City University Research Articles

Time spent on social media and depressive symptoms in university students: The mediating role of psychoactive substances.

Although some studies have related social media use and depressive symptoms, little is known about the role of psychoactive substance use in this relationship. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the association between time spent on social media (TSSM) and depressive symptoms and to examine whether this relationship is mediated by psychoactive substances in students. Our cross-sectional analysis included a sample of students from a university in a large city in southern Brazil. The TSSM and tobacco frequency of consumption were self-reported. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire. Alcohol and illicit drug-related risks were assessed with the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test. Hayes's PROCESS macro was used for mediation analyses, adjusted for age, sex, body mass index and physical activity. A total of 3161 students were included, of which, 69.0% reported moderate to severe depressive symptoms. The association between TSSM and depressive symptoms was statistically significant and partially mediated by tobacco consumption (indirect effect [IE] = 0.05; 95% CI: 0.02-0.08), alcohol-related risk (IE = 0.19; 95% CI: 0.14-0.25), and illicit drug-related risk (IE = 0.08; 95% CI: 0.05-0.12). Our data suggest a direct relationship between TSSM and depressive symptoms, with a partial mediation effect of psychoactive substance use. This study highlights the importance that public health initiatives aimed at preventing depressive problems in young adults should focus not only on TSSM, but also on controlling and reducing psychoactive substance use.

Correlating Gas/Particle-Phase Concentration of Indicator Polychlorinated Biphenyls with Meteorological Factors in Bayburt, an Important University City of Turkey

Correlating Gas/Particle-Phase Concentration of Indicator Polychlorinated Biphenyls with Meteorological Factors in Bayburt, an Important University City of Turkey

Clinical features of patients with systemic sclerosis positive for anti-SS-A antibody: a cohort study of 156 patients

BackgroundAnti-SS-A/Ro antibody (anti-SSA), the diagnostic marker of Sjögren’s syndrome (SS), is often detected in systemic sclerosis (SSc). Some patients are diagnosed with SSc/SS overlap syndromes, while there are anti-SSA-positive SSc cases without SS. In this study, we investigated the clinical characteristics of SSc with anti-SSA and clarified the clinical impact of this antibody in SSc.MethodsA retrospective chart review was conducted of 156 patients with SSc at Yokohama City University Hospital from 2018 to 2021. Clinical data, laboratory data, imaging, and autoantibody positivity status were collected and analysed to assess the association between these variables and anti-SSA using multivariable logistic regression analysis.ResultsThis cohort included 18 men and 138 women with SSc (median age, 69.0 years). Thirty-nine patients had diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc) (25%), and 117 patients had limited cutaneous SSc (75%). Forty-four patients were anti-SSA-positive. Among them, 24 fulfilled the SS criteria. Multivariable logistic regression revealed that anti-SSA was statistically associated with interstitial lung disease (ILD; odds ratio [OR] = 2.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.14–6.3; P = 0.024). Meanwhile, anti-SSA positivity tended to increase the development of digital ulcer (OR = 2.18; 95% CI, 0.99–4.82, P = 0.054). In the comparative analysis of the autoantibody single-positive and anti-SSA/SSc-specific autoantibody double-positive groups, the anti-SSA single-positive group showed a significantly increased risk of ILD (OR = 12.1; 95% CI, 2.13-140.57; P = 0.003). Furthermore, patients with SSc and anti-SSA indicated that anti-SSA-positive SSc without SS was strongly associated with dcSSc when compared to that in patients with SS (OR = 6.45; 95% CI, 1.23–32.60; P = 0.024).ConclusionsAnti-SSA positivity increases the risk of organ involvement, such as ILD, in patients with SSc. Additionally, the anti-SSA-positive SSc without SS population may have more severe skin fibrosis than others. Anti-SSA may be a potential marker of ILD and skin severity in SSc.

