General Background: Rural regions in Iraq play an essential role in national livelihoods, agriculture, and community sustainability, yet they face multiple environmental and socioeconomic challenges. Specific Background: Persistent water scarcity, limited infrastructure, and unequal access to public services continue to affect the living conditions of rural populations. These issues are further intensified by climate change, desertification, and governance constraints. Knowledge Gap: Although several international reports and studies address individual aspects of rural development in Iraq, a comprehensive perspective that integrates environmental pressures, social inequalities, and development limitations remains limited. Aims: This study examines the structural challenges affecting rural communities in Iraq, focusing on water resources, infrastructure, rural livelihoods, and access to services. Results: The analysis shows that water scarcity, weak rural infrastructure, and socioeconomic disparities significantly shape rural living conditions and limit development opportunities. These factors interact with environmental changes and institutional constraints, creating persistent barriers to sustainable rural development. Novelty: The article synthesizes diverse sources to present an integrated overview of environmental and social challenges affecting rural areas in Iraq. Implications: Understanding these interconnected challenges can support policymakers and development institutions in designing more comprehensive strategies to improve rural livelihoods and resource management. Keywords: Rural Development, Water Scarcity, Rural Livelihoods, Climate Change, Iraq Key Findings Highlights Rural communities face interconnected environmental and socioeconomic challenges Water scarcity and infrastructure limitations shape rural living conditions Institutional and environmental pressures constrain sustainable development

General Background: Tourism companies increasingly prioritize service quality to remain competitive in a rapidly changing tourism environment. Specific Background: Behavioral integration within management teams, reflected in information exchange, cooperative behavior, and participation in decision making, is considered an important organizational process that supports coordinated managerial work. Knowledge Gap: However, limited empirical evidence exists regarding the relationship between behavioral integration and tourism service quality within Iraqi tourism companies. Aims: This study examines the relationship between behavioral integration of management teams and the quality of tourism services in Iraqi tourism companies operating in Baghdad. Results: Data were collected from 204 management team members through a questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS and AMOS. The findings indicate a statistically significant correlation between behavioral integration and tourism service quality (0.589). The dimensions of information exchange (0.472), cooperative behavior (0.410), and participation in decision making (0.461) also show significant relationships with service quality. Regression analysis confirms that behavioral integration contributes to tourism service quality with an effect coefficient of 0.686, while cooperative behavior shows the highest contribution among the dimensions. Novelty: The study provides empirical evidence linking managerial behavioral integration with tourism service quality in Iraqi tourism companies using quantitative analysis. Implications: These findings highlight the importance of strengthening cooperation, information sharing, and participatory decision processes within management teams to support the development of tourism service quality. Highlights:• Statistical Analysis Confirms a Significant Association Between Managerial Collaboration and Tourism Service Standards• Cooperative Practices Within Management Teams Demonstrate the Strongest Contribution Among Examined Dimensions• Evidence Derived From Survey Responses of 204 Managerial Staff in Baghdad Tourism Companies Keywords: Behavioral Integration, Tourism Service Quality, Information Exchange, Cooperative Behavior, Decision Making

General Background: Prostate cancer is a major malignancy among men, and Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) is widely used in radiotherapy to deliver precise radiation doses while protecting surrounding organs at risk. Specific Background: The gamma index is commonly applied in radiotherapy quality assurance to evaluate agreement between planned and delivered dose distributions using global and local calculation methods. Knowledge Gap: However, uncertainty remains regarding which gamma index method provides more reliable verification for VMAT prostate cancer treatment. Aims: This study compares global and local gamma index approaches in evaluating VMAT treatment plans. Results: A prospective study involving 30 prostate cancer patients showed that VMAT achieved high tumour coverage (V98% = 97.03%) with minimal dose spread (V5% = 0.35%). The global gamma index consistently produced higher pass rates than the local gamma index across verification criteria (3%/3 mm: 0.95 vs 0.92; 2%/2 mm: 0.93 vs 0.81; 1%/1 mm: 0.69 vs 0.60) with significant differences. Novelty: The study provides comparative evidence of global and local gamma index performance in VMAT verification. Implications: The findings support the global g Highlights:• Vmat Planning Achieved High Target Coverage With V98% Reaching 97.03%.• Global Gamma Evaluation Produced Consistently Higher Pass Rates Across All Verification Criteria.• Significant Statistical Differences Observed Between Global and Local Dose Agreement Metrics. Keywords: Prostate Cancer, Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy, Gamma Index, Radiotherapy Quality Assurance, Dose Verification

