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Many studies have identified differences in the effectiveness of the integration of blended learning and project-based learning (BPjBL) models on student achievement. However, the results of previous studies showed different results. Therefore, this study aims to determine the differences in the effectiveness of the integration of blended learning and project-based learning (BPjBL) models on student achievement, compared to traditional learning. The design used in this study was a contrast group meta-analysis. The studies analyzed to calculate the effect size were 11 primary studies that met the established inclusion criteria. To be more accurate, data analysis was performed with the help of JASP software version 0.16.3. The results of the analysis using the random effects approach obtained an overall effect size (d = 1.28; p <0.05). This effect size is included in the large effect category. It can be concluded that the use of the BPjBL model has a major effect on student achievement when compared to traditional learning. The meta-analysis in this study has no problem with publication bias, so this meta-analytic research is objective and scientifically justifiable. The results of this meta-analysis research show more accurate information, which can be used as a basis for policymaking, so as to improve the quality of learning.

Abstract Latrine ownership and utilization is an integral part of the Community-Led Total Sanitation concept. This study assessed ownership and utilization of latrines in selected Open Defecation and Open Defecation-Free communities within the Bole district. A cross-sectional survey design and quantitative approach were employed in this study. Simple random sampling was used to select 166 households from 15 Open Defecation and 5 Open Defecation-Free communities. Data collection was done using a structured questionnaire. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square, and binary logistic regression. The proportion of latrine ownership and utilization were 22.3% and 6.6% respectively. Educational qualification, tertiary education (aOR: 6.1; 95% CI: 1.05–35.56), household subjective norms (OR: 0.19; 95% CI: 0.04–1.01), and awareness of Community-Led Total Sanitation (aOR: 13.3; 95% CI: 2.95–60.24) were determinants of latrine ownership and or utilisation. In conclusion, latrine ownership and use were generally low with education, awareness of community-led total sanitation, residential status, and household subjective norms as factors associated with ownership and or utilization. Education or sensitization should target cultural norms impeding latrine construction and usage. Again, implementable by-laws/community regulations must be implemented to propel latrine ownership and utilization.

Purpose: Non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) represents the persistent absence of sperm in ejaculate without obstruction, stemming from diverse disease processes. This survey explores global practices in NOA diagnosis, comparing them with guidelines and offering expert recommendations. Materials and Methods:Materials and Methods: A 56-item questionnaire survey on NOA diagnosis and management was conducted globally from July to September 2022. This paper focuses on part 1, evaluating NOA diagnosis. Data from 367 participants across 49 coun-tries were analyzed descriptively, with a Delphi process used for expert recommendations. Results:Results: Of 336 eligible responses, most participants were experienced attending physicians (70.93%). To diagnose azoosper-mia definitively, 81.7% requested two semen samples. Commonly ordered hormone tests included serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) (97.0%), total testosterone (92.9%), and luteinizing hormone (86.9%). Genetic testing was requested by 66.6%, with karyotype analysis (86.2%) and Y chromosome microdeletions (88.3%) prevalent. Diagnostic testicular biopsy, distinguishing obstructive azoospermia (OA) from NOA, was not performed by 45.1%, while 34.6% did it selectively. Differ-entiation relied on physical examination (76.1%), serum hormone profiles (69.6%), and semen tests (68.1%). Expectations of finding sperm surgically were higher in men with normal FSH, larger testes, and a history of sperm in ejaculate. Conclusions:Conclusions: This expert survey, encompassing 367 participants from 49 countries, unveils congruence with recommended guidelines in NOA diagnosis. However, noteworthy disparities in practices suggest a need for evidence-based, international consensus guidelines to standardize NOA evaluation, addressing existing gaps in professional recommendations.

Recent studies have tended to reduce the added quantities of mineral fertilizers by using strategies of combination both organic and chemical. Thus, the effect of a combination of organic and chemical fertilizer was studied from March until August 2023 to investigate the growth, yield and mineral content of mustard as affected by onion biowaste and NPK fertilizer. This experiment was carried out with 5 different treatments and 4 replications, utilizing the Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). The treatments consisted of a control with 100% NPK fertilizer (T0), 100% peel onion fertilizer (T1), 50% NPK fertilizer + 50% peel onion (T2), 30% NPK fertilizer + 70% peel onion (T3), 70% NPK fertilizer + 30% peel onion fertilizer (T4). The parameters evaluated in this experiment included plant height, number of leaves, plant fresh weight, and NPK content in the leafy parts. The results showed that there were significantly higher in all studied parameter when using combination of 50% NPK fertilizer + 50% peel onion (T2) compared to the other combinations. Hence, it can be concluded that the combination of NPK fertilizer and peel onion fertilizer is a promising approach to reduce chemical fertilizer application and increase the quality of crops.

In the realm of military and defence applications, exposure to radiation significantly challenges the performance and reliability of solder alloys and joints in electronic systems. This comprehensive review examines radiation-induced effects on solder alloys and solder joints in terms of microstructure and mechanical properties. In this paper, we evaluate the existing literature, including experimental studies and fundamental theory, to provide a comprehensive overview of the behavior of solder materials under radiation. A review of the literature highlights key mechanisms that contribute to radiation-induced changes in the microstructure, such as the formation of intermetallic compounds, grain growth, micro-voids and micro-cracks. Radiation is explored as a factor influencing solder alloy hardness, strength, fatigue and ductility. Moreover, the review addresses the challenges and limitations inherent in studying the effects of radiation on solder materials and offers recommendations for future research. It is crucial to understand radiation-induced effects on solder performance to design robust and radiation-resistant electronic systems. A review of radiation effects on solder materials and their applications in electronics serves as a valuable resource for researchers, engineers, and practitioners in that field.

