The Impact of Teacher Performance Management on the “Merdeka Mengajar” Platform on the Teaching and Learning Process

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This study aims to describe the impact of teacher performance management on the “Merdeka Mengajar” platform on the teaching and learning process at SMA Negeri 5 Bengkulu, Indonesia. This research employed a qualitative descriptive method, with data collected through interviews, observations, and document analysis. Data were analyzed inductively using the Miles and Huberman model. The findings indicate that performance planning helps guide teachers in selecting performance practices. Performance implementation serves as a tool for facilitating the teaching and learning process and professional development. Performance evaluation provides feedback to teachers on their teaching practices. Supporting factors include the availability of features on the “Merdeka Mengajar” platform, school support, professional development opportunities, and teachers’ awareness and commitment. Inhibiting factors include limited time and workload, lack of supervision, unsynchronized platform features, implementation difficulties, and the absence of personal motivation and commitment among teachers.

Influence of Principals’ Incorporation of Climate Change Education into Curriculum on Climate Change Awareness amongst Students in Public Secondary Schools in Westland Subcounty, Kenya

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Climate change has become an existential environmental threat ravaging societies disproportionately. While it remains a complex global challenge with debilitating impacts, its mitigation considers climate change awareness as prerequisite for informed action, adaptation and sustainability. SDG 13; Climate Action, moreover views climate change education as a tool for empowerment-enhancing climate knowledge and skills-thereby transforming young people into agents of climate change rather than mere spectators. This role of education in climate change awareness can leverage principals’ inclusion of CCE into curriculum for enhance climate change awareness thus environmentally conscious future generation. This paper investigated the influence of principals’ incorporation of CCE into curriculum on climate change awareness amongst students in public secondary schools in Westland Subcounty, Nairobi. Both quantitative and qualitative research methods were employed in the study in which 15 school principals, 70 secondary school teachers and 460 students were purposively sampled for the study. Questionnaires and interview schedules were administered to students and teacher, and school principals respectively. Pearson Chi-square test (x2=79.826 p=0.005) was highly significant indicating that principals incorporated CCE into curriculum that contributed to climate change awareness amongst students. This showed that there is significant relationship between principals’ incorporation of CCE into curriculum and climate change awareness. It is evident from the results of the study that developing CCE curriculum, supervision and instruction, provision of materials and integration of ICT were given key consideration.  It is then recommended that principals should leverage on ICT to bolster sharing of CCE materials and resources, develop monitoring and evaluation tools, provide TML as well as effective instructional supervision. To improve principals’ vocation, there is need to equip principals with knowledge, skills and competencies.

Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles: A Comprehensive Review on Synthesis and Properties

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Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) are inorganic metal oxides extensively utilized as preservatives in packaging materials and as potent antibacterial agents with minimal associated risks. The physicochemical properties of ZnO-NPs, including antibacterial efficacy, are significantly influenced by parameters such as particle size, morphology, concentration, and duration of interaction with bacterial cells. Beyond their antimicrobial applications, ZnO-NPs have garnered interest in diverse fields such as food technology, agriculture, cosmetology, and optoelectronics. Green synthesis of ZnO-NPs mediated by plant extracts has demonstrated enhanced antibacterial activity against various bacterial and fungal pathogens. Several plant species, including Trifolium, Justicia adhatoda, Physalis alkekengi L., Cassia auriculata, Aloe barbadensis, Pongamia pinnata, Limonia acidissima, Plectranthus amboinicus, Sedum alfredii Hance, and Aspidoterys cordata, have been identified as effective bioresources for nanoparticle fabrication. The resultant ZnO-NPs exhibit desirable physicochemical characteristics that are largely dependent on synthesis conditions, including particle size, shape, and concentration. This review comprehensively summarizes various green synthesis methodologies and characterization techniques for ZnO-NPs, highlighting their potential applications across the food, pharmaceutical, and textile industries.

Isolation and Identification of Indigenous Bacteria for the Degradation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Found in Refinery Wastewater

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Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) degrading bacteria were screened and isolated from contaminated soil taken from Tema Oil Refinery wastewater effluent channels. Refinery wastewater was found to contain a low amount of inhibitory heavy metals but the presence PAHs were detected and identified. The PAH-degrading bacteria isolated and identified were Pseudomonas stutzeri. Acinetobacter junii, Pseudomonas putida and Stetonotrophomonas nititireducens. All four bacteria showed high tolerance to a PAH combination of Naphthalene and Anthracene (1:1) of concentration as high as 5mg/ml. The identification of S. nititreducens as an indigenous bacterium is very significant since it is one of the very few bacteria known to be able to degrade high molecular weight PAHs.

