An Investigation into Strategic Planning and Performance Improvement of National Social Security Fund Ilala Branch

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This study was conducted so as to investigate the effects of strategic planning toward performance improvement of the National Social Security Fund Ilala Branch with the following specific objectives; to assess the influence of existing organizational structure to the performance improvement of NSSF Ilala Branch, to examine the influence of organizational system to performance improvement of NSSF Ilala Branch and to analyze the contribution of organization mission towards performance improvement of NSSF Ilala Branch. This study used descriptive survey design. Quantitative research approach was adopted. Population of this study comprised of 300 staff members of NSSF Ilala Branch. It employed both purposive and random sampling techniques to obtain 172 respondents. The study found out that, strategic planning aspects of structure would influence performance improvement by 17.8%, organizational system and organization mission would contribute to performance improvement by 40.8% and 50.8% respectively. The study recommended that, organizations in Tanzania should take strategic planning more seriously, differentiate it from other forms of planning, make an effort to choose strategies that are suitable for each strategic plan as well as embrace and successfully apply all of its principles.

Ethical Research Practices in Educational Institutions: A Literature Review

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Research is one of the tri-focal functions of a university. The educational institution is the first home and ‘engine’ of scientific studies. Educational institutions infinitely embrace research as humans continuously thirst for knowledge to improve our quality of life. Thus, ethical research practice has always been an issue and matter of academic concern in schools. This article aims to review evidence of ethical research practices in educational institutions. The references and sources of this literature review came from known research databases such as Google Scholar, Open Access Directory Journals, and prominent University Websites with specific sections on Research and Ethics. Furthermore, this provides a better understanding and a general picture of research ethical practices in schools that led to the development of a conceptual framework that illustrates the supposed-to-be ethical research practices and standards for schools that lead to the crafting of quality studies that are worth publishing and disseminating. Research ethical considerations and principles guide research designs and implementations. These include the universal standard and norm of ensuring the voluntary participation of and obtaining informed consent from research participants (Bhandari, 2022; Felzmann, 2009; & Resnik, 2020). Furthermore, this review also led to the researchers’ assumption that research ethical practices and principles are associated with the level of personal ethics and moral values of a researcher and that there is a difference in the degree of practice and consideration of research ethics with respect to the nature, purpose, and design of research. Lastly, this article illustrated in its framework that the assumptions and the primary principles of research ethics (Resnik, 2020; & Smith, 2003) are inputs to ethical considerations in research. Hence, these concepts strongly underpin the significant roles of the technical review boards (TRBs) and the research ethics committees (RECs) in educational institutions to ensure that academic and scientific research done in the school setting is of quality and with academic integrity, credibility, trustworthiness, and rigor (Bhandari, 2022).

The Effect of Consumer Interest Level on the Implementation Level of Sustainable Agriculture in Green Vegetable Cultivation

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Green vegetables are one type of food that is very commonly consumed by the community to fulfill nutrients, vitamins, minerals, fiber and iron. The nutrients contained in green vegetables are needed to increase endurance and facilitate the body’s metabolic processes, so it is very related to public health. Vegetable products consumed must be ensured in a safe and hygienic condition, in this case requiring a good and correct cultivation process as stated in the recommendations of a sustainable agricultural system. The objectives in this study were to determine the level of consumer interest in green vegetable products, determine the level of application of sustainable agriculture in green vegetable cultivation and analyze the effect of the level of consumer interest on the level of application of sustainable agricultural systems in green vegetable cultivation. The research was conducted in August 2022 in Jati Agung District, South Lampung Regency on green vegetable farmers with 76 respondents. The research method used is descriptive quantitative with Parcial Least Square (PLS) statistical analysis assisted through SmartPLS software version 3.0. The results showed that the level of consumer interest in green vegetable products is in the low category, which means that vegetable products are no longer in great demand by the community, while the level of implementation of a sustainable agricultural system is in the high category, meaning that respondents have been able to implement good cultivation recommendations even though they are not maximized. The results of the analysis show that the level of consumer interest has a significant positive influence on the level of application of sustainable agricultural systems in vegetable cultivation, meaning that the better the level of consumer interest, the higher the application of sustainable green vegetable farming systems.

Surface Structural–Phase Modification of Structural Steels during Gas Nitriding

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The formation of a composite nitride layer in an ammonia atmosphere with the addition of carbon– and oxygen–containing gases during gas nitriding is considered. The conditions for the formation of cementite during nitriding of steel and the influence of carbon in the matrix on the release of cementite are given. After oxidation of the nitride layer, modified nitride compositions with stable gradient structural–phase states were obtained.

Cyanobacteria: Isolation, Purification and Principles

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The primary means of nutrient uptake for cyanobacteria is oxygen-producing photosynthesis. Their ecological variety is astounding; they occupy a very wide range of lighted ecological niches in terrestrial, marine, and freshwater habitats. Despite this apparent metabolic consistency, they exhibit tremendous phylogenetic diversity. The fact that cyanobacteria have certain physiological and metabolic traits that are exclusively seen in prokaryotes significantly broadens this spectrum. The capacity to fix nitrogen in an aerobic manner under light is a special characteristic. Apart from Gonotheca species, all aerobic, nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria—a structurally diverse group—produce heterocyst, the highly specialised cells that allow them to fix nitrogen efficiently in a fully aerobic environment by preventing the oxygen-sensitive enzyme nitrogenase from being inactivated quickly in vivo (Hazelton, 1978; Stanier and Cohen-Bazire, 1978; Stewart, Haystead, and Pearson, 1969). The same quantities of cyanobacteria could be isolated from freshwater using a technique using nutrient-saturated glass fibre filters, but the quantity of accompanying heterotrophic bacteria was reduced by 2- to 15-fold. a broad-spectrum antibiotic called imipenem. In comparison to some other Plactam antibiotics, the B-lactam antibiotic that inhibits peptidoglycan biosynthesis, was more effective at lowering the levels of heterotrophic bacterial contaminants associated with newly isolated cyanobacteria to a point that made it easier to grow axenic cyanobacterial cultures.