General Background The tourism sector often faces instability caused by political conditions, security challenges, and fluctuating international perceptions, making organizational resilience and continuity strategies essential for sustainable tourism governance. Specific Background In Iraq, the tourism industry has experienced prolonged structural and reputational challenges that require coordinated communication strategies and institutional preparedness, particularly within the Iraqi Tourism Authority responsible for tourism development and public engagement. Knowledge Gap Despite the recognized strategic value of communication management, limited empirical research has examined how tourism public relations practices support business continuity management in public tourism institutions operating in crisis-prone environments. Aims This study investigates the role of tourism public relations mechanisms in supporting business continuity management within the Iraqi Tourism Authority through an exploratory analysis of employees’ perspectives. Results Using an analytical survey approach with structured questionnaires distributed to employees of the Authority, the findings indicate that organized public relations activities contribute to strengthening communication with target audiences, improving the national tourism image, and supporting institutional preparedness in maintaining tourism operations during challenging conditions. Novelty The study offers empirical evidence from a governmental tourism body in Iraq, highlighting the strategic integration of tourism communication practices with continuity management within a post-crisis tourism environment. Implications The findings suggest that tourism institutions should develop integrated public relations strategies and strengthen cooperation with media, local communities, and tourism stakeholders to support sustainable tourism governance and organizational resilience. Highlights:• Structured Communication Practices Strengthen Engagement With Media, Communities, and Tourism Stakeholders.• Survey Evidence From Institutional Staff Indicates Strong Links Between Communication Strategy and Operational Resilience.• Reputation Recovery and Coordinated Messaging Support Stable Tourism Governance in a Crisis-Affected Environment. Keywords: Tourism Public Relations, Business Continuity Management, Iraqi Tourism Sector, Organizational Communication, Crisis Image Recovery.

General Background: The integration of digital technology in education requires learning approaches that support digital literacy and critical thinking development in science education. Physics learning in junior high schools often remains teacher-centered, resulting in limited student participation and shallow conceptual understanding. Specific Background: Web-based simulations provide interactive environments that enable students to explore scientific concepts and digital resources, while the Guided Discovery Learning model encourages active investigation and conceptual discovery during instruction. Knowledge Gap: Despite the potential of these approaches, physics learning frequently focuses on content delivery and problem solving without optimally integrating digital exploration and guided discovery processes. Aims: This study aims to analyze the implementation of Guided Discovery Learning assisted by Web-Based Simulation in improving digital literacy and critical thinking skills among Grade IX junior high school students studying magnetism and its applications. Results: A quasi-experimental pretest–posttest control group design involving two classes demonstrated significant differences between experimental and control groups (Sig. < 0.001). The experimental class showed higher improvements with N-gain values of 0.66 for digital literacy (moderate category) and 0.71 for critical thinking (high category). Novelty: The study presents empirical evidence on the integration of guided discovery learning with web-based simulation to support technology-mediated physics learning and student engagement. Implications: The findings indicate that contextual learning designs combining discovery-based instruction and digital simulations can support the development of digital literacy and critical thinking in junior high school physics learning, although implementation also depends on student readiness, digital competence, and environmental support. Highlights • Guided discovery learning with web simulations produced higher learning gains in experimental classes.• Digital literacy improvement reached moderate category with N-gain score of 0.66.• Critical thinking achievement reached high category with N-gain value of 0.71. Keywords Guided Discovery Learning; Web-Based Simulation; Digital Literacy; Critical Thinking; Physics Education