Asset Management Transformation in Energy Companies: Integration of ISO 55001, Balanced Scorecard, and SWOT Analysis for Competitive Advantage

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Asset management is a strategic component in ensuring the sustainability and operational efficiency of electric energy companies, especially in facing the challenges of increasing demand and the need for reliable electricity services. This article examines the implementation of ISO 55001 as a structured asset management system framework, with a Balanced Scorecard (BSC) approach as an integrated performance measurement tool from four perspectives: financial, customer, internal business processes, and learning and growth. The research was conducted at an electric energy provider organization, by analyzing Key Performance Indicators data for 2022–2023. The results of the BSC measurement show positive trends, such as increasing ROI, EBITDA Margin, Customer Satisfaction Index, and human capital readiness, but also reveal weaknesses such as the still high ratio of power outages and Equivalent Forced Outage Rate (EFOR). SWOT analysis is used to identify internal factors (strength and weakness) and external factors (opportunity and threat). Quantitative SWOT results show that the company is in quadrant I (aggressive strategy), with internal strengths and external opportunities dominating. Based on these findings, alternative strategies are formulated that are adjusted to each BSC perspective and ISO 55001 pillars (Cost, Performance, Risk). Strategies include optimizing asset life cycles, reducing maintenance costs, increasing distribution system reliability, and developing Human Resource capabilities. The integration of ISO 55001 and BSC has been proven to provide a holistic approach in designing data-based and risk-based strategies. These findings not only provide theoretical contributions to the development of modern asset management systems, but are also practically relevant for corporate policy makers in improving the efficiency, reliability, and competitiveness of organizations in the energy sector.

EryC PCR assay as DIVA tool for Bovine Brucellosis

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The present study focuses on differential identification of vaccinated and infected animals of brucellosis (DIVA) by EryC PCR assay. Clinical specimen (400) comprising of 200 (162 blood, 27 milk, 10 vaginal swab and one tissue) samples from vaccinated and 200 (51 blood and 149 milk) samples from unvaccinated cattle. These samples were collected from four different regions of Maharashtra. The RBPT recorded overall prevalence of 39.9% (85/213) with 50.98% (26/51) in unvaccinated animals and 36.41% (59/162) in vaccinated animals. According to MRT results, the overall percent positivity observed was 58.5% (103/176) with vaccinated animals showing a 74.07% positivity (20/27) and unvaccinated animals showing 55.70% positivity (83/149).

A sum of 199 clinical samples (85 blood, 103 milk, 10 vaginal swab and one tissue sample) subjected to differentiate vaccine strain and wild strains of B. abortus,by targeting deletion of 702bp. The EryC PCR assay generated amplicon in 57 clinical samples i.e. 28.64% (19 from vaccinated and 38 from unvaccinated animals) of them found positive by EryC PCR. 16 samples from vaccinated animals amplified amplicon of 1257bp and only three samples showed amplicon of 555bp. Eight samples from unvaccinated animals amplified amplicon of 1257bp, 30 milk samples from unvaccinated animals generated amplicon of 555bp suggesting infection is due to vaccine strain.

 

Lung Disease Classification Using Transfer Learning on Chest X-ray Images

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Lung diseases remain a significant global health concern, necessitating the development of rapid and accurate diagnostic methods. While previous research has shown the promise of deep learning models, particularly transfer learning with architectures such as ResNet and VGG, limitations persist in evaluation scope, class imbalance handling, and model interpretability. This study proposes an enhanced deep learning framework for multi-label classification of thoracic diseases using chest X-ray images, addressing these gaps through comprehensive evaluation metrics, advanced data augmentation, and explainable AI (XAI) techniques. The NIH ChestX-ray14 dataset is utilized, with class imbalance mitigated via synthetic minority oversampling and weighted focal loss. Multiple state-of-the-art CNN architectures, including EfficientNet and ResNet variants, are benchmarked using precision, recall, F1 Score, AUC, and accuracy. Moreover, Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping (Grad-CAM) is integrated to visualize pathological regions, improving clinical interpretability. The offered framework can perform better in all assessment criteria, achieving an AUC of 0.91 with EfficientNet-B0, and provides interpretable outputs critical for deployment in real-world diagnostic settings. This work advances automated radiological diagnosis by addressing key methodological shortcomings and offers a reliable, explainable solution for lung disease detection.