Perceptions of the acceptability and effectiveness of a localised lifestyle medicine initiative to improve mental health – the lift project

ABSTRACT Objective Evaluate survey respondents’ perceptions concerning the acceptability and effectiveness of a localised, community-based mental health program. Method Avondale University and Lake Macquarie City Council partnered to implement an online, lifestyle-based program for all Council residents during a COVID-19 lockdown period. The University and Council promoted the program through established networks, resulting in 2390 registrations representing 4041 participants. Researchers invited registered users to respond to a post-program survey assessing their perceptions concerning program satisfaction, mental health benefits, and self-efficacy for managing mental health. Qualitative questions probed respondents’ likes and dislikes and were analysed thematically. Results Response rates were low, 6% (138/2390) of registered participants completed the post-program survey. Of the 138 responses, 99% indicated they would recommend the program to others, and 94% believed they gained skills to manage their mental well-being into the future. Themes generated from the qualitative data indicated that respondents liked the video content and delivery style, community camaraderie, personal empowerment, and easy accessibility. Some respondents found online accessibility problematic, disliked the delivery style, and experienced technical difficulties. Discussion The findings from a limited number of respondents indicate that a localised, community-based lifestyle program may offer a replicable model that is acceptable and effective in improving perceived mental health and self-efficacy in managing mental well-being. Survey respondents valued the practical content, community togetherness and emphasis on self-empowerment.

The Prognostic Immune and Nutritional Indices Are Independent Prognostic Factors for Esophageal Cancer Patients Who Receive Curative Treatment.

Recently, the prognostic immune and nutritional index (PINI) was developed and reported to be a promising nutritional and inflammatory prognostic marker. The aim of the present study was to clarify the clinical impact of the PINI for esophageal cancer patients who received curative treatment. We conducted a retrospective review of medical records and collected data on consecutive esophageal cancer patients who underwent curative resection at Yokohama City University between 2005 and 2020. The PINI was calculated by dividing the serum ALB concentration (g/dl) by the serum monocyte concentration, both of which were measured before surgery. A total of 180 patients were included in this study. The cutoff value of the PINI was 3.0 in the present study. The 3- and 5-year overall survival rates were 45.2% and 33.5%, respectively, in the PINI-low subgroup, and 69.1% and 61.8%, respectively, in the PINI-high subgroup. A multivariate analysis demonstrated that the PINI was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (hazard ratio=2.091, 95% confidence interval=1.287-3.399, p=0.003). Similar results were observed for recurrence-free survival. When comparing the sites of recurrence between the two groups, the incidence of hematological recurrence was significantly greater in the PINI-low subgroup compared to the PINI-high subgroup (46.8% vs. 21.1%, p<0.001). The PINI is a promising nutritional and inflammatory marker for esophageal cancer patients. The PINI might be a useful marker for the treatment and management of esophageal cancer patients.

The Clinical Impact of the Prognostic Immune and Nutritional Index in Gastric Cancer Patients Who Received Curative Treatment.

The prognostic immune and nutritional index (PINI) was developed and reported as a promising prognostic factor. This study aimed to clarify the clinical impact of the PINI in gastric cancer (GC) patients who received curative treatment. Patients who underwent curative resection for GC at Yokohama City University between 2005 and 2020 were selected based on their medical records. The PINI was calculated by dividing the serum albumin concentration (g/dl) by the serum monocyte concentration. Both measurements were performed prior to surgery. A total of 262 patients were included in this study. Based on the 3- and 5-year overall survival (OS), we set the cutoff value of the PINI at 3.4 in the present study. The 3- and 5-year OS rates were 69.0% and 66.1%, respectively, in the PINI-low group and 90.5% and 82.8% in the PINI-high group. There were significant differences between the two groups (p<0.001). A multivariate analysis of factors associated with OS identified PINI as an independent prognostic factor (hazard ratio=1.996; 95% confidence interval=1.096-3.636, p=0.024). Similar results were observed for RFS. In addition, the PINI status affected the recurrence pattern, postoperative anastomotic leakage, and the introduction of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. The PINI is a promising nutritional and inflammatory marker for patients with GC and might be a useful marker for the treatment and management of patients with GC.