General Background: The digital revolution has transformed organizational work environments and encouraged the adoption of digital approaches in management systems, including quality management practices. Specific Background: In tourism organizations, digital quality management represents an administrative approach that integrates digital technologies to manage services and operational processes while supporting organizational performance and employee commitment. Knowledge Gap: Despite the growing relevance of digital management practices, many institutions within the Iraqi tourism sector continue to rely on traditional administrative frameworks, which contribute to routine bureaucratic procedures and may weaken organizational loyalty among employees. Aims: This study aims to examine the relationship between digital quality management and organizational loyalty within the Iraqi Tourism Authority. Results: Using a descriptive analytical approach and questionnaire data collected from 100 managers across different administrative levels, the results indicate a statistically significant positive relationship between digital quality management and organizational loyalty. Structural Equation Modeling revealed a standardized path coefficient of 0.71, showing that digital quality management explains approximately 51% of the variation in organizational loyalty. Among its dimensions, data security recorded the highest mean score, while continuous loyalty ranked highest among loyalty dimensions. Novelty: The study provides empirical evidence on the relationship between digital quality management dimensions user experience, data security, responsiveness, and integration and innovation and organizational loyalty within a public tourism authority context. Implications: The findings highlight the need for tourism institutions to adopt modern digital quality management practices and foster an organizational culture that supports loyalty, innovation, and improved perception of the tourism authority’s role in economic and social development. Highlights: • Data Security Recorded the Highest Mean Among Digital Quality Dimensions Within the Tourism Authority.• Continuous Commitment Ranked First Among Loyalty Components in the Surveyed Managers.• Structural Equation Modeling Revealed That Digital Quality Practices Explain Over Half of Loyalty Variance. Keywords: Digital Quality Management, Organizational Loyalty, Iraqi Tourism Authority, Tourism Management, Structural Equation Modeling

General Background: Firm value represents a critical indicator of corporate performance and investor perception in capital markets, particularly in sectors providing essential goods where demand remains relatively stable. Specific Background: The consumer non-cyclical sector in Indonesia demonstrated resilience during the 2019–2023 period despite economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent recovery dynamics. Knowledge Gap: Previous studies report inconsistent findings regarding the relationships between corporate governance, capital structure, profitability, and firm value, while limited empirical research specifically examines these relationships in the consumer non-cyclical sector during the post-pandemic period. Aims: This study investigates the relationships between corporate governance, capital structure, and profitability with firm value in consumer non-cyclical companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange during 2019–2023. Results: Using panel data regression with a Random Effect Model on 69 companies and 345 observations, the findings show that capital structure measured by the Debt to Equity Ratio has a significant relationship with firm value measured by Price to Book Value, whereas corporate governance measured by the ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard and profitability measured by Return on Assets show no significant relationship individually. However, the variables jointly form a statistically significant regression model. Novelty: The study contributes empirical evidence from the post-COVID-19 economic recovery period with a sector-specific focus on consumer non-cyclical firms, highlighting how financing policies signal market valuation dynamics. Implications: These findings indicate that financing decisions and debt management remain key considerations for investors in assessing firm prospects, while corporate governance implementation and profitability indicators require deeper substantive alignment with business strategy to support long-term corporate valuation. Highlights • Capital structure represented by Debt to Equity Ratio shows a significant relationship with firm valuation.• Governance score and asset-based profitability display insignificant individual relationships with market valuation indicators.• Post-pandemic analysis of 69 Indonesian consumer staple companies reveals financing policy as a dominant market signal. Keywords Corporate Governance; Capital Structure; Profitability; Firm Value; Consumer Noncyclical Sector