The Effects of Phenytoin on Thyroid Function Tests: A Case Mimicking Central Hypothyroidism

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Introduction: Phenytoin, a widely used antiepileptic, can alter thyroid hormone metabolism and laboratory assays, potentially mimicking central hypothyroidism.

Case Presentation: A 75-year-old woman on long-term phenytoin presented with nonspecific symptoms and thyroid function tests showing low free T4 with a normal TSH. Workup revealed no evidence of pituitary disease. Elevated phenytoin levels and the absence of clinical hypothyroid features suggested phenytoin-induced assay interference or altered metabolism.

Conclusion: In patients on chronic phenytoin therapy, discordant thyroid function tests may not indicate true hypothyroidism but rather drug-induced changes. Clinical correlation is essential before initiating unnecessary treatment.

Time to Normalization of Thyroid Function Tests and Associated Factors Among Thyrotoxic Patients at Saint Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College Endocrine Clinic, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2024

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Background: Thyrotoxicosis is characterized by excessively high tissue thyroid hormone levels. Untreated or inadequately managed thyrotoxicosis can lead to various complications. Understanding factors influencing the time to achieve thyroid function normalization is essential for improving treatment outcomes and patient care.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the median time to normalization of thyroid function tests and identify factors associated with delayed euthyroidism among thyrotoxic patients attending the Endocrine Clinic at St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 2023.

Methods: A hospital-based retrospective cohort study was conducted involving 181 patients diagnosed with thyrotoxicosis who attended the adult Endocrine Clinic from April 2023 to January 2024. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and entered into EpiData version 7.1, then exported to STATA version 15 for analysis. Descriptive statistics summarized continuous variables as mean ± SD or median with interquartile range, and categorical variables as frequencies and percentages. The association between independent variables and time to euthyroidism was analyzed using Cox proportional hazards regression, with the log-rank test employed to compare median times across groups. Adjusted hazard ratios (AHR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were reported to quantify the strength of associations.

Results: Approximately 61% of patients achieved euthyroidism, with a median time of 7 months (Interquartile Range: 3–13 months). Factors significantly associated with delayed normalization included use of Propylthiouracil (AHR = 0.33; 95% CI: 0.12–0.89), poor medication adherence (AHR = 0.24; 95% CI: 0.13–0.42), higher baseline pulse rate (AHR = 0.97; 95% CI: 0.95–0.99), and elevated baseline free thyroxin levels (AHR = 0.99; 95% CI: 0.98–0.995).

Conclusion: Although more than half of the patients attained euthyroidism, the process took longer than expected. High baseline FT4 levels, elevated pulse rate, non-adherence to medication, and the use of PTU as the anti-thyroid drug delayed the achievement of euthyroidism. Patients with thyrotoxicosis require attentive and continuous monitoring until thyroid function normalizes to prevent complications.

The Impact of Psychological Capital and Leader-Member Exchange on Employee Productivity: A Systematic Literature Review

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Employee productivity is a key indicator in assessing the effectiveness and efficiency of individual performance in achieving organizational goals. Achieving optimal productivity is influenced by various factors, including individual psychological aspects and interpersonal relationships within the workplace, thereby requiring support from company management. This study aims to analyze the influence of psychological capital and leader-member exchange on employee productivity at Company, located in East Jakarta. This company is a multinational manufacturing company in the consumer health sector that produces various healthcare products for both domestic and international markets. The sampling in this study was conducted using a stratified random sampling technique, involving 131 respondents, consisting of both permanent and non-permanent employees directly recruited directly by the company. The research instrument utilized a questionnaire with a 5-point Likert scale, and data were collected through an online survey method. Data analysis was performed using the Structural Equation Modeling–Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) approach with the SmartPLS software. The results of the analysis indicate that all proposed hypotheses are supported, suggesting significant relationships among the variables. Psychological capital was found to have a positive influence on employee productivity, as did leader-member exchange. These findings offer practical implications for company management, highlighting the importance of fostering employees’ positive psychological conditions and maintaining high-quality superior-subordinate relationships to sustainably enhance productivity.