The Impact of Digital Marketing Dimensions on Customer Satisfaction

This study aims to examine the role of digital marketing in customer satisfaction at Al-Warith Al- Anbiya University and Al-Zahra University in the holy city of Karbala. Due to the scarcity of studies and research attempting to understand the role of this topic, this study is considered one of the first to address these variables. Moreover, this study addresses a real problem that directly affects the educational sector in the relationship. A questionnaire was used to collect data, with (40) questionnaires distributed and (32) responses obtained from employees at Al-Warith Al-Anbiya University and Al-Zahra University in Karbala, using a random sampling method. The study concluded that there is a positive and significant relationship between the use of digital marketing and customer satisfaction in the researched universities. The report makes many recommendations, including expanding the use of digital marketing as a successful strategy for achieving customer satisfaction and offering staff members ongoing training and development opportunities to advance their knowledge of digital marketing and stay abreast of technical advancements in the industry. The report also suggests doing more extensive research in the future to determine the digital marketing tactics and best practices that these colleges might employ to raise customer satisfaction.

First Report of Neofusicoccum parvum causing leaf spot on Camellia japonica in China.

Camellia japonica is an important garden landscape plant in southern China. In April 2022, leaf spot symptoms were observed at the camellia garden of Jiaying University (24°32'83″N, 17 116°12'31″E) in Meizhou city, Guangdong Province, China. The initial symptoms were grayish brown spots on the leaves, as the disease progressed, the lesions were enlarged and affected the whole leaf and eventually led to the loss of its ornamental value. The disease incidence was above 15%. Leaf pieces (5 × 5 mm) from 3 diseased Camellia leaves were sterilized in 75% ethanol for 1 min, then in 1% NaOCl for 1 min; and rinsed three times with sterile water. Leaf pieces were inoculated on potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium and incubated at 25 °C. Three days later, fungal colonies initially showed a white aerial mycelium, turning gray after 5 days, and dark gray after 7 days of incubation. Conidia were single-celled, hyaline, ellipsoidal and without septa. Dimensions of conidia (n≥50) were 14.27 to 20.65 × 4.28 to 6.56 μm. The morphological characteristics matched the genus Neofusicoccum (Pavlic et al. 2009). For molecular identification, the rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS1, 5.8S and ITS2) region, translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1-α), and beta-tubulin (tub2) of a representative isolate SC6-2 were amplified using the primer pairs ITS1/ITS4, EF1/EF2 and BT2a/-BT2b, respectively (Golzar and Burgess，2011). The sequences obtained were deposited in GenBank (accession nos. PP064173, PP479650 and PP082457 for ITS, tef1-α and tub2, respectively). Nucleotide BLAST analysis showed a 99.81% homology with N. parvum (519/520 bp, OQ509869; 519/520 bp, KF294003; 518/519 bp KF293989) for ITS, 100% homology with N. parvum (398/398 bp, MN318108; 398/398 bp, MK294085; 398/398 bp, MH936021) for tub2, and >99% homology with N. parvum (259/259 bp, 100%, MW390561; 263/265 bp, 99.25%，MN175952; 263/265 bp, 99.25%, MK781982) for tef1-α. The combined phylogenetic analyses (ITS, tef1-α, and tub2) showed that the sequence of the tested isolate and the corresponding sequence of N. parvum (CMW9081, SHSJ1-2) in GenBank grouped in the same branch of the phylogenetic tree. Based on morphological characters, DNA sequencing, and the phylogenetic tree, it can be determined that the pathogen was Neofusicoccum parvum. Inoculation on Camellia leaves was performed to confirm pathogenicity. Nine healthy camellia leaves were pin-pricked with a sterile needle and inoculated with mycelial plugs of isolate SC6-2. Nine other healthy leaves were pin-pricked and inoculated with noncolonized PDA plugs as control leaves. The inoculated leaves were maintained on water agar solid medium at 25°C. To keep a high-humidity environment the inoculation sites were covered by moistened cotton for 2 days. The experiment was repeated three times. Five days after inoculation, all the inoculated leaves showed similar symptoms to those observed in the field, whereas control leaves were asymptomatic for 6 days. The fungal isolates recovered from inoculated leaves were morphologically identical to the N. parvum isolates originally recovered from symptomatic leaves collected in the field, fulfilling Koch's postulates. Neofusicoccum parvum is an aggressive pathogen that causes severe disease on important tree and woody species (Liddle et al. 2019). It has been reported that N. parvum can infect the leaves and branches of grapes (Otoya-Martinez et al. 2023), dieback on Camellia japonica (Pintos, et al. 2012), Brazilian pepperwood (Bertetti et al. 2022), mango (Giancarlo et al. 2023) and other plants. To our knowledge, this is the first report of N. parvum causing leaf spot on Camellia japonica in China.

