used are 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 25%. Testing includes soil characteristics, shrinkage, and compressive strength of bricks at 3, 7, and 14 days of age. The results of the study show that the addition of zeolite is able to improve the mechanical properties of bricks, especially in reducing burn shrinkage and increasing compressive strength. The minimum burn shrinkage value was achieved at the addition of 25% zeolite of 21.4%, while the optimum compressive strength value of 55.97 kg/cm² was obtained at the 25% zeolite variation with a residence time of 5 days and a test life of 14 days. Thus, the addition of zeolite can be an effective alternative in improving the quality of bricks to support construction needs.

This research investigates the causes of significant road subsidence observed on Lettu Karim Kadir Street, Gandus District, Palembang City, starting in early 2025. The study addresses the urgent need to identify the technical factors contributing to this subsidence, which has disrupted traffic and indicates potential geotechnical issues in the road's subgrade. The research methodology involves analyzing the mechanical properties of the soil through laboratory testing, including Proctor Standard compaction tests, California Bearing Ratio (CBR) tests (soaked and unsoaked), and consolidation tests. The objectives are to analyze the geotechnical factors causing road subsidence, determine soil parameters at the study site, and provide technical recommendations for road structure repair or improvement. The study is limited to the specified location and focuses on soil properties testing for clay soils, including sieve analysis, specific gravity, Atterberg limits, compaction, CBR, and subgrade testing. The expected benefits include contributing to the scientific literature on geotechnical aspects of road subsidence due to soft soil conditions and providing a technical reference for local government and related agencies in addressing similar issues in the future.

Boundary value problems (BVPs) frequently arise in applied mathematics, physics, and various fields of engineering, where they serve as models for diverse physical and chemical processes. Obtaining analytical solutions for nonlinear BVPs is often challenging, thus necessitating robust and accurate numerical techniques. Higher-order compact finite difference schemes (HOCFDS) provide an efficient framework for approximating such problems with high accuracy. This paper presents the derivation, analysis, and application of new eighth- and tenth-order compact finite difference schemes for solving systems of nonlinear two-point boundary value problems. The proposed schemes are designed to achieve both superior accuracy and computational efficiency in handling single and coupled nonlinear BVPs. The derivation is based on Taylor series expansion, while stability and convergence are established using modified von Neumann analysis, the energy method, and consistency analysis. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the methods, several nonlinear test problems—including two coupled systems—are considered. The numerical performance of the new schemes is compared with that of the standard central difference method, fourth- and sixth-order compact schemes. Results show that the proposed higher-order compact schemes consistently deliver enhanced accuracy, improved convergence properties, and robustness in handling complex nonlinearities and boundary conditions.