General Background: Toddler nutritional status reflects health conditions and adequate nutrient intake supporting optimal child growth and development. Specific Background: Maternal participation in Posyandu, parenting patterns, and feeding practices are factors related to child nutrition monitoring. Knowledge Gap: Many studies discuss these determinants separately, while integrated evidence in rural community settings remains limited. Aims: This study aimed to analyze the relationship between maternal activeness in Posyandu, parenting patterns, and feeding practices with toddler nutritional status in Gribig Village. Results: A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted involving 59 mothers with toddlers aged 0–59 months. The results showed a significant relationship between maternal Posyandu participation and toddler nutritional status (p=0.0001). Parenting patterns and feeding practices showed tendencies toward better nutritional conditions but were not statistically significant (p=0.7 and p=0.8). Most toddlers had normal nutritional status (69.5%), and democratic parenting was the most common pattern. Novelty: This study integrates maternal participation, parenting patterns, and feeding practices using community-based Posyandu data. Implications: Strengthening maternal participation and community nutrition education can support routine monitoring and early detection of toddler nutritional problems. Highlights • Maternal participation associated with toddler nutrition monitoring• Majority of toddlers categorized with normal nutrition• Democratic caregiving approach most commonly practiced Keywords Maternal Posyandu Participation; Parenting Patterns; Feeding Practices; Toddler Nutritional Status; Community Health Monitoring

General Background: Characterizing exoplanet atmospheres has become a major focus of modern astrophysics to understand the composition, structure, and evolution of planets beyond the Solar System. Specific Background: Advances in observational instruments, spectroscopy techniques, and atmospheric modeling especially with next-generation telescopes such as the James Webb Space Telescope have expanded the capability to study planetary atmospheres. Knowledge Gap: However, challenges remain in interpreting atmospheric spectra due to retrieval degeneracies, stellar contamination, and limitations in cloud and chemical modeling. Aims: This review summarizes recent developments in observational techniques and atmospheric analysis used in exoplanet research. Results: Recent observations have detected molecules such as H₂O, CO₂, CH₄, Na, K, and SO₂, while improved spectroscopic methods allow investigation of atmospheric circulation, thermal structure, disequilibrium chemistry, and atmospheric escape. Novelty: The study integrates recent observational and modeling progress that advances atmospheric characterization techniques. Implications: These developments support deeper understanding of planetary diversity and strengthen the search for habitable environments and biosignatures beyond Earth. Highlights:• Multi-method spectroscopic observations reveal molecular composition and atmospheric structure of distant planets.• Next-generation telescopes provide broader wavelength coverage enabling detection of trace gases.• Modern retrieval algorithms integrate machine learning and radiative transfer modeling for spectral interpretation. Keywords: Exoplanet Atmospheres, Atmospheric Spectroscopy, James Webb Space Telescope, Transmission Spectroscopy, Planetary Science

General Background: Tuberculosis remains a major public health challenge in Indonesia, with DKI Jakarta designated as a priority province for tuberculosis control. Specific Background: Despite high treatment coverage, the treatment success rate in Jakarta declined from 81% in 2023 to 63.7% in 2025, far below the national target of 90%, indicating persistent problems in treatment adherence and continuity of care. Knowledge Gap: Although recurrent tuberculosis treatment visits are recognized as indicators of treatment failure and potential progression to drug-resistant tuberculosis, evidence regarding the dominant sociodemographic determinants of these visits in Jakarta remains limited. Aims: This study aims to analyze the association between sociodemographic factors—age, sex, and marital status—and recurrent tuberculosis treatment visits in DKI Jakarta. Results: A quantitative cross-sectional study using secondary BPJS Health data involving 46,064 tuberculosis patients was analyzed using logistic regression. The results show that marital status is the dominant factor associated with recurrent visits (p=0.000; OR=5.320). Age is also significantly associated, where individuals under 60 years have lower risk compared with those above 60 years, while sex shows no significant relationship (p=0.510). Novelty: This study identifies marital status as the main sociodemographic determinant of recurrent tuberculosis treatment visits using large-scale national health insurance data. Implications: The findings indicate that tuberculosis control strategies in DKI Jakarta should integrate family-based approaches by involving spouses as treatment supporters and utilizing educational tools such as the LEKAT leaflet to strengthen adherence monitoring and reduce recurrent treatment visits. Highlights • Marital status emerges as the strongest predictor of repeated tuberculosis treatment attendance.• Individuals aged under sixty years demonstrate lower probability of repeated therapy visits compared with elderly patients.• BPJS Health data analysis reveals demographic determinants supporting family-oriented tuberculosis control strategies. Keywords Tuberculosis; Recurrent Tuberculosis; Marital Status; Treatment Adherence; Public Health Surveillance