A Science Mapping Approach-Based Review of Construction Workers’ Safety-Related Behavior

Promoting safe behaviors among construction workers and mitigating unsafe behaviors is an effective approach to enhancing safety performance in the construction industry. Although progress has been made, the research themes concerning construction workers’ safety-related behaviors (CWSRB) and the detailed progress of each theme remain unclear due to differences in review perspectives and conceptual scopes. This study utilized CiteSpace software (V6.2R3 version) to conduct an analysis of co-authorship networks, co-word networks, and co-citations on 563 published articles in this field from 2013 to 2023. This study’s outcomes highlight several key insights: (1) journals such as Safety Science play a pivotal role in the domain; (2) institutions such as the City University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Polytechnic University, along with prolific authors like Li, are major contributors to the field; (3) the focus of research has evolved from early organizational factors towards a more diverse range of topics, with deep learning emerging as a significant current research hotspot; (4) this study has identified high-cited literature and 11 primary clusters within the field. Current research focuses on five areas: safety-related behavior concepts, influencing factors and consequences, formation mechanisms, interventions, and applications of new technologies. Establishing clear classification criteria for unsafe behaviors, comprehensively understanding the formation mechanisms of safety-related behaviors, evaluating the effectiveness of intervention strategies, and exploring the practical applications of new technologies are future research directions. This study provides researchers with a holistic view of the present state of research and potential avenues for future exploration, thereby deepening the knowledge and comprehension of stakeholders within this domain.

Evaluating the level of visual acuity to minimise false-positives in different colour vision tests

ABSTRACT Clinical relevance Accurate colour vision assessment is important in clinical settings to minimise false-positive errors and enhance the reliability of diagnoses outcomes. Background Colour vision testing is valuable in assessing the visual system, particularly given the high proportion of individuals with poor vision. This study aimed to determine the minimum visual acuity level required to perform a colour-vision test without errors. Methods After fogging the right eyes of 52 healthy participants using plus lenses to 1.60 logMAR, vision was evaluated using Ishihara, Hardy – Rand – Rittler Standard Isochromatic, Waggoner Pseudo-isochromatic, City University, Waggoner Computerised, and Farnsworth D-15 tests. Participants then completed these tests at lower fogging degrees (in 0.1-logMAR intervals). The acuity at which 5% of the tested population was considered abnormal was determined. Results Significant differences were found in the average visual acuity required to perform colour vision tests without errors (p < 0.05). The Waggoner Computerized test required the highest average visual acuity among the tests utilised. The Farnsworth D-15 test yielded the highest logMAR values. No significant differences were observed between the Waggoner Pseudo-isochromatic test and Hardy – Rand – Rittler Standard Isochromatic, Ishihara, and Farnsworth D-15 tests (p > 0.05). Additionally, no significant differences were found between the Ishihara and Hardy – Rand – Rittler tests (p > 0.1) or between the Waggoner Computerized and City University tests (p = 0.11). Colour vision testing maintained an accuracy ≤ 1.0 logMAR with the Ishihara and Hardy – Rand – Rittler tests, 1.1 logMAR with the Waggoner Pseudo-isochromatic and Farnsworth D-15 tests, and 0.9 logMAR with the Waggoner Computerized and City University tests. Conclusions Insights are provided into the visual acuity thresholds required for accurate colour vision testing, which can serve as a basis for future research and provide a reference for clinical practice in this field.

