The maize commodity is of strategic significance to the South African economy as it is a stable commodity and therefore a key factor for food security. In recent times climate change has impacted on the productivity of this commodity and this has impacted trade negatively. This paper explores the intricate relationship between climatic factors and trade performance for the South African maize. Secondary annual time series data spanning 2001 to 2023, was sourced from an abstract from Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) and World Bank’s Climate Change Knowledge Portal. Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) cointegration technique was used as an empirical model to assess the long-term and short-term relationships between explanatory variables and the dependent variable. Results of the ARDL model show that, average annual rainfall (β = 2.184, p = 0.056), fertilizer consumption (β = 1.919, p = 0.036), gross value of production (β = 1.279 , p = 0.006) and average annual surface temperature (β = −0.650, p = 0.991) and change in temperature for previous years, (β = −0.650, p = 0.991) and the effects towards coefficient change for export volumes, (β = 0.669, p = 0.0007). In overall, as a recommendation, South African policymakers should consider these findings when developing strategies to mitigate the impacts of some of these climatic factors and implementing adaptive strategies for maize producers.

Depression is a mental disorder caused by various causes with significant and persistent depressed mood as the main clinical feature, and is the most common mental illness worldwide and in our country. The number of patients with depression worldwide was as high as 350 million in 2017, and the number of patients with depression in our country was nearly 100 million in 2019. The greatest danger of depression is self-injurious and suicidal behaviour, and this behaviour carries a high medical burden. Medication is the most costly treatment for depression in China, and while it is an effective way to treat patients with depression, it has many side effects and poor patient compliance. Non-pharmacological treatments commonly used in clinical practice include physiotherapy and psychotherapy. Physiotherapy is commonly used in non-convulsive electroconvulsive therapy, but its clinical efficacy is uncertain and it can also cause adverse effects such as heart failure and arrhythmias, which are poorly tolerated by patients. Psychotherapy is also a common non-pharmacological therapy. Cognitive therapy is a common form of psychotherapy, but the cycle of cognitive therapy is too long, the cost to the patient is high, and the patient’s cognitive ability has certain requirements. Music therapy is a combination of art and science. It is a cross-discipline that combines body, movement, dance and psychology and is a method of psychotherapy that has biological, psychological and social functions to compensate for deficiencies. Music therapy sees a fundamental connection between mind and body and emphasises that what affects the body also affects the mind. When mind-body integration is lacking, individuals will suffer from a variety of psychological disorders. Therefore, the core principles of music therapy emphasise that holistic individual health is embodied in the integration of mind and body, that body movement is expressive and communicative, and that music therapy uses body movement as a method of assessing the individual and as a means of clinical intervention.

Purpose: This study explores the impact of quality of life (QoL) on the happiness of female healthcare professionals, focusing on the moderating roles of family dynamics and education. Method: A descriptive and exploratory design was used with data from 503 female healthcare professionals. Various quantitative analyses, including regression and correlation, were conducted using SPSS and AMOS. Findings: The study found a positive relationship between QoL and happiness. Family dynamics and education significantly moderated this relationship, highlighting the influence of these factors on happiness levels. Implications: The research offers insights into the well-being of female healthcare professionals and calls for policies that support QoL through flexible work arrangements and wellness programs, considering diverse family structures and educational backgrounds. Originality: This study provides a focused analysis of the role of family and education in shaping the relationship between QoL and happiness for female healthcare professionals.

In the context of Vietnam’s extensive international integration, economic concentration emerges as a pivotal strategy employed by businesses across various sectors, notably the retail industry, to foster expansion and bolster competitiveness within the market. As this trend evolves, it necessitates the formulation by the Vietnamese Government of a comprehensive and stringent legal framework tailored to regulate economic concentration among enterprises. Such measures are imperative to preclude the curtailment of market competition, which could potentially undermine the equity and vitality of the business environment in Vietnam. This paper meticulously examines and elucidates theoretical nuances surrounding economic concentration in the retail sector. Additionally, it scrutinizes the current landscape, assessing the impact of extant legislation governing economic concentration and the efficacy of enforcement activities in this realm within the Vietnamese retail sector. Consequently, the paper proffers judicious recommendations to enhance the efficacy of legal mechanisms governing economic concentration to foster competition and fortify Vietnam’s overall economic prowess, particularly within the retail sector.

Considering the application of the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), the separator thickness plays a significant role in determining the weight, volume, and costs of the PEMFC. In addition, thermal management, i.e., temperature distribution is also important for the PEMFC system to obtain higher performance. However, there were few reports investigating the relation between the temperature profile and the power generation characteristics e.g., the current density distribution of PEMFC operated at higher temperatures (HT-PEMFC). This paper aims to study the impact of separator thickness on the temperature profile and the current density profile of HT-PEMFC. The impact of separator thickness on the gases i.e., H₂, O₂ profile of HT-PEMFC numerically was also studied using CFD software COMSOL Multiphysics in the paper. In the study, the operating temperature and the relative humidity (RH) of the supply gas were varied with the separator thickness of 2.0 mm, 1.5 mm, and 1.0 mm, respectively. The study revealed that the optimum thickness was 2.0 mm to realize higher power generation of HT-PEMFC. The heat capacity of the separator thickness of 2.0 mm was the biggest among the separators investigated in this study, resulting in the dry-up of PEM and catalyst layer was lower compared to the thinner separator thickness. It also clarified the effects of separator thickness of profile gases, e.g., O₂, H₂O, and current density profile became larger under the higher temperature and the lower RH conditions.

The combination of polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) and polyamide 6 (PA6) plastic mixture was taken from waste from the table production process along with carbon black (CB) reinforcement with the desire to create a potential plastic mixture widely used in many fields. The PBT/PA6/CB mix is created by injection molding with a CB weight ratio of 0%, 4%, 8%, and 12%. This study has shown the change in plastic’s mechanical properties when adding CB to the mixture by testing the unnotched impact toughness according to ASTM D256 standards. Research results show that the unnotched impact toughness was gradually reduced when increasing the CB content in the mixture from 0% to 12% CB. Specifically, at 0% CB, the resulting unnotched impact toughness was 12.85 kJ/m², reduced to 4.78 kJ/m².