Numerous educational institutions worldwide have halted face-to-face teaching and learning sessions in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. In Malaysia, the suspension began in March 2020, pushing educational institutions to transition to online classrooms and reshape their academic calendars for consecutive semesters. The reality of online classes necessitates a discussion about a new pedagogical work in which students and educators must understand how to manage online learning and make the most of online technologies. To do so, students must first gain an understanding of the difficulties inherent in open and distance learning (ODL). From the perspective of students, this article examines the difficulties associated with online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a sample, 495 students from UiTM Terengganu who were actively engaged in online learning activities were included in this study. In this study, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was used to analyse the data in order to determine which factors contributed to ODL challenges faced by UiTM Terengganu students. Findings showed, the most significant challenges for the majority of students are technology and the internet. Additional concerns raised included interaction between students and lecturers, psychological issues, difficult assessments, and self-management. The significance of the study is that the university can take the initiative to address the primary challenges faced by students thereby increasing the effectiveness of ODL in the future.

Abstract Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) could increase the susceptibility of individuals to develop obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Obesity and T2DM are closely related pathophysiologically, thus similar SNPs could mediate both these diseases, but this is rarely reported. Furthermore, limited studies have been performed to summarize SNP data in the Asian population compared to the Western population. In this study, we aimed to summarize SNPs that are associated with the development of obesity and T2DM among Asian populations. We searched six literature databases and Review Manager (RevMan) was used for meta-analysis. The pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs were calculated with a random effects model for the heterogeneity among studies. The pooled analysis showed that rs9939609 (FTO gene) and rs17782313 and rs571312 (MC4R gene) are associated with obesity with an odd ratio (OR) of 1.37, 1.36 and 1.29 respectively. For T2DM, five SNPs, rs7903146 and rs12255372 (TCF7L2 gene), rs13266634 and rs11558471 (SLC30A8 gene) and rs2283228 (KCNQ1 gene) have also shown strong associations with T2DM at OR of 1.64, 1.61, 1.22, 1.29 and 1.60 respectively. This data could be used to develop a gene screening panel for assessing obesity and T2DM susceptibility.

It is widely known that the impact of atmospheric humidity on tribological phenomena is significant, particularly in the context of dry sliding. Previous reviews have comprehensively addressed various cases within this domain and this article aims to complement these reviews with recent findings. The review covers a wide spectrum of humidity levels, ranging from trace amounts of water in the order of a few vol ppb to the relative humidity levels experienced in daily life. It delineates the forms of adsorbed water on solid surfaces within each humidity range and explores the potential physical lubrication mechanism of the adsorbed water and its effects on tribological phenomena. In the past, explanations for this influence have tended to be qualitative, primarily viewed from the perspective of chemical reactions. This discussion seeks to broaden the understanding by considering the influences from a physical lubrication perspective. Concluding the review, recent research findings are presented, shedding light on instances where trace amounts of water present in gases such as hydrogen exert an influence on tribological phenomena.

Abstract This study evaluated Aloe vera extract as a green inhibitor to prevent corrosion in seawater environments. A. vera extract was produced by maceration with methanol –water at room temperature. Electrochemical techniques were used to evaluate the corrosion inhibitor effectiveness of the A. vera extract. The morphology of the corrosion products was analyzed by FE-SEM equipped with EDS and AFM. FT-IR and LCMS characterized the functional and structural groups in this extract. The electrochemical measurements show that A. vera extract could effectively reduce the corrosion of API 5L steel in seawater environments. Inhibition efficiency (IE) increases with increasing concentration. Optimal corrosion inhibition efficiency of around 83.75% (PDP) and 88.60% (EIS) was obtained by adding 300 mg L−1 of extract at 310 K. Furthermore, the higher the concentration of A. vera extract, the greater the activation energy (Ea), with the highest activation energy being 48.24 kJ mol−1 for the concentration of 300 mg L−1. Conversely, increasing the temperature and exposure duration reduces the corrosion inhibition efficiency (IE) values; the best exposure period was 30 min with 88.34% IE by a concentration of 300 mg L−1 at 300 K. This corrosion inhibition is achieved by the adsorption process of A. vera bioactive on metal surfaces with a mixed inhibitor through a physisorption-chemisorption mechanism. This finding was confirmed by the smoother surface morphology of the steel treated with A. vera extract than without. This unveiling investigation found that A. vera extract has the potential to be an environmentally friendly corrosion inhibitor in the seawater environment.

Lignite and sulphur are instrumental in enhancing the growth and yield-related traits of Brassica napus, commonly known as rapeseed. This study aimed to explore the effects of lignite-based sulphur fertilizers on Brassica napus production. Spanning two consecutive seasons, the experiment included treatments with a control group, three levels of elemental sulphur (30, 40, and 50 kg ha-1), and three levels of lignite-based sulphur fertilizer (30, 40, and 50 kg ha-1). Employing a randomized complete block design with four replications, the study revealed that applying lignite-based sulphur fertilizer at a rate of 50 kg ha-1 led to significant improvements in various growth parameters, such as plant height, primary and secondary branches per plant, pods per plant, pod length, seeds per pod, biological yield, seed yield, thousand seed weight, and oil yield. Notably, substantially higher seed and oil yields were achieved with the application of 50 kg ha-1 of lignite-based sulphur fertilizer. In semi-arid climates, to maximize rapeseed yield, yield components, and quality, it is advisable to utilize lignite-based sulphur fertilizer at a rate of 50 kg ha-1.