Diagnostic Significance of Hematological Parameters and C- Reactive Protein in Dengue Viral Infection: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Dengue fever continues to pose significant challenges in public health, particularly within developing countries where it remains endemic. The ability to distinguish dengue infection from other febrile illnesses and assess its severity is crucial. The analysis of hematological parameters and inflammatory biomarkers, particularly C-reactive protein (CRP), offers valuable insights into the disease's progression. Objective: This study aimed to delineate the severity of dengue fever through detailed evaluation of complete blood count (CBC) and CRP levels, and to establish a correlation between these markers and the clinical severity of the infection. Methods: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, 135 suspected dengue fever patients from the City University of Science and Information Technology Peshawar were screened using the immune-chromatographic technique (ICT). Among them, 50 individuals (37%) tested positive for dengue. Both CBC and CRP levels were measured, with data analyzed using the statistical package SPSS version 22.0. The study spanned demographic data collection, gender and age distribution assessment, and detailed analysis of hematological parameters alongside CRP to predict disease severity. Results: Among the confirmed cases, the gender ratio skewed towards males (60%) compared to females (40%), with the most affected age group being 15-25 years (34%). Leukopenia was identified in 58% of patients with a mean WBC count of 2.62 × 10^9/L, neutrophilia in 66% with a mean neutrophil percentage of 80.15%, and lymphopenia in 56% with a mean lymphocyte percentage of 10.28%. Thrombocytopenia was observed in 76% of the cases. Elevated CRP levels were found in 88% of patients, with a mean CRP value of 23.10, indicating a strong predictive correlation with disease severity (p-value= 0.001). Conclusion: The study reaffirms the role of CBC and CRP levels in the clinical assessment of dengue fever, with both markers being indicative of infection severity. These findings can aid in the early detection and management of dengue fever, potentially guiding decisions regarding the necessity of hospitalization.

Study on the Impact of Professional Identity of Guilin University Students majoring in Science, Engineering and Aerospace on the Effectiveness of Science Popularization

This paper firstly analyses the role and value of popularization of science, and then takes undergraduates of Guilin Polytechnic College of Aeronautics and Astronautics as the research object, and uses the SPSS20 software tool to gain an in-depth understanding and explore the influence of aerospace undergraduates of Polytechnic College of Aeronautics and Astronautics on the effect of aerospace popularisation of science and the media effect of self-efficacy from the three dimensions of professional emotions, professional attitudes, and professional cognition under the sense of professional identity.To this end, a research model was constructed to validate the variables by setting the structural relationship between the variables and the media effect through a theoretical examination of the variables. the only aerospace university in Guilin City, Guangxi Province, was selected, and a 10-day questionnaire survey was conducted from 30 January to 8 February 2024 with 557 undergraduate students from the School of Aerospace and Astronautics in the first, second, third and fourth years as the research subjects. After analysing the data from the recovered questionnaires to determine the relationship between the variables, the following observations were made by verifying the mediated effects:First, professional identity has a significant effect on science effectiveness. Second, professional identity has a significant effect on self-efficacy. Third, self-efficacy has a significant effect on science popularisation effect. Fourth, professional identity had a significant effect on science popularisation effect through self-efficacy, and the mediating effect of self-efficacy was statistically significant.

Students’ Satisfaction on e-Learning at Faculty of Nursing-Medical Technology of Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy

This study is conducted to describe the satisfaction on e-learning and identify factors related to the satisfaction on e-learning of students at faculty of Nursing – Medical Technology in a national University of Medicine and Pharmacy. We designed a cross-sectional study with questionnaire collected from 736 nursing students. The participants have high satisfaction with an average mean score of 3.86/5. The criterion with the highest value is Capacity and the lowest is Reliability. Factors related to student satisfaction with e-learning include gender, course, content of course, activities before class, distance education methodology and academic results. This result reinforces previous findings regarding e-learning satisfaction among nursing students in a developing country and contributes to the current systematic studies in this field at the developing countries.