Response of Zea Mays L to Tillage and Urea Fertilizer

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The purpose of cultivation intensity and using kind Urea mature as an activity in corn culture creates the best environmental to plant growth and yield. The experiment was conducted in Sempaja village-Samarinda district. Randomized Split-Plot Design analysis in Randomized Block Design was used with 2 treatments and 3 replications. The treatments consist of two method of tillage (no tillage and conventional tillage) and two kind of urea mature (without Urea, Prill Urea and Briket Urea). The result showed that combination with conventional tillage method and briket urea give significantly effect on plant growth, yield components, and yield of corn.

An Investigation of Fish Processing and Preserving for Socio-Economic Development in North “B” District of Unguja – Zanzibar

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This study was conducted in order to investigate fish processing and preserving for socio- economic development in North “B” District Unguja-Zanzibar. The specific objectives were to assess the contribution of fish processing and preserving activities for socio-economic development in North “B” District of Unguja-Zanzibar and to examine the strategies set by the government in promoting fish processing. The target population of the study comprised of District Officers, Fisheries Officers, Shehia Leaders, community members and stockholders. Data was gathered using questionnaires. The study population was 81,675 which and a sample size of 145. The study revealed that, fish processing and preserving contributed to socio-economic development especially in as far as improving the standard of living of the communities. This was at the level of 93 equal to (64.1%), income increased to 48 equal to (33.1%), usage of modern technology was found to be 82 (56.5%), improvement of training and education to the local community and fish folks 62 equal to (42.8%). In general, the benefits contributed to the socio-economic development in Zanzibar. The study revealed that, some of the strategies set by the government were to strengthen the monitoring and evaluation processes, provision of modern technology to the local communities, provision of training and education to the local communities. The study recommended the government to increase more fish processing and preservation in order to increase social economic development. Also the study recommended that, modern technology, monitoring and evaluation; training local communities should be enhanced.

Screening of Different Media and Heat Shock Treatment Regimens for Enhancing Sporulation in Bacillus licheniformis

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Bacillus licheniformis is a spore-producing bacteria. The present study aims to identify maximum sporulation in Bacillus licheniformis through induced heat shock conditions using different solidified media and broth media. Suspensions of Bacillus licheniformis spores were spread-plated on nutrient agar plates before and after heat shock treatments of 60°C, 80°C and 100°C for 30 minutes. The number of spores was determined by the dilution plate count method. The result indicates that the highest spore production for Bacillus licheniformis was observed when the spores were induced in AK (Arret and Kirshbaum) Agar for seven days under a heat shock treatment of 60℃ for 30 minutes. Whereas, in the case of Nutrient Broth media, the spore production was highest after four days at heat shock treatment of 80℃ for 30 minutes. This study will help find the optimal production of spores from Bacillus licheniformis, an industrially beneficial microorganism.

Framework of Problem-Based Learning Activities with STEM Approach: Utilizing Plastic Waste with Ecobrick Method in Improving Students’ Ecological Literacy to Solve Environmental Problems

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Plastic is a difficult chemical to degrade or decompose naturally, taking hundreds or even thousands of years for nature to break down plastic. However, the reality is that plastic is widely used in various human needs, from food packaging materials to automotive materials. One way to overcome plastic waste is through eco-brick or utilizing waste with plastic bottle media. Ecobrick is one creative effort to manage plastic waste into useful objects and reduce pollution and toxins caused by plastic waste. Teaching about eco-brick issues can be used as teaching material to improve students’ ecological literacy. Ecological literacy is a state in which individuals have good knowledge and attitudes about the environment and are capable of taking actions that positively impact the environment. However, the ecological literacy of students could be a lot higher. One of the reasons for this is that the teaching methods used so far have yet to bring out their ecological capabilities. Therefore, this study will apply problem-based learning (PBL) with a STEM approach. PBL is a learning approach involving a specific syntax combining STEM disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. This approach can improve students’ ecological literacy in solving environmental problems.

 

The Relationship between Latrine Ownership and the Incidence of Diarrhea in Toddlers in South Buton Regency, 2022

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Background: Diarrheal disease is the second leading cause of death in children under five years of age, and is responsible for killing around 525,000 children each year. South Buton Regency, Diarrheal Disease is still included in the order of the 10 most common diseases. The coverage of services for diarrhea sufferers for all ages in South Buton Regency was 39.77%, while the coverage of services for diarrhea sufferers in the toddler age group in South Buton Regency was 28.82%. From the results of the above achievements it can be seen that the coverage of services for diarrhea sufferers in 2021 in all age groups and the under five age group has not yet reached the target of 100%.

Purpose(s): Knowing the relationship between latrine ownership and the incidence of diarrhea in South Buton Regency in 2022.

Method: Type of research uses a quantitative descriptive with a cross sectional design. Data collection was carried out by survey method using questionnaires and observation sheets The sample in this study was 2800 houses, with housewives as respondents

Results: The results of the statistical test using the chi-square test obtained a p-value = 0.005 <0.05 because the p-value is less than 0.05, then H1 is accepted and Ho is rejected, which means there is a relationship between latrine ownership and the incidence of diarrhea in toddlers in the Buton district. South in 2022.

Conclusion: There is a significant relationship between latrine ownership and the incidence of diarrhea in South Buton District in 2022.