Factors affecting consumer intentions and actual behavior: A case of food delivery applications

Customers and food vendors communicate directly through mobile devices. Consumers easily purchase pre-prepared meals via food delivery applications, no matter where they are, even at the convenience of their residences. Therefore, this paper aims to analyze the determinants that affect customers’ propensity to purchase and their actual behavior in the setting of food delivery applications. The impact that subjective norms have on consumers’ attitudes toward food ordering via food delivery applications is also examined. The theory of reasoned action and prospect theory are the two basic theories that this study draws on. A convenience sample approach was used to gather data from 288 consumers in Vietnam who placed meal orders using food delivery applications. The data collection was conducted using Google Forms. The results indicated that consumers’ attitude toward purchasing food via food delivery applications positively influenced their buying propensity (β = 0.191, p = 0.001). Similarly, the findings also highlighted that consumers’ subjective norm positively affected both their attitude (β = 0.417, p = 0.000) and their inclination to purchase (β = 0.258, p = 0.000). Likewise, discount framing emerged as the most influential factor affecting purchase intentions (β = 0.262, p = 0.000). Furthermore, customers’ intentions significantly contributed to their actual behavior in acquiring pre-prepared meals through food delivery applications (β = 0.556, p = 0.000). Ultimately, the study offered suggestions for executives, identified limits, and proposed avenues for future research. AcknowledgmentThe author acknowledges Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City that supported this study.

Student Engagement Variations across Institutions and Disciplines: Findings from Azerbaijan

Although student engagement has been a widely researched area known to improve student learning and a topic of scholarly debate for many decades now, this has yet to be the case in Azerbaijan. Data from the National Survey of Student Engagement, conducted among 433 undergraduate students of the 18-23 age range (M = 21.37, SD = 1.43) at eight universities in Azerbaijan, allowed us to examine variations in the conditions meant to foster student engagement, as well as students’ perspectives on improving their educational experiences. Specifically, we looked at differences related to academic challenges, learning with peers, teacher experiences, and campus environment. Student engagement varied across disciplines. Small universities in the capital city provided better collaborative learning conditions. However, students at regional universities were more satisfied with the quality of student-faculty interactions. Nonetheless, students saw a strong need for fundamental changes in higher education in Azerbaijan, focusing on improving the quality of teachers, teaching and the curriculum. The study provided an overview of student engagement variations across institutions and disciplines and how students conceptualise necessary improvements in student experiences. Institutional leaders must understand the variations for seeking essential changes in the HE system to effectively accommodate students’ needs and expectations.

Pengaruh Literasi Keuangan, Financial Technology, dan Lingkungan Sosial Terhadap Perilaku Keuangan Mahasiswa di Kota Batam

Financial behavior is a person's pattern of behavior in managing finances to meet needs or prepare for the future. This is very important to know so that you can properly manage your financial patterns so as not to induce consumer-oriented financial behavior. Students are expected to be able to manage their money in the digital age, as they are millennials and need to be prepared for ever-accelerating technological developments.This research investigates whether students understand financial behavior, tests and analyzes the influence of financial literacy, financial technology, and  social environment on financial behavior, and tests and analyzes the correlation between financial behavior and each variable. It was carried out for the purpose of analysis. The population and sample of this study are current accounting students in several universities in Batam city, such as Universitas Batam, Universitas Internasional Batam, Universitas Riau Kepualauan, and others. The number of respondents for this survey was 300. Purposive sampling technique and Likert scale were used for the sample. Data were processed using the statistical program SPSS v29. This research chose to use quantitative research methods. The research results show that financial literacy and financial technology partially have a significant and positive influence on financial behavior, but do not have a significant influence on the social environment on financial behavior. However, the results of another test, namely the F test, indicate that financial literacy, financial technology

Beyond the Degree: Gendered Outcomes for BSBA Marketing Management Graduates

This study describes the profile, educational experiences, number of employed, career preparation, and employment data of the BSBA Marketing Management graduates from the College of Business, Economics, and Accountancy at Mariano Marcos State University City of Batac, Ilocos Norte, from 2013-2014 to 2017-2018, using gender-based analysis. Through descriptive research methods and adapting the CHED-Graduate Tracer Study survey questionnaire, data was collected from a random sample of 209 graduates, representing 37.59% of the total BSBA Marketing Management graduates. The findings reveal a higher percentage of female graduates, the majority are single and from Region 1. Male and female graduates were primarily driven by the desire for immediate employment opportunities. Although females performed better in academic honors, males tended to receive more non-academic awards. The study emphasizes high employment rates among BSBA Marketing Management graduates, emphasizing the program's efficiency in imparting job-related skills. Career preparation strategies, such as walk-in applications and internships, proved effective for both genders, with males prioritizing special skills and females focusing on career challenges. Employment data indicates a balanced distribution across employment status and industries, although there are slight variations in preferences between genders. Recommendations include curriculum diversification, ensuring gender equality in awards, enhancing internship programs, promoting ongoing learning, addressing gender disparities, facilitating networking opportunities, and continuous program evaluation.

Peer Review Statement

All papers published in this volume have been reviewed through processes administered by the Editors. Reviews were conducted by expert referees to the professional and scientific standards expected of a proceedings journal published by IOP Publishing.• Type of peer review: Double Anonymous• Conference submission management system: Morressier• Number of submissions received: 41• Number of submissions sent for review: 36• Number of submissions accepted: 32• Acceptance Rate (Submissions Accepted / Submissions Received × 100): 78.0 %• Average number of reviews per paper: 2.00• Total number of reviewers involved: 33Contact person for queries:Name: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Tan VietAffiliation: Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh CityEmail: trantanviet@hcmut.edu.vn

Preface

The 6th International Conference on Chemical Engineering, Food and Biotechnology (ICCFB2023) The 6th ICCFB - International Conference on Chemical Engineering, Food and Biotechnology was successfully held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam during September 29th-30th, 2023. The scientific conference was organized by the Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), VNU-HCM, and co-organized by PetroVietnam University.During the 6th ICCFB, the emerging technologies and scientific advancements in the fields of Chemical Engineering, Food and Biotechnology were disseminated. It served as a platform for strengthening partnership between academia and industry. The scientific papers submitted to the conference were categorized into three sections (Sustainability, Green Technology and Process Safety Engineering; Material Sciences, Environmental Engineering; Agriculture, Biotechnology and Food Technology) and carefully reviewed with a double-blind process. All the accepted papers were presented in the conference.The plenary speeches were given to make the conference more productive and precious.• Prof. Nobuyuki Kijima, Institute of Food Research, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Japan - What is the major impact of antibiotic-application to agricultural field? • Prof. Won-Chun Oh, Hanseo University, Korea - Recent advances in CO2 reduction applications: progress, challenges and perspectives.• Prof. Suresh Sagadevan, University of Malaya, Malaysia - Nanocomposite photocatalysts for wastewater treatment.• Prof. Sanggono Adisasmito, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Indonesia - Energy Transition and Carbon Capture Process for Coal-Fired Power Plants in Indonesia.We thank all distinguished guests, authors, participants for their contributions to make a successful conference and look forward to the 7th ICCFB in 2025.List of Steering Committee and Editors are available in this pdf.

Examining students’ problem-solving approaches in organic chemistry and its impact on performance and learning

This research paper examines the intricacies of problem-solving (PS) in organic chemistry (OC), exploring the internal and external factors that influence students’ success in this demanding discipline. Data was collected through a questionnaire administered to 128 City College of New York students during Spring and Fall semesters of 2022. The study revealed that students face challenges learning OC, which include memorization, understanding underlying concepts, and effective PS. Notably, there is a gap between students’ professed beliefs about effective PS strategies and their actual practices. While students acknowledge the importance of techniques such as annotation, trial and error, and questioning, they inconsistently apply these strategies in practice. Annotation emerged as a valuable tool, enabling students to externalize complex thought processes and reduce reliance on memorization. Trial and error, coupled with exposure to expert PS techniques, proved effective. The role of confidence in PS was highlighted, and the need to balance memorization of reactions and rules such as naming with a profound understanding of OC concepts was emphasized. Resonance as a justification for answers underscored the importance of understanding and applying principles rather than relying solely on memorization. The data highlights the importance of aligning beliefs with actions in the learning process and the need for a balanced approach that combines knowledge with effective PS techniques. The findings offer valuable implications for educators and students seeking to enhance their